In this review, we will be comparing Triton One.R and BW 603, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from GoldenEar and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of GoldenEar Triton One.R and B&W 603 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
GoldenEar Triton One.R Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- " High-Velocity Folded Ribbon Tweeter
- 5.25" Midrange
- 5" Polymer Woofer
- 13-35k Hz Frequency Response
- 92 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:20-650watts
- Weight:36.36kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1375.0" x 12-3/8" x 20-5/16"( 1375.0 x 315.0 x 516.0mm )
B&W 603 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Tweeter
- 6" Midrange
- 2 x 6.5" Paper Woofer
- 6" Midrange
- 48-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 88.5 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-200watts
- Weight:24.14kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 985.0" x 7.4" x 13.3"( 985.0 x 190.0 x 340.0mm )
What size room are the GoldenEar Triton One.R 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:
| Listening Environment* |
GoldenEar Triton One.R |
B&W 603 |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
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 Triton One.R 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.
**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 Triton One.R and BW 603 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
GoldenEar Triton One.R |
B&W 603 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Triton One.R features a " High-Velocity Folded Ribbon Tweeter , a 5.25" Midrange and 1 x 5" Polymer Woofer . On the other hand, the BW 603 features a 1" Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Paper Woofer .
Frequency Response
Triton One.R has a frequency range of 13-35k Hz whereas BW 603 has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 13Hz, the Triton One.R 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
Impedance and Sensitivity
Triton One.R and BW 603 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Triton One.R sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the BW 603's is at 88.5 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the GoldenEar Triton One.R a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 603, 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.
Triton One.R can handle a max power of 650 watts RMS from the amp the whereas BW 603 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 450 watts less than the Triton One.R.
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 603 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Triton One.R has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/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 GoldenEar Triton One.R's and B&W 603's external dimensions. GoldenEar Triton One.R has external dimensions of 1375.0 x 315.0 x 516.0mm ( 54-1/8 x 12-3/8 x 20-5/16inch) whereas B&W 603 has external dimensions of 985.0 x 190.0 x 340.0mm ( 38.7 x 7.4 x 13.3inch) .
GoldenEar Triton One.R is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 125mm wider, 390mm taller and 176mm deeper than B&W 603.
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 Triton One.R is approximately 1625.4cm2 / 251.9inch2 and base area of the B&W 603 is approximately 646.0cm2 / 100.1inch2. The Triton One.R requires 152% more surface area than the BW 603 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.