In this review, we will be comparing Carina FS247.4 and BW 603, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from ELAC and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ELAC Carina FS247.4 and B&W 603 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | ELAC Carina FS247.4 | B&W 603 |
|---|
| Brand | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Aluminum | 2 x 6.5" Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 34-30k Hz | 48-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 88.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-120 watts | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 16.45kg / 36.2lbs | 24.14kg / 53.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 43-3/8" x 9-5/16" x 9-7/8"
1102.0 x 237.0 x 251.0mm | 38.7" x 7.4" x 13.3"
985.0 x 190.0 x 340.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the ELAC Carina FS247.4 and B&W 603 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
ELAC Carina FS247.4 |
B&W 603 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Carina FS247.4 and BW 603 are 3-way speakers.
ELAC Carina FS247.4B&W 603
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
ELAC Carina FS247.4 |
B&W 603 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Carina FS247.4 features a 1" Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer. On the other hand, the BW 603 features a 1" Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Paper Woofer.
Frequency Response
Carina FS247.4 has a frequency range of 34-30k Hz whereas BW 603 has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 34Hz, the Carina FS247.4 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the BW 603's min frequency of 48Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Carina FS247.4 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the BW 603 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Carina FS247.4 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the BW 603's is rated at 88.5 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the B&W 603 a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC Carina FS247.4, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
BW 603 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Carina FS247.4 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 80 watts less than the BW 603.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Carina FS247.4 and BW 603 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare ELAC Carina FS247.4's and B&W 603's external dimensions. ELAC Carina FS247.4 has external dimensions of 1102.0 x 237.0 x 251.0mm (43-3/8 x 9-5/16 x 9-7/8inch) whereas B&W 603 has external dimensions of 985.0 x 190.0 x 340.0mm (38.7 x 7.4 x 13.3inch).
B&W 603 is 47mm narrower and 117mm shorter than ELAC Carina FS247.4 but it is also 89mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of ELAC Carina FS247.4 and B&W 603 in scale.
Comparison image of ELAC Carina FS247.4 and B&W 603 Size and External Dimensions
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the ELAC Carina FS247.4 is approximately 594.9cm2 / 92.2inch2 and base area of the B&W 603 is approximately 646.0cm2 / 100.1inch2. The Carina FS247.4 requires 8% less surface area than the BW 603 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The ELAC Carina FS247.4 weighs 16.45kg / 36.2lbs and the B&W 603 weighs 24.14kg / 53.1lbs. This makes the BW 603 47% heavier than the Carina FS247.4.
Here is a comparison of how Carina FS247.4 and BW 603's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of ELAC Carina FS247.4?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Carina FS247.4:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 2 Stabilizer-bars
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Isolation pucks
- 4 Screws
- 2 Jumper straps (pre-installed)
- Operating Instructions
What's in the Box of B&W 603?
Here are the items that come with the BW 603:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Plinith (base)
- 2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Hex-nuts
- 4 Screws
- 4 Washers
- 4 Lock-washers
- Two-piece foam port plug
- Hex-key
- Manual
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
 Low Frequency Response |
34 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
594cm2
vs
646cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 Height |
985mm
vs
1102mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
ELAC Carina FS247.4 |
Bowers & Wilkins 603 |
| Brand |
ELAC |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-120 watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
88.5 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
34-30k Hz |
48-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
6" |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1102.0mm (43.4") |
985.0mm (38.8") |
| Width |
237.0mm (9.3") |
190.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
251.0mm (9.9") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
| Weight |
16.45kg (36.2lbs) |
24.14kg (53.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Polymer |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black, White, Oak |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | ELAC Carina FS247.4 digs deeper - 34Hz against 48Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | B&W 603 is more sensitive (89dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | B&W 603 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | B | B&W 603 takes more power (200W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | ELAC Carina FS247.4: bi-amping; B&W 603: bi-amping. |
A ELAC Carina FS247.4 B B&W 603
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
B&W 603 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 48Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, B&W 603 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.