In this review, we will be comparing S 807 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 807 and B&W 603 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Jamo S 807 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Tweeter
- 2 x 5" Aluminized Polyfiber Woofer
- 42-26k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 100watts
- Weight:11.80kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 915.0" x 10-1/8" x 10-9/16"( 915.0 x 191.0 x 252.0mm )
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 Jamo S 807 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 807 |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Jamo S 807 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.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that S 807 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.
| Driver |
Jamo S 807 |
B&W 603 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
S 807 features a 1" Tweeter and 2 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 807 has a frequency range of 42-26k Hz whereas BW 603 has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the S 807 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
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
S 807 and BW 603 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. S 807 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the BW 603's is at 88.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Jamo S 807 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.
S 807 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas S 807 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS , 100 watts less than the BW 603.
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. S 807 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Jamo S 807's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
S 807 has a front firing port whereas BW 603 has a rear firing ports. Jamo S 807'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 807 Port
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 Jamo S 807's and B&W 603's external dimensions. Jamo S 807 has external dimensions of 915.0 x 191.0 x 252.0mm ( 36-1/2 x 10-1/8 x 10-9/16inch) whereas B&W 603 has external dimensions of 985.0 x 190.0 x 340.0mm ( 38.7 x 7.4 x 13.3inch) .
Jamo S 807 is 70mm 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 807 and B&W 603 in scale.
Comparison image of Jamo S 807 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 807 is approximately 481.3cm2 / 74.6inch2 and base area of the B&W 603 is approximately 646.0cm2 / 100.1inch2. The S 807 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 807 weighs 11.80kg / 26lbs and the B&W 603 weighs 24.14kg / 53.1lbs. This makes the BW 603 105% heavier than the S 807.
Here is a comparison of how S 807 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 807?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of S 807:
2 Floorstanding loudspeakers2 Grilles8 Mounting feet16 ScrewsUser ManualImportant Safety InstructionsWarranty 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