In this review, we will be comparing Debut 2.0 B6.2 and BW 607, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from ELAC and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 and B&W 607 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 | B&W 607 |
|---|
| Brand | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Woven Aramid-Fiber | 5" Continuum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 44-35k Hz | 52-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 84 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 120 watts | 30-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 7.40kg / 16.3lbs | 4.70kg / 10.3lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14.8" x 7-3/4" x 10-9/16"
375.0 x 195.0 x 268.0mm | 11.8" x 6.4" x 8.1"
300.0 x 165.0 x 207.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 and B&W 607 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 Debut 2.0 B6.2 |
B&W 607 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Average |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Bad |
(* 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 Debut 2.0 B6.2 and BW 607 are 2-way speakers.
ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2B&W 607
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 |
B&W 607 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
Debut 2.0 B6.2 features a 1" Cloth Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Woven Aramid-Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2200Hz. On the other hand, the BW 607 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Continuum Woofer.
Frequency Response
Debut 2.0 B6.2 has a frequency range of 44-35k Hz whereas BW 607 has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the Debut 2.0 B6.2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the BW 607's min frequency of 52Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
Debut 2.0 B6.2 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the BW 607 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Debut 2.0 B6.2 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the BW 607's is rated at 84 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 607, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
Debut 2.0 B6.2 can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas BW 607 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the Debut 2.0 B6.2.
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
BW 607 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Debut 2.0 B6.2 has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2's 5-Way post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Debut 2.0 B6.2 has a front firing port whereas BW 607 has a rear firing ports. ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to B&W 607 with its rear-firing port.
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 Debut 2.0 B6.2's and B&W 607's external dimensions. ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 has external dimensions of 375.0 x 195.0 x 268.0mm (14.7 x 7.6 x 10.5inch) whereas B&W 607 has external dimensions of 300.0 x 165.0 x 207.0mm (11.8 x 6.4 x 8.1inch).
ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 30mm wider, 75mm taller and 61mm deeper than B&W 607.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 and B&W 607 in scale.
Comparison image of ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 and B&W 607 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 Debut 2.0 B6.2 is approximately 522.6cm2 / 81.0inch2 and base area of the B&W 607 is approximately 341.6cm2 / 52.9inch2. The Debut 2.0 B6.2 requires 53% more surface area than the BW 607 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 and B&W 607 on a Media Console
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 Debut 2.0 B6.2 weighs 7.40kg / 16.3lbs and the B&W 607 weighs 4.70kg / 10.3lbs. This makes the Debut 2.0 B6.2 57% heavier than the BW 607.
Here is a comparison of how Debut 2.0 B6.2 and BW 607's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Debut 2.0 B6.2:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- Operating Instructions
What's in the Box of B&W 607?
Here are the items that come with the BW 607:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 2 Two-piece foam port plugs
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- 4 Jumper-straps
- Manual
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
 Max Input Power |
120 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
87 dB
vs
84 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
44 Hz
vs
52 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Price per pair* |
400USD
vs
799USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
300mm
vs
375mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
341cm2
vs
522cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 |
Bowers & Wilkins 607 |
| Brand |
ELAC |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
up to 120 watts |
30-100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
84 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.0 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
44-35k Hz |
52-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Woven Aramid-Fiber |
Continuum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2200Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
front |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
375.0mm (14.8") |
300.0mm (11.8") |
| Width |
195.0mm (7.7") |
165.0mm (6.5") |
| Depth |
268.0mm (10.6") |
207.0mm (8.1") |
| Weight |
7.40kg (16.3lbs) |
4.70kg (10.3lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Ported |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black, White, Oak |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24-28" |
24-26" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - B&W 607 costs roughly 2x what ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 digs deeper - 44Hz against 52Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 is more sensitive (87dB vs 84dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | B&W 607 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (120W vs 100W). |
| Size | depends | B&W 607 is easier to place; ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | B&W 607: bi-amping. ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 sits in a wider range (11 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 is cheaper - $400 against $799, about 50% less; arguably a different class. |
A ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 B B&W 607
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?
ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 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 52Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 the better fit for a mid-size room and a large room, and B&W 607 for near-field listening and a small room.
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.