In this review, we will be comparing VELA FS 407 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 VELA FS 407 and B&W 603 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the ELAC VELA FS 407 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the ELAC VELA FS 407 and B&W 603 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both VELA FS 407 and BW 603 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
ELAC VELA FS 407 |
B&W 603 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
----inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
VELA FS 407 features a ---" handmade JET 5 folded ribbon Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 1 x 6" Aluminum/Paper Woofer . On the other hand, the BW 603 features a 1" Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Paper Woofer .
Frequency Response
VELA FS 407 has a frequency range of 30-50k Hz whereas BW 603 has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the VELA FS 407 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the BW 603's min frequency of 48Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
VELA FS 407 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the BW 603 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the VELA FS 407 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. VELA FS 407 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the BW 603's is rated at 88.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the B&W 603 a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC VELA FS 407, 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. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
VELA FS 407 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas VELA FS 407 has a max power handling value of 130 watts RMS , 70 watts less than the BW 603.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both VELA FS 407 and BW 603 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 VELA FS 407's and B&W 603's external dimensions. ELAC VELA FS 407 has external dimensions of 1023.0 x 224.0 x 274.0mm ( 40-1/4 x 8-13/16 x 10-3/4inch) 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 34mm narrower and 38mm shorter than ELAC VELA FS 407 but it is also 66mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of ELAC VELA FS 407 and B&W 603 in scale.
Comparison image of ELAC VELA FS 407 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 VELA FS 407 is approximately 613.8cm2 / 95.1inch2 and base area of the B&W 603 is approximately 646.0cm2 / 100.1inch2. The VELA FS 407 requires 5% 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 VELA FS 407 weighs 19.14kg / 42.1lbs and the B&W 603 weighs 24.14kg / 53.1lbs. This makes the BW 603 26% heavier than the VELA FS 407.
Here is a comparison of how VELA FS 407 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 VELA FS 407?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of VELA FS 407:
Floorstanding loudspeakerBase plate2 Jumper straps (pre-installed)4 Spikes4 Pucks4 Rubber pads4 Machine screws4 WashersHex-keyOperating And Safety 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 |
30 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
50k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
613cm2 (224x274mm)
vs
646cm2 (190x340mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
130 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
| Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 Height |
985mm
vs
1023mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
ELAC VELA FS 407 |
Bowers & Wilkins 603 |
| Brand |
ELAC |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-130 watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
88.5 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
30-50k Hz |
48-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum/Paper |
Paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
---" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
handmade JET 5 folded ribbon |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
6" |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1023.0mm (40.3") |
985.0mm (38.8") |
| Width |
224.0mm (8.8") |
190.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
274.0mm (10.8") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
| Weight |
19.14kg (42.1lbs) |
24.14kg (53.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Aluminum |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Gloss 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 |