In this review, we will be comparing RTi A3 and BW 606, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Polk Audio and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk RTi A3 and B&W 606 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk RTi A3 | B&W 606 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Polymer composite | 6.5" Continuum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50-26k Hz | 52-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-150 watts | 30-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 7.26kg / 16lbs | 6.90kg / 15.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14.7" x 8.4" x 14.0"
374.7 x 214.4 x 355.6mm | 24-26" x 7-1/2" x 12-13/16"
345.0 x 190.0 x 324.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Polk RTi A3 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* |
Polk RTi A3 |
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.)
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 RTi A3 and BW 606 are 2-way speakers.
Polk RTi A3B&W 606
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Polk RTi A3 |
B&W 606 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
RTi A3 features a 1" silk polymer composite Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Polymer composite Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800Hz. On the other hand, the BW 606 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer.
Frequency Response
RTi A3 has a frequency range of 50-26k Hz whereas BW 606 has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the RTi A3 can go slightly deeper then the BW 606's min frequency of 52Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
RTi A3 and BW 606 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. RTi A3 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the BW 606's is at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk RTi A3 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 606, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
RTi A3 can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas BW 606 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the RTi A3.
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 RTi A3 and BW 606 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
B&W 606's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
RTi A3 has a back and front firing port whereas BW 606 has a rear firing ports.
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 Polk RTi A3's and B&W 606's external dimensions. Polk RTi A3 has external dimensions of 374.7 x 214.4 x 355.6mm (14.7 x 8.4 x 14.0inch) whereas B&W 606 has external dimensions of 345.0 x 190.0 x 324.0mm (13.5 x 7.4 x 12.7inch).
Polk RTi A3 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 24.4mm wider, 29.7mm taller and 31.6mm deeper than B&W 606.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk RTi A3 and B&W 606 in scale.
Comparison image of Polk RTi A3 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 Polk RTi A3 is approximately 762.4cm2 / 118.2inch2 and base area of the B&W 606 is approximately 615.6cm2 / 95.4inch2. The RTi A3 requires 24% more surface area than the BW 606 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of Polk RTi A3 and B&W 606 on a Media Console
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 Polk RTi A3 weighs 7.26kg / 16lbs and the B&W 606 weighs 6.90kg / 15.2lbs. This makes the RTi A3 5% heavier than the BW 606.
Here is a comparison of how RTi A3 and BW 606's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Polk RTi A3?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of RTi A3:
- 2 Cherry bookshelf speakers
- 2 Self-tapping screws
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owner's Manual
- Template
- Online registration sheet
- Polk Audio product brochure
What's in the Box of B&W 606?
Here are the items that come with the BW 606:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 2 Two-piece foam port plugs
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- 4 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- Manual
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
 Max Input Power |
150 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
50 Hz
vs
52 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Mounting Bracket |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows mounting on walls |
 Price per pair* |
465USD
vs
899USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
26k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
345mm
vs
374mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
615cm2
vs
762cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Polk Audio RTi A3 |
Bowers & Wilkins 606 |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
20-150 watts |
30-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.7 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
50-26k Hz |
52-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polymer composite |
Continuum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Butyl rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2800Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
back and front |
rear |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
n/a |
allow up to a week for the temperature effects to stabilise and 15 hours of average use for the parts to attain their intended design characteristics. |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
374.7mm (14.8") |
345.0mm (13.6") |
| Width |
214.4mm (8.4") |
190.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
355.6mm (14") |
324.0mm (12.8") |
| Weight |
7.26kg (16lbs) |
6.90kg (15.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Real wood veneer |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black, Cherry |
Black, White, Oak |
| Mounting Bracket |
Keyhole |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24-31" |
24-26" |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - B&W 606 costs roughly 1.9x what Polk RTi A3 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
evenly matched |
Much the same reach (50Hz vs 52Hz). |
| Amplifier needs |
evenly matched |
Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom |
A |
Polk RTi A3 takes more power (150W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
B&W 606 is easier to place; Polk RTi A3 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability |
depends |
Polk RTi A3: bi-amping; B&W 606: bi-amping. |
| Price |
A |
Polk RTi A3 is cheaper - $465 against $899, about 48% less; arguably a different class. |
A Polk RTi A3
B B&W 606
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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?
Polk RTi A3 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $434 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.