In this review, we will be comparing Concept 300 and 606 S3, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Q Acoustics and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Q Acoustics Concept 300 and B&W 606 S3 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Q Acoustics Concept 300 | B&W 606 S3 |
|---|
| Brand | Q Acoustics
United Kingdom · founded 2006 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Dome | 1" Decoupled Double Dome Titanium |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Paper composite | 6.5" Continuum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-30k Hz | 52-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 84 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-200 watts | 30-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 14.50kg / 31.9lbs | 7.05kg / 15.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14" x 7-7/8" x 15-3/4"
355.0 x 200.0 x 400.0mm | 13.6" x 7.4" x 12.9"
344.0 x 189.0 x 328.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Q Acoustics Concept 300 and B&W 606 S3 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* |
Q Acoustics Concept 300 |
B&W 606 S3 |
| 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.
Drivers
Both Concept 300 and 606 S3 are 2-way speakers.
Q Acoustics Concept 300B&W 606 S3
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Q Acoustics Concept 300 |
B&W 606 S3 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Concept 300 features a 1.1" Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Paper composite Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz. On the other hand, the 606 S3 features a 1" Titanium Decoupled Double Dome Titanium Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer.
Frequency Response
Concept 300 has a frequency range of 55-30k Hz whereas 606 S3 has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 52Hz, the 606 S3 can go slightly deeper then the Concept 300's min frequency of 55Hz.
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
Concept 300 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the 606 S3 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Concept 300 sensitivity is rated at 84 dB and the 606 S3's is rated at 88 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the B&W 606 S3 a more sensitive speaker compared to Q Acoustics Concept 300, 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.
Concept 300 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas 606 S3 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 80 watts less than the Concept 300.
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 Concept 300 and 606 S3 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
B&W 606 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Concept 300 and 606 S3 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 Q Acoustics Concept 300's and B&W 606 S3's external dimensions. Q Acoustics Concept 300 has external dimensions of 355.0 x 200.0 x 400.0mm (14 x 7-7/8 x 15-3/4inch) whereas B&W 606 S3 has external dimensions of 344.0 x 189.0 x 328.0mm (13.6 x 7.4 x 12.9inch).
Q Acoustics Concept 300 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 11mm wider, 11mm taller and 72mm deeper than B&W 606 S3.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Q Acoustics Concept 300 needs about 29% more floor or shelf area. Q Acoustics Concept 300 is 72mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall.
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 Q Acoustics Concept 300 is approximately 800.0cm2 / 124.0inch2 and base area of the B&W 606 S3 is approximately 619.9cm2 / 96.1inch2. The Concept 300 requires 29% more surface area than the 606 S3 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 Q Acoustics Concept 300 weighs 14.50kg / 31.9lbs and the B&W 606 S3 weighs 7.05kg / 15.5lbs. This makes the Concept 300 106% heavier than the 606 S3.
Here is a comparison of how Concept 300 and 606 S3's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of B&W 606 S3?
Here are the items that come with the 606 S3:
- 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 |
200 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Minimum Impedance |
4.7 ohms
vs
3.7 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
84 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Low Frequency Response |
52 Hz
vs
55 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
344mm
vs
355mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
619cm2
vs
800cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1100USD
vs
2749USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Q Acoustics Concept 300 |
Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 |
| Brand |
Q Acoustics |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-200 watts |
30-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
84 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4.7 ohms |
3.7 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
55-30k Hz |
52-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper composite |
Continuum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Decoupled Double Dome Titanium |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2500Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
355.0mm (14") |
344.0mm (13.5") |
| Width |
200.0mm (7.9") |
189.0mm (7.4") |
| Depth |
400.0mm (15.7") |
328.0mm (12.9") |
| Weight |
14.50kg (31.9lbs) |
7.05kg (15.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Matte Black, Matte White, Oak, Red Cherry |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
24-26" |
| 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 |
These sit in different price classes - Q Acoustics Concept 300 costs roughly 2.5x what B&W 606 S3 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 | B | B&W 606 S3 digs deeper - 52Hz against 55Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | B&W 606 S3 is more sensitive (88dB vs 84dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | B&W 606 S3 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | A | Q Acoustics Concept 300 takes more power (200W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | B&W 606 S3 is easier to place; Q Acoustics Concept 300 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Q Acoustics Concept 300: bi-amping; B&W 606 S3: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | B&W 606 S3 is cheaper - $1,100 against $2,749, about 60% less; arguably a different class. |
A Q Acoustics Concept 300 B B&W 606 S3
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?
B&W 606 S3 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Q Acoustics Concept 300 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, B&W 606 S3 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $1,649 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.