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GoldenEar Aon 3 vs B&W 606 Comparison

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GoldenEar Aon 3

Passive Bookshelf | 38-35k Hz

GoldenEar Aon 3
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B&W 606

Passive Bookshelf | 52-28k Hz

Bowers & Wilkins 606
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GoldenEar Aon 3 GoldenEar Aon 3
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B&W 606 B&W 606
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GoldenEar Aon 3
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B&W 606
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GoldenEar Aon 3 vs B&W 606 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing Aon 3 Bookshelf Monitor 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 3 and B&W 606 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

GoldenEar Aon 3 Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • " Folded Ribbon Tweeter
  • 7" Polypropylene Woofer
  • 38-35k Hz Frequency Response
  • 90 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:10-250watts
  • Weight:6.82kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 356.0" x 9" x 11-1/16"( 356.0 x 229.0 x 281.0mm )

B&W 606 Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
  • 6.5" Continuum Woofer
  • 52-28k Hz Frequency Response
  • 88 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:30-120watts
  • Weight:6.90kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 345.0" x 7-1/2" x 12-13/16"( 345.0 x 190.0 x 324.0mm )

What size room are the GoldenEar Aon 3 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 3 B&W 606
Near-field Poor Poor
Small Room Poor Average
Mid-size Room Good Good
Large Room Good Average
Very Large Room Average 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.)

In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the GoldenEar Aon 3 and B&W 606 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.


**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


Drivers

Both Aon 3 Bookshelf Monitor and BW 606 are 2-way speakers.

Driver GoldenEar Aon 3 B&W 606
Driver Setup 2-way 2-way
Tweeter -inch 1-inch
Midrange - -
Woofer 1 x 7-inch 1 x 6.5-inch

Aon 3 Bookshelf Monitor features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter and 1 x 7" 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 3 Bookshelf Monitor has a frequency range of 38-35k Hz whereas BW 606 has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the Aon 3 Bookshelf Monitor can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the BW 606's min frequency of 52Hz.

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 Bookshelf class in our database.

Low Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

Aon 3 Bookshelf Monitor
BW 606
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

GoldenEar Aon 3
B&W 606
Min
Average
Max

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

Aon 3 Bookshelf Monitor and BW 606 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Aon 3 Bookshelf Monitor sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the BW 606's is at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the GoldenEar Aon 3 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 606, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Bookshelf Speakers

Aon 3 Bookshelf Monitor
BW 606
Min
Average
Max

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.

Aon 3 Bookshelf Monitor can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas BW 606 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 130 watts less than the Aon 3 Bookshelf Monitor.

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

BW 606 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Aon 3 Bookshelf Monitor has a 5-way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

GoldenEar Aon 3 Terminals
GoldenEar Aon 3's 5-way post terminals

B&W 606Post Terminals
B&W 606's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both Aon 3 Bookshelf Monitor 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

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 GoldenEar Aon 3's and B&W 606's external dimensions. GoldenEar Aon 3 has external dimensions of 356.0 x 229.0 x 281.0mm ( 14 x 9 x 11-1/16inch) 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 39mm narrower and 11mm shorter than GoldenEar Aon 3 but it is also 43mm 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 GoldenEar Aon 3 is approximately 643.5cm2 / 99.7inch2 and base area of the B&W 606 is approximately 615.6cm2 / 95.4inch2. The Aon 3 Bookshelf Monitor requires 5% more surface area than the BW 606 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 GoldenEar Aon 3 weighs 6.82kg / 15lbs and the B&W 606 weighs 6.90kg / 15.2lbs. This makes the BW 606 1% heavier than the Aon 3 Bookshelf Monitor.

Here is a comparison of how Aon 3 Bookshelf Monitor and BW 606's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.

Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
GoldenEar Aon 3
B&W 606
Min
Average
Max

What's in the Box of GoldenEar Aon 3?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of Aon 3 Bookshelf Monitor:
  • 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

  • Reasons to choose GoldenEar Aon 3 over Bowers & Wilkins 606
    Max Input Power 250 watts vs 120 watts Handle more power from your amplifier
    Sensitivity 90 dB vs 88 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Woofer Size 7 inches vs 6.5 inches Larger woofer
    Low Frequency Response 38 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 8-inch side-mounted vs None Increases the bass performance

    Reasons to choose Bowers & Wilkins 606 over GoldenEar Aon 3

    Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring Yes vs No Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections
    Height 345mm vs 356mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Base Surface Area 615cm2 vs 643cm2 Takes less floor space
    GoldenEar Aon 3 vs B&W 606 Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General GoldenEar Aon 3 Bowers & Wilkins 606
    Brand GoldenEar Bowers Wilkins
    Speaker Type Bookshelf speakers Bookshelf speakers
    Power Range 10-250 watts 30-120 watts
    Sensitivity 90 dB 88 dB
    Impedance 8 ohms 8 ohms
    Impedance n/a 3.7 ohms
    Frequency Response 38-35k Hz 52-28k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 1 1
    Woofer Size 7" 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 356.0mm (14") 345.0mm (13.6")
    Width 229.0mm (9") 190.0mm (7.5")
    Depth 281.0mm (11.1") 324.0mm (12.8")
    Weight 6.82kg (15lbs) 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 24-26" 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

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