In this review, we will be comparing DFR52 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 Debut Ref DFR52 and B&W 603 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | ELAC Debut Ref DFR52 | B&W 603 |
|---|
| Brand | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" dome | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" Aramid fiber | 2 x 6.5" Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-35k Hz | 48-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 88.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 140 watts | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 16.77kg / 36.9lbs | 24.14kg / 53.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40-9/16" x 9-1/8" x 11-1/8"
1031.0 x 232.0 x 283.0mm | 38.7" x 7.4" x 13.3"
985.0 x 190.0 x 340.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the ELAC Debut Ref DFR52 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 Debut Ref DFR52 |
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.
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Drivers
Both DFR52 and BW 603 are 3-way speakers.
ELAC Debut Ref DFR52B&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 Debut Ref DFR52 |
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
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
DFR52 features a 1" cloth dome Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 5.25" Aramid fiber Woofer. On the other hand, the BW 603 features a 1" Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Paper Woofer.
Frequency Response
DFR52 has a frequency range of 42-35k Hz whereas BW 603 has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the DFR52 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
DFR52 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. DFR52 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 Debut Ref DFR52, 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 DFR52 has a max power handling value of 140 watts RMS, 60 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
BW 603 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. DFR52 has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
ELAC Debut Ref DFR52's 5-Way post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both DFR52 and BW 603 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 Ref DFR52's and B&W 603's external dimensions. ELAC Debut Ref DFR52 has external dimensions of 1031.0 x 232.0 x 283.0mm (40-9/16 x 9-1/8 x 11-1/8inch) 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 42mm narrower and 46mm shorter than ELAC Debut Ref DFR52 but it is also 57mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of ELAC Debut Ref DFR52 and B&W 603 in scale.
Comparison image of ELAC Debut Ref DFR52 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 Debut Ref DFR52 is approximately 656.6cm2 / 101.8inch2 and base area of the B&W 603 is approximately 646.0cm2 / 100.1inch2. The DFR52 requires 2% more surface area than the BW 603 which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Debut Ref DFR52 weighs 16.77kg / 36.9lbs and the B&W 603 weighs 24.14kg / 53.1lbs. This makes the BW 603 44% heavier than the DFR52.
Here is a comparison of how DFR52 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 Debut Ref DFR52?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of DFR52:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Outrigger feet (spikes installed)
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Dials
- 8 Screws
- Hex-key
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 |
42 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
140 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 |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
985mm
vs
1031mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
646cm2
vs
656cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
ELAC Debut Reference DFR52 |
Bowers & Wilkins 603 |
| Brand |
ELAC |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 140 watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
88.5 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
42-35k Hz |
48-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aramid fiber |
Paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
6" |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1031.0mm (40.6") |
985.0mm (38.8") |
| Width |
232.0mm (9.1") |
190.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
283.0mm (11.1") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
| Weight |
16.77kg (36.9lbs) |
24.14kg (53.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
White Baffle / Oak Cabinet or Black Baffle / Walnut Cabinet |
Black, White, Oak |
| 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 |
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 Debut Ref DFR52 digs deeper - 42Hz against 48Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| 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 140W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | B | B&W 603: bi-amping. |
A ELAC Debut Ref DFR52 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.