In this review, we will be comparing Vestia No1 and 606 S2 AE, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Focal and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Vestia No1 and B&W 606 S2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Vestia No1 | B&W 606 S2 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" inverted dome | 1" Decoupled Double Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Slatefiber | 6.5" Continuum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 56-30k Hz | 52-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89.5 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-120 watts | 30-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 7.00kg / 15.4lbs | 6.90kg / 15.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 15-1/4" x 8-5/8" x 10-1/4"
388.0 x 220.0 x 261.0mm | 13-5/8" x 7-1/2" x 12-13/16"
347.0 x 191.0 x 326.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Focal Vestia No1 and B&W 606 S2 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 Vestia No1 |
B&W 606 S2 |
| 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.
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Drivers
Both Vestia No1 and 606 S2 AE are 2-way speakers.
Focal Vestia No1B&W 606 S2
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 Vestia No1 |
B&W 606 S2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Vestia No1 features a 1" Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800Hz. On the other hand, the 606 S2 AE features a 1" Aluminum Decoupled Double Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer.
Frequency Response
Vestia No1 has a frequency range of 56-30k Hz whereas 606 S2 AE has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 52Hz, the 606 S2 AE can go slightly deeper then the Vestia No1's min frequency of 56Hz.
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
Vestia No1 and 606 S2 AE have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Vestia No1 sensitivity is rated at 89.5 dB and the 606 S2 AE's is at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Focal Vestia No1 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 606 S2, 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 Vestia No1 is rated 25-120 watts and 606 S2 AE 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.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Vestia No1 has a front firing port whereas 606 S2 AE has a rear firing ports. Focal Vestia No1's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to B&W 606 S2 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 Focal Vestia No1's and B&W 606 S2's external dimensions. Focal Vestia No1 has external dimensions of 388.0 x 220.0 x 261.0mm (15-1/4-inch x 8-5/8-inch x 10-1/4-inch) whereas B&W 606 S2 has external dimensions of 347.0 x 191.0 x 326.0mm (13-5/8 x 7-1/2 x 12-13/16inch).
B&W 606 S2 is 29mm narrower and 41mm shorter than Focal Vestia No1 but it is also 65mm deeper.
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 Vestia No1 is approximately 574.2cm2 / 89.0inch2 and base area of the B&W 606 S2 is approximately 622.7cm2 / 96.5inch2. The Vestia No1 requires 8% less surface area than the 606 S2 AE 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 Focal Vestia No1 weighs 7.00kg / 15.4lbs and the B&W 606 S2 weighs 6.90kg / 15.2lbs. This makes the Vestia No1 1% heavier than the 606 S2 AE.
Here is a comparison of how Vestia No1 and 606 S2 AE's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of B&W 606 S2?
Here are the items that come with the 606 S2 AE:
- 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 |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Minimum Impedance |
4.5 ohms
vs
3.7 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Base Surface Area |
574cm2
vs
622cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Low Frequency Response |
52 Hz
vs
56 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
347mm
vs
388mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
999USD
vs
1198USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Focal Vestia No1 |
Bowers & Wilkins 606 S2 Anniversary Edition |
| Brand |
Focal |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-120 watts |
30-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89.5 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4.5 ohms |
3.7 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
56-30k 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 |
Decoupled Double Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2800Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
front |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
388.0mm (15.3") |
347.0mm (13.7") |
| Width |
220.0mm (8.7") |
191.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
261.0mm (10.3") |
326.0mm (12.8") |
| Weight |
7.00kg (15.4lbs) |
6.90kg (15.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black High Gloss, Dark Wood, Light Wood |
Matte Black, Matte White, Oak, Red Cherry |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
24-26" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
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 S2 digs deeper - 52Hz against 56Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs |
A |
Focal Vestia No1 is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom |
evenly matched |
Similar power handling (120W vs 120W). |
| Size |
depends |
Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability |
B |
B&W 606 S2: bi-amping. |
| Price |
B |
B&W 606 S2 is cheaper - $999 against $1,198, about 17% less. |
A Focal Vestia No1
B B&W 606 S2
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 S2 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 your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Focal Vestia No1 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.