In this review, we will be comparing R200 50th Anniversary Edition and BW 607, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Polk Audio and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk R200 50th AE and B&W 607 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Polk R200 50th AE Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Ring Radiator Tweeter
- 6.5" Polypropylene Woofer
- 51-38k Hz Frequency Response
- 86 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-200watts
- Weight:8.80kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 358.0" x 7-9/16" x 13-15/16"( 358.0 x 193.0 x 355.0mm )
B&W 607 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 5" Continuum Woofer
- 52-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 84 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-100watts
- Weight:4.70kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 300.0" x 6.4" x 8.1"( 300.0 x 165.0 x 207.0mm )
What size room are the Polk R200 50th AE and B&W 607 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 R200 50th AE |
B&W 607 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Average |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Bad |
(* 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 Polk R200 50th AE and B&W 607 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 R200 50th Anniversary Edition and BW 607 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Polk R200 50th AE |
B&W 607 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
R200 50th Anniversary Edition features a 1" ring radiator Pinnacle with an integrated waveguide Ring Radiator Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Polypropylene Woofer . On the other hand, the BW 607 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Continuum Woofer .
Frequency Response
R200 50th Anniversary Edition has a frequency range of 51-38k Hz whereas BW 607 has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 51Hz, the R200 50th Anniversary Edition can go slightly deeper then the BW 607'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
R200 50th Anniversary Edition
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
R200 50th Anniversary Edition and BW 607 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. R200 50th Anniversary Edition sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the BW 607's is at 84 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Polk R200 50th AE a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 607, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
R200 50th Anniversary Edition
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.
R200 50th Anniversary Edition can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas BW 607 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the R200 50th Anniversary Edition.
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 607 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. R200 50th Anniversary Edition has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk R200 50th AE's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both R200 50th Anniversary Edition and BW 607 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 Polk R200 50th AE's and B&W 607's external dimensions. Polk R200 50th AE has external dimensions of 358.0 x 193.0 x 355.0mm ( 24-28inch x 7-9/16inch x 13-15/16inch ) whereas B&W 607 has external dimensions of 300.0 x 165.0 x 207.0mm ( 11.8 x 6.4 x 8.1inch) .
Polk R200 50th AE is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 28mm wider, 58mm taller and 148mm deeper than B&W 607.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk R200 50th AE and B&W 607 in scale.
Comparison image of Polk R200 50th AE and B&W 607 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 R200 50th AE is approximately 685.2cm2 / 106.2inch2 and base area of the B&W 607 is approximately 341.6cm2 / 52.9inch2. The R200 50th Anniversary Edition requires 101% more surface area than the BW 607 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is an 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 R200 50th AE and B&W 607 on a Media Console