In this review, we will be comparing RF-7 III and BW 603, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Klipsch and Bowers Wilkins. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Klipsch RF-7 III and B&W 603 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Klipsch RF-7 III 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Klipsch RF-7 III 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 RF-7 III 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 |
Klipsch RF-7 III |
B&W 603 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.75-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 10-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
RF-7 III features a 1.75" titanium dome Tweeter and 2 x 10" Cerametallic Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1300Hz. On the other hand, the BW 603 features a 1" Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Paper Woofer .
Frequency Response
RF-7 III has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz whereas BW 603 has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the RF-7 III 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
RF-7 III and BW 603 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. RF-7 III sensitivity is rated at 100 dB and the BW 603's is at 88.5 dB. This 11 dB difference makes the Klipsch RF-7 III 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.
RF-7 III can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas BW 603 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the RF-7 III.
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
Both RF-7 III and BW 603 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Klipsch RF-7 III's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both RF-7 III and BW 603 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 Klipsch RF-7 III's and B&W 603's external dimensions. Klipsch RF-7 III has external dimensions of 1247.0 x 355.0 x 456.0mm ( 49-1/16 x 13-15/16 x 17-15/16inch) whereas B&W 603 has external dimensions of 985.0 x 190.0 x 340.0mm ( 38.7 x 7.4 x 13.3inch) .
Klipsch RF-7 III is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 165mm wider, 262mm taller and 116mm deeper than B&W 603.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Klipsch RF-7 III and B&W 603 in scale.
Comparison image of Klipsch RF-7 III 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 Klipsch RF-7 III is approximately 1618.8cm2 / 250.9inch2 and base area of the B&W 603 is approximately 646.0cm2 / 100.1inch2. The RF-7 III requires 151% more surface area than the BW 603 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 Klipsch RF-7 III weighs 44.10kg / 97lbs and the B&W 603 weighs 24.14kg / 53.1lbs. This makes the RF-7 III 83% heavier than the BW 603.
Here is a comparison of how RF-7 III 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 Klipsch RF-7 III?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of RF-7 III:
Floorstanding loudspeakerPlinthGrille4 Spike feet4 Rubber feet2 Jumpers (pre-installed)4 Machine screwsOwners Manual
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
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
100 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
985mm
vs
1247mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
646cm2 (190x340mm)
vs
1618cm2 (355x456mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Klipsch Reference RF-7 III |
Bowers & Wilkins 603 |
| Brand |
Klipsch |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 250 watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
100 dB |
88.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
32-25k Hz |
48-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Cerametallic |
Paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.75" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
1300Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1247.0mm (49.1") |
985.0mm (38.8") |
| Width |
355.0mm (14") |
190.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
456.0mm (18") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
| Weight |
44.10kg (97lbs) |
24.14kg (53.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black ash, Cherry, Walnut |
Black, White, Oak |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |