In this review, we will be comparing R600 and BW 603, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Polk Audio and Bowers Wilkins. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk R600 and B&W 603 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Polk R600 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Polk R600 and B&W 603 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that R600 is a 2-way design whereas the BW 603 is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
| Driver |
Polk R600 |
B&W 603 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
R600 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz. On the other hand, the BW 603 features a 1" Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Paper Woofer .
Frequency Response
R600 has a frequency range of 43-38k Hz whereas BW 603 has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 43Hz, the R600 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the BW 603's min frequency of 48Hz.
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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing 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
R600 and BW 603 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. R600 sensitivity is rated at 87.5 dB and the BW 603's is at 88.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the B&W 603 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk R600, 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. 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.
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 603 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. R600 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk R600's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
R600 has a bottom firing port whereas BW 603 has a rear firing ports. Polk R600's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to B&W 603 with its rear-firing port.
Polk R600 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 Polk R600's and B&W 603's external dimensions. Polk R600 has external dimensions of 1063.8 x 280.7 x 381.6mm ( 41.9 x 11 x 15inch) whereas B&W 603 has external dimensions of 985.0 x 190.0 x 340.0mm ( 38.7 x 7.4 x 13.3inch) .
Polk R600 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 90.7mm wider, 78.8mm taller and 41.6mm deeper than B&W 603.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk R600 and B&W 603 in scale.
Comparison image of Polk R600 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 Polk R600 is approximately 1071.2cm2 / 166.0inch2 and base area of the B&W 603 is approximately 646.0cm2 / 100.1inch2. The R600 requires 66% 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 Polk R600 weighs 21.50kg / 47.3lbs and the B&W 603 weighs 24.14kg / 53.1lbs. This makes the BW 603 12% heavier than the R600.
Here is a comparison of how R600 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 Polk R600?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R600:
Floorstanding loudspeaker
4 Outrigger feet (pre-installed)
4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
4 Spike feet (pre-installed)
Grille
Hex-key
Owner's Manual
Online Registration
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
 Low Frequency Response |
43 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
38k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
985mm
vs
1063mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
646cm2 (190x340mm)
vs
1071cm2 (280x381mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Polk Audio Reserve R600 |
Bowers & Wilkins 603 |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
25-200 watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87.5 dB |
88.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
43-38k Hz |
48-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene Turbine Cone |
Paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2700Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1063.8mm (41.9") |
985.0mm (38.8") |
| Width |
280.7mm (11.1") |
190.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
381.6mm (15") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
| Weight |
21.50kg (47.3lbs) |
24.14kg (53.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black, Walnut, White |
Black, White, Oak |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |