In this review, we will be comparing TSi300 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 TSi300 and B&W 603 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Polk TSi300 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 TSi300 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.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that TSi300 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 TSi300 |
B&W 603 |
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6-inch |
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
TSi300 features a 1" Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Organic Fiber Woofer . On the other hand, the BW 603 features a 1" Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Paper Woofer .
Frequency Response
TSi300 has a frequency range of 47-24k Hz whereas BW 603 has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 47Hz, the TSi300 can go slightly deeper then 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
TSi300 and BW 603 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. TSi300 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the BW 603's is at 88.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk TSi300 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. 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.
TSi300 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas TSi300 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS , 50 watts less than the BW 603.
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
Both TSi300 and BW 603 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
TSi300 has a bottom firing port whereas BW 603 has a rear firing ports. Polk TSi300'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.
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 TSi300's and B&W 603's external dimensions. Polk TSi300 has external dimensions of 921.0 x 208.0 x 299.0mm ( 36-1/4 x 8-3/16 x 11-3/4inch) 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 TSi300 is 64mm shorter and 41mm less deeper than B&W 603 but it is also 18mm wider.
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 TSi300 is approximately 621.9cm2 / 96.4inch2 and base area of the B&W 603 is approximately 646.0cm2 / 100.1inch2. The TSi300 requires 4% less surface area than the BW 603 which gives it a small advantage 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 TSi300 weighs 11.82kg / 26lbs and the B&W 603 weighs 24.14kg / 53.1lbs. This makes the BW 603 104% heavier than the TSi300.
Here is a comparison of how TSi300 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 TSi300?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of TSi300:
Tower speakerDetachable cloth grille (installed)Owners ManualWall-Mount templateOnline registration sheetPolk Audio product brochure
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 |
90 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
Low Frequency Response |
47 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
Height |
921mm
vs
985mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
Base Surface Area |
621cm2 (208x299mm)
vs
646cm2 (190x340mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
24k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
General |
Polk Audio TSi300 |
Bowers & Wilkins 603 |
Brand |
Polk Audio |
Bowers Wilkins |
Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
Power Range |
20-150 watts |
30-200 watts |
Sensitivity |
90 dB |
88.5 dB |
Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
Frequency Response |
47-24k Hz |
48-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
Woofer Size |
5.25" |
6.5" |
Woofer Composition |
Organic Fiber |
Paper |
Woofer Surround Material |
Butyl Rubber |
Rubber |
Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
Midrange Driver |
No |
6" |
Firing Direction |
bottom |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
Height |
921.0mm (36.3") |
985.0mm (38.8") |
Width |
208.0mm (8.2") |
190.0mm (7.5") |
Depth |
299.0mm (11.8") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
Weight |
11.82kg (26lbs) |
24.14kg (53.1lbs) |
Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
Finish |
Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Vinyl |
Available Colors |
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 |