In this review, we will be comparing 800F 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 800F and B&W 603 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Paradigm 800F | B&W 603 |
|---|
| Brand | Paradigm
Canada · founded 1982 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Carbon-Infused Polypropylene | 2 x 6.5" Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 43-25k Hz | 48-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 88.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-250 watts | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 24.27kg / 53.4lbs | 24.14kg / 53.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 42-1/8" x 9-1/4" x 13-7/8"
1070.0 x 235.0 x 353.0mm | 38.7" x 7.4" x 13.3"
985.0 x 190.0 x 340.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Paradigm 800F 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 800F |
B&W 603 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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 800F and BW 603 are 3-way speakers.
Paradigm 800FB&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 800F |
B&W 603 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
800F features a 1" Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" 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
800F has a frequency range of 43-25k Hz whereas BW 603 has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 43Hz, the 800F can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to 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
800F and BW 603 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. 800F sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the BW 603's is at 88.5 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Paradigm 800F 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.
800F can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas BW 603 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the 800F.
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 800F and BW 603 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Paradigm 800F's Posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both 800F 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 800F's and B&W 603's external dimensions. Paradigm 800F has external dimensions of 1070.0 x 235.0 x 353.0mm (42-1/8 x 9-1/4 x 13-7/8inch) whereas B&W 603 has external dimensions of 985.0 x 190.0 x 340.0mm (38.7 x 7.4 x 13.3inch).
Paradigm 800F is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 45mm wider, 85mm taller and 13mm deeper than B&W 603.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Paradigm 800F and B&W 603 in scale.
Comparison image of Paradigm 800F 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 800F is approximately 829.6cm2 / 128.6inch2 and base area of the B&W 603 is approximately 646.0cm2 / 100.1inch2. The 800F requires 28% 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 800F weighs 24.27kg / 53.4lbs and the B&W 603 weighs 24.14kg / 53.1lbs. This makes the 800F 1% heavier than the BW 603.
Here is a comparison of how 800F 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 800F?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 800F:
- 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
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
43 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
985mm
vs
1070mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
646cm2
vs
829cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Paradigm Premier 800F |
Bowers & Wilkins 603 |
| Brand |
Paradigm |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
15-250 watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
88.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
43-25k Hz |
48-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Carbon-Infused Polypropylene |
Paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
6" |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1070.0mm (42.1") |
985.0mm (38.8") |
| Width |
235.0mm (9.3") |
190.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
353.0mm (13.9") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
| Weight |
24.27kg (53.4lbs) |
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 800F digs deeper - 43Hz against 48Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Paradigm 800F is more sensitive (92dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | Paradigm 800F takes more power (250W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | B&W 603 is easier to place; Paradigm 800F is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Paradigm 800F: bi-amping; B&W 603: bi-amping. Paradigm 800F sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
A Paradigm 800F 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 800F 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 a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 48Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Paradigm 800F the better fit for a very large room, and B&W 603 for a mid-size room.
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.