In this review, we will be comparing S 805 and BW 603, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Jamo and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Jamo S 805 and B&W 603 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Jamo S 805 | B&W 603 |
|---|
| Brand | Jamo
Denmark · founded 1966 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 5" Aluminized Polyfiber | 2 x 6.5" Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 49-26k Hz | 48-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 88.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 80 watts | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 8.60kg / 18.9lbs | 24.14kg / 53.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 31" x 7-1/2" x 9-15/16"
787 x 191 x 252 mm | 38.7" x 7.4" x 13.3"
985.0 x 190.0 x 340.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Jamo S 805 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* |
Jamo S 805 |
B&W 603 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that S 805 is a 2-way design whereas the BW 603 is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Jamo S 805B&W 603
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Jamo S 805 |
B&W 603 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
S 805 features a 1" Tweeter and 1 x 5" Aluminized Polyfiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2000Hz. On the other hand, the BW 603 features a 1" Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Paper Woofer.
Frequency Response
S 805 has a frequency range of 49-26k Hz whereas BW 603 has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 48Hz, the BW 603 can go slightly deeper then the S 805's min frequency of 49Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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
S 805 and BW 603 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. S 805 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the BW 603's is at 88.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the B&W 603 a more sensitive speaker compared to Jamo S 805, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
BW 603 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas S 805 has a max power handling value of 80 watts RMS, 120 watts less than the BW 603.
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 603 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. S 805 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Jamo S 805's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
S 805 has a front firing port whereas BW 603 has a rear firing ports. Jamo S 805's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to B&W 603 with its rear-firing port.
Jamo S 805 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 Jamo S 805's and B&W 603's external dimensions. Jamo S 805 has external dimensions of 787 x 191 x 252 mm (31 x 7-1/2 x 9-15/16 inch) whereas B&W 603 has external dimensions of 985.0 x 190.0 x 340.0mm (38.7 x 7.4 x 13.3inch).
Jamo S 805 is 198mm shorter and 88mm less deeper than B&W 603 but it is also 1mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Jamo S 805 and B&W 603 in scale.
Comparison image of Jamo S 805 and B&W 603 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 Jamo S 805 is approximately 481.3cm2 / 74.6inch2 and base area of the B&W 603 is approximately 646.0cm2 / 100.1inch2. The S 805 requires 25% less surface area than the BW 603 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 Jamo S 805 weighs 8.60kg / 18.9lbs and the B&W 603 weighs 24.14kg / 53.1lbs. This makes the BW 603 181% heavier than the S 805.
Here is a comparison of how S 805 and BW 603's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Jamo S 805?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of S 805:
- 2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 8 Mounting feet
- 16 Screws
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
What's in the Box of B&W 603?
Here are the items that come with the BW 603:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Plinith (base)
- 2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Hex-nuts
- 4 Screws
- 4 Washers
- 4 Lock-washers
- Two-piece foam port plug
- Hex-key
- Manual
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Height |
787mm
vs
985mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
481cm2
vs
646cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
80 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
48 Hz
vs
49 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
26k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
| General |
Jamo Studio S 805 |
Bowers & Wilkins 603 |
| Brand |
Jamo |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 80 watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
88.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
49-26k Hz |
48-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminized Polyfiber |
Paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2000Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
front |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
787.0mm (31") |
985.0mm (38.8") |
| Width |
191.0mm (7.5") |
190.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
252.0mm (9.9") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
| Weight |
8.60kg (18.9lbs) |
24.14kg (53.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Walnut |
Black, White, Oak |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
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 | evenly matched | Much the same reach (49Hz vs 48Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | B | B&W 603 takes more power (200W vs 80W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Jamo S 805 is easier to place; B&W 603 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | B&W 603: bi-amping. |
A Jamo S 805 B B&W 603
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system 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 603 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. Match it to your room: we rate Jamo S 805 the better fit for a small room, and B&W 603 for a large room. In a large or open-plan room, B&W 603 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Jamo S 805 is the easier speaker to get right.
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.