In this review, we will be comparing 700F and BW 603, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Paradigm and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Paradigm 700F and B&W 603 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Paradigm 700F | B&W 603 |
|---|
| Brand | Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.5" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.5" Carbon-Infused Polypropylene | 2 x 6.5" Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-25k Hz | 48-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 88.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-180 watts | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 21.91kg / 48.2lbs | 24.14kg / 53.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40-1/16" x 8-7/16" x 12-7/8"
1018.0 x 215.0 x 328.0mm | 38.7" x 7.4" x 13.3"
985.0 x 190.0 x 340.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Paradigm 700F 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* |
Paradigm 700F |
B&W 603 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| 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.)
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
Both 700F and BW 603 are 3-way speakers.
Paradigm 700FB&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 |
Paradigm 700F |
B&W 603 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.5-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
700F features a 1" Tweeter, a 5.5" Midrange and 2 x 5.5" Carbon-Infused Polypropylene Woofer. On the other hand, the BW 603 features a 1" Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Paper Woofer.
Frequency Response
700F has a frequency range of 45-25k Hz whereas BW 603 has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the 700F can go slightly deeper then the BW 603's min frequency of 48Hz.
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
700F and BW 603 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. 700F sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the BW 603's is at 88.5 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Paradigm 700F 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. 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 700F has a max power handling value of 180 watts RMS, 20 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
Both 700F and BW 603 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Paradigm 700F's Posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both 700F 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
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 Paradigm 700F's and B&W 603's external dimensions. Paradigm 700F has external dimensions of 1018.0 x 215.0 x 328.0mm (40-1/16 x 8-7/16 x 12-7/8inch) whereas B&W 603 has external dimensions of 985.0 x 190.0 x 340.0mm (38.7 x 7.4 x 13.3inch).
B&W 603 is 25mm narrower and 33mm shorter than Paradigm 700F but it is also 12mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Paradigm 700F and B&W 603 in scale.
Comparison image of Paradigm 700F 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 Paradigm 700F is approximately 705.2cm2 / 109.3inch2 and base area of the B&W 603 is approximately 646.0cm2 / 100.1inch2. The 700F requires 9% 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 Paradigm 700F weighs 21.91kg / 48.2lbs and the B&W 603 weighs 24.14kg / 53.1lbs. This makes the BW 603 10% heavier than the 700F.
Here is a comparison of how 700F 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 Paradigm 700F?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 700F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
Grille
4 Rubber feet
4 Spike feet
4 Hex-nuts
2 Binding-post jumpers (pre-installed)
Owner's Manual
Online Registration Card
Unboxing Instructions
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
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
45 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
180 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
|
Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
985mm
vs
1018mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
646cm2
vs
705cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Paradigm Premier 700F |
Bowers & Wilkins 603 |
| Brand |
Paradigm |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
15-180 watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
88.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
45-25k Hz |
48-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Carbon-Infused Polypropylene |
Paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.5" |
6" |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1018.0mm (40.1") |
985.0mm (38.8") |
| Width |
215.0mm (8.5") |
190.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
328.0mm (12.9") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
| Weight |
21.91kg (48.2lbs) |
24.14kg (53.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
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 |
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 | A | Paradigm 700F digs deeper - 45Hz against 48Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Paradigm 700F is more sensitive (91dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (180W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Paradigm 700F: bi-amping; B&W 603: bi-amping. Paradigm 700F sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
A Paradigm 700F 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?
Paradigm 700F has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Paradigm 700F is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.