In this review, we will be comparing Mission 700 and BW 606, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Mission and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Mission 700 and B&W 606 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Mission 700 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.25" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" mineral loaded polypropylene cone Woofer
- 45-20,000 Hz Frequency Response
- 86 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:25-150watts
- Weight:12.80kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 510.0" x 10.2" x 10.6"( 1590 x 260 x 270mm )
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 Mission 700 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* |
Mission 700 |
B&W 606 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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 Mission 700 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.
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through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Mission 700 and BW 606 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Mission 700 |
B&W 606 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.25-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Mission 700 features a 1.25" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" mineral loaded polypropylene cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3000Hz. On the other hand, the BW 606 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer .
Frequency Response
Mission 700 has a frequency range of 45-20,000 Hz whereas BW 606 has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the Mission 700 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
High Frequency
Bookshelf 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
Mission 700 and BW 606 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Mission 700 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the BW 606's is at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the B&W 606 a more sensitive speaker compared to Mission 700, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
Mission 700 can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS from the amp the whereas BW 606 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the Mission 700.
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. Mission 700 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Mission 700's Post terminals
B&W 606's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Mission 700 has a Front firing port whereas BW 606 has a rear firing ports.
Mission 700 Front 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 Mission 700's and B&W 606's external dimensions. Mission 700 has external dimensions of 1590 x 260 x 270mm ( 20 x 10.2 x 10.6 inch ) 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 70mm narrower and 165mm shorter than Mission 700 but it is also 54mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Mission 700 and B&W 606 in scale.
Comparison image of Mission 700 and B&W 606 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 Mission 700 is approximately 702.0cm2 / 108.8inch2 and base area of the B&W 606 is approximately 615.6cm2 / 95.4inch2. The Mission 700 requires 14% more surface area than the BW 606 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.