In this review, we will be comparing F36 and BW 603, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Revel and Bowers Wilkins. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Revel Concerta2 F36 and B&W 603 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Revel Concerta2 F36 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 Revel Concerta2 F36 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
Both F36 and BW 603 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Revel Concerta2 F36 |
B&W 603 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
F36 features a 1" aluminum dome with with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Anodized aluminum Woofer . On the other hand, the BW 603 features a 1" Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Paper Woofer .
Frequency Response
F36 has a frequency range of 51- Hz whereas BW 603 has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 48Hz, the BW 603 can go slightly deeper then the F36's min frequency of 51Hz.
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
F36 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the BW 603 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. F36 sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the BW 603's is rated at 88.5 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Revel Concerta2 F36 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.
F36 and BW 603 has the same power range of 30-200 watts.
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. F36 has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both F36 and BW 603 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 Revel Concerta2 F36's and B&W 603's external dimensions. Revel Concerta2 F36 has external dimensions of 1126.0 x 247.0 x 361.0mm ( 44-5/16 x 9-11/16 x 14-3/16inch) whereas B&W 603 has external dimensions of 985.0 x 190.0 x 340.0mm ( 38.7 x 7.4 x 13.3inch) .
Revel Concerta2 F36 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 57mm wider, 141mm taller and 21mm deeper than B&W 603.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Revel Concerta2 F36 and B&W 603 in scale.
Comparison image of Revel Concerta2 F36 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 Revel Concerta2 F36 is approximately 891.7cm2 / 138.2inch2 and base area of the B&W 603 is approximately 646.0cm2 / 100.1inch2. The F36 requires 38% 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 Revel Concerta2 F36 weighs 22.73kg / 50lbs and the B&W 603 weighs 24.14kg / 53.1lbs. This makes the BW 603 6% heavier than the F36.
Here is a comparison of how F36 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 Revel Concerta2 F36?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of F36:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille4 Spike feetOwners Manual
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 |
91 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Low Frequency Response |
48 Hz
vs
51 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
0k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
985mm
vs
1126mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
646cm2 (190x340mm)
vs
891cm2 (247x361mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Revel Concerta2 F36 |
Bowers & Wilkins 603 |
| Brand |
Revel |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-200 watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
88.5 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
51- Hz |
48-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Anodized aluminum |
Paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome with with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
6" |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1126.0mm (44.3") |
985.0mm (38.8") |
| Width |
247.0mm (9.7") |
190.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
361.0mm (14.2") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
| Weight |
22.73kg (50lbs) |
24.14kg (53.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Wood/Lacquer |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
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 |