In this review, we will be comparing Sonetto V and BW 603, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Sonus faber and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus Sonetto V and B&W 603 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sonus Sonetto V | B&W 603 |
|---|
| Brand | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.15" high definition DAD Dome | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 7" aluminum cone | 2 x 6.5" Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 38-25k Hz | 48-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 88.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-300 watts | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 22.60kg / 49.7lbs | 24.14kg / 53.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 42" x 10" x 16"
1072.0 x 258.0 x 409.0mm | 38.7" x 7.4" x 13.3"
985.0 x 190.0 x 340.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Sonus Sonetto V 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:
| Listening Environment* |
Sonus Sonetto V |
B&W 603 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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 Sonetto V and BW 603 are 3-way speakers.
Sonus Sonetto VB&W 603
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Sonus Sonetto V |
B&W 603 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.15-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 7-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Sonetto V features a 1.15" high definition DAD Dome Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 7" aluminum cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 235 and 3.000 Hz. On the other hand, the BW 603 features a 1" Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Paper Woofer.
Frequency Response
Sonetto V has a frequency range of 38-25k Hz whereas BW 603 has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the Sonetto V can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the BW 603's min frequency of 48Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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
Sonetto V is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the BW 603 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Sonetto V can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Sonetto V sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the BW 603's is rated at 88.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Sonus Sonetto V 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Sonetto V can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas BW 603 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Sonetto V.
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 Sonetto V and BW 603 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Sonus Sonetto V's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Sonetto V has a bottom firing port whereas BW 603 has a rear firing ports. Sonus Sonetto V'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
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 Sonus Sonetto V's and B&W 603's external dimensions. Sonus Sonetto V has external dimensions of 1072.0 x 258.0 x 409.0mm (42 x 10 x 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).
Sonus Sonetto V is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 68mm wider, 87mm taller and 69mm deeper than B&W 603.
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.
Sonus Sonetto V needs about 63% more floor or shelf area. Sonus Sonetto V is 69mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Sonus Sonetto V is 87mm taller.
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 Sonus Sonetto V is approximately 1055.2cm2 / 163.6inch2 and base area of the B&W 603 is approximately 646.0cm2 / 100.1inch2. The Sonetto V requires 63% 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 Sonus Sonetto V weighs 22.60kg / 49.7lbs and the B&W 603 weighs 24.14kg / 53.1lbs. This makes the BW 603 7% heavier than the Sonetto V.
Here is a comparison of how Sonetto V 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 Sonus Sonetto V?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Sonetto V:
- 8 Spikes
- 8 Under Spikes
- 8 Spike locks
- 2 Masks
- 2 Fabric dust guards
- 2 Basis
- 16 Locking screws
- 2 Jumpers
- 1 Allen Wrench
- 1 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
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
7 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
38 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
985mm
vs
1072mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
646cm2
vs
1055cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Sonus faber Sonetto V |
Bowers & Wilkins 603 |
| Brand |
Sonus faber |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-300 watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
88.5 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
38-25k Hz |
48-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
7" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
aluminum cone |
Paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.15" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
high definition DAD Dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
235 and 3.000 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1072.0mm (42.2") |
985.0mm (38.8") |
| Width |
258.0mm (10.2") |
190.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
409.0mm (16.1") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
| Weight |
22.60kg (49.7lbs) |
24.14kg (53.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Wood, White, Black, Wenge |
Black, White, Oak |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Sonus Sonetto V digs deeper - 38Hz against 48Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | B&W 603 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | Sonus Sonetto V takes more power (300W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | B&W 603 is easier to place; Sonus Sonetto V is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Sonus Sonetto V: bi-amping; B&W 603: bi-amping. Sonus Sonetto V sits in a wider range (11 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
A Sonus Sonetto V B B&W 603
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?
Sonus Sonetto V has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 48Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Sonus Sonetto V the better fit for a very large room, and B&W 603 for a mid-size room.
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.