In this review, we will be comparing Aon 2 and BW 606, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from GoldenEar and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of GoldenEar Aon 2 and B&W 606 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | GoldenEar Aon 2 | B&W 606 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | Folded Ribbon | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6" Polypropylene | 6.5" Continuum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-35k Hz | 52-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 10-200 watts | 30-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.45kg / 12lbs | 6.90kg / 15.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12" x 8" x 10-1/8"
305.0 x 204.0 x 258.0mm | 24-26" x 7-1/2" x 12-13/16"
345.0 x 190.0 x 324.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the GoldenEar Aon 2 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* |
GoldenEar Aon 2 |
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.
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through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Aon 2 and BW 606 are 2-way speakers.
GoldenEar Aon 2B&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 |
GoldenEar Aon 2 |
B&W 606 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Aon 2 features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter and 1 x 6" Polypropylene Woofer. On the other hand, the BW 606 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer.
Frequency Response
Aon 2 has a frequency range of 42-35k Hz whereas BW 606 has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the Aon 2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the BW 606'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
Aon 2 and BW 606 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Aon 2 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the BW 606's is at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the GoldenEar Aon 2 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.
Aon 2 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas BW 606 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 80 watts less than the Aon 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 606 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Aon 2 has a 5-way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
GoldenEar Aon 2's 5-way post terminals
B&W 606's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Aon 2 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 GoldenEar Aon 2's and B&W 606's external dimensions. GoldenEar Aon 2 has external dimensions of 305.0 x 204.0 x 258.0mm (12 x 8 x 10-1/8inch) whereas B&W 606 has external dimensions of 345.0 x 190.0 x 324.0mm (13.5 x 7.4 x 12.7inch).
GoldenEar Aon 2 is 40mm shorter and 66mm less deeper than B&W 606 but it is also 14mm wider.
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 GoldenEar Aon 2 is approximately 526.3cm2 / 81.6inch2 and base area of the B&W 606 is approximately 615.6cm2 / 95.4inch2. The Aon 2 requires 15% less surface area than the BW 606 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 GoldenEar Aon 2 weighs 5.45kg / 12lbs and the B&W 606 weighs 6.90kg / 15.2lbs. This makes the BW 606 27% heavier than the Aon 2.
Here is a comparison of how Aon 2 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 GoldenEar Aon 2?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Aon 2:
- Bookshelf loudspeaker
Key-hole hanger
2 Screws
Owner's 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
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
42 Hz
vs
52 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Mounting Bracket |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows mounting on walls |
 Passive Radiator |
two 6-1/2
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Height |
305mm
vs
345mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
526cm2
vs
615cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
898USD
vs
899USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
|
Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
| General |
GoldenEar Aon 2 |
Bowers & Wilkins 606 |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
10-200 watts |
30-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.7 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
42-35k Hz |
52-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Continuum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Folded Ribbon |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| 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 |
305.0mm (12") |
345.0mm (13.6") |
| Width |
204.0mm (8") |
190.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
258.0mm (10.2") |
324.0mm (12.8") |
| Weight |
5.45kg (12lbs) |
6.90kg (15.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black, White, Oak |
| Mounting Bracket |
Yes |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
26-28" |
24-26" |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: B&W 606 is the newer design, against a 2012 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
A |
GoldenEar Aon 2 digs deeper - 42Hz against 52Hz. |
| Amplifier needs |
evenly matched |
Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom |
A |
GoldenEar Aon 2 takes more power (200W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
GoldenEar Aon 2 is easier to place; B&W 606 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet |
depends |
Sealed vs Ported. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Expandability |
B |
B&W 606: bi-amping. |
| Price |
evenly matched |
Much the same money ($898 vs $899 a pair). |
A GoldenEar Aon 2
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?
GoldenEar Aon 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.
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.