In this review, we will be comparing Chora 806 and BW 606, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Focal and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Chora 806 and B&W 606 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Chora 806 | B&W 606 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" inverted dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Slatefiber | 6.5" Continuum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-28k Hz | 52-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25 - 120 watts | 30-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 7.35kg / 16.2lbs | 6.90kg / 15.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 17" x 8.25" x 10.7"
431.0 x 210.0 x 270.0mm | 24-26" x 7-1/2" x 12-13/16"
345.0 x 190.0 x 324.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Focal Chora 806 and B&W 606 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* |
Focal Chora 806 |
B&W 606 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| 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.
**This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Chora 806 and BW 606 are 2-way speakers.
Focal Chora 806B&W 606
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Focal Chora 806 |
B&W 606 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Chora 806 features a 1" TNV2 AI/Mg inverted dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3000Hz. On the other hand, the BW 606 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer.
Frequency Response
Chora 806 has a frequency range of 55-28k Hz whereas BW 606 has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 52Hz, the BW 606 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Chora 806's min frequency of 58Hz.
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
Chora 806 and BW 606 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Chora 806 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the BW 606's is at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Focal Chora 806 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 606, 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 120 watts RMS, though Chora 806 is rated 25 - 120 watts and BW 606 30-120 watts.
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 606 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Chora 806 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Focal Chora 806's Binding post terminals
B&W 606's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Chora 806 and BW 606 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 Focal Chora 806's and B&W 606's external dimensions. Focal Chora 806 has external dimensions of 431.0 x 210.0 x 270.0mm (17 x 8.25 x 10.7inch) whereas B&W 606 has external dimensions of 345.0 x 190.0 x 324.0mm (13.5 x 7.4 x 12.7inch).
B&W 606 is 20mm narrower and 86mm shorter than Focal Chora 806 but it is also 54mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Focal Chora 806 and B&W 606 in scale.
Comparison image of Focal Chora 806 and B&W 606 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 Focal Chora 806 is approximately 567.0cm2 / 87.9inch2 and base area of the B&W 606 is approximately 615.6cm2 / 95.4inch2. The Chora 806 requires 8% less surface area than the BW 606 which gives it a small advantage 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 Focal Chora 806 and B&W 606 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 Focal Chora 806 weighs 7.35kg / 16.2lbs and the B&W 606 weighs 6.90kg / 15.2lbs. This makes the Chora 806 7% heavier than the BW 606.
Here is a comparison of how Chora 806 and BW 606's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Focal Chora 806?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Chora 806:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber pads
- User manual
What's in the Box of B&W 606?
Here are the items that come with the BW 606:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 2 Two-piece foam port plugs
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- 4 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- Manual
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Minimum Impedance |
4.6 ohms
vs
3.7 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Base Surface Area |
567cm2
vs
615cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Low Frequency Response |
52 Hz
vs
58 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
345mm
vs
431mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Focal Chora 806 |
Bowers & Wilkins 606 |
| Brand |
Focal |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25 - 120 watts |
30-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4.6 ohms |
3.7 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
55-28k Hz |
52-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Slatefiber |
Continuum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
inverted dome |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
3000Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
n/a |
allow up to a week for the temperature effects to stabilise and 15 hours of average use for the parts to attain their intended design characteristics. |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
431.0mm (17") |
345.0mm (13.6") |
| Width |
210.0mm (8.3") |
190.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
270.0mm (10.6") |
324.0mm (12.8") |
| Weight |
7.35kg (16.2lbs) |
6.90kg (15.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Lacquer/Leatherette |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black, Dark wood, Light wood |
Black, White, Oak |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
22-24" |
24-26" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 |
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 |
B |
B&W 606 digs deeper - 52Hz against 58Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs |
evenly matched |
Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom |
evenly matched |
Similar power handling (120W vs 120W). |
| Size |
depends |
Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability |
B |
B&W 606: bi-amping. |
A Focal Chora 806
B B&W 606
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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 606 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 58Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead.
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.