In this review, we will be comparing Diamond 225 and BW 606, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Wharfedale and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale 225 and B&W 606 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale 225 | B&W 606 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Woven Kevlar | 6.5" Continuum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-20k Hz | 52-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-120 watts | 30-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 6.55kg / 14.4lbs | 6.90kg / 15.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 13.9" x 7.7" x 11.4"
355.0 x 196.0 x 290.0mm | 13.6" x 7-1/2" x 12-13/16"
345.0 x 190.0 x 324.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale 225 and B&W 606 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* |
Wharfedale 225 |
B&W 606 |
| 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.
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through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Diamond 225 and BW 606 are 2-way speakers.
Wharfedale 225B&W 606
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Wharfedale 225 |
B&W 606 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Diamond 225 features a 1" Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2300Hz. On the other hand, the BW 606 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer.
Frequency Response
Diamond 225 has a frequency range of 45-20k Hz whereas BW 606 has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the Diamond 225 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the BW 606's min frequency of 52Hz.
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
Diamond 225 and BW 606 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Diamond 225 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the BW 606's is at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the B&W 606 a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale 225, 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 120 watts RMS, though Diamond 225 is rated 25-120 watts and BW 606 30-120 watts.
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 Diamond 225 and BW 606 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Wharfedale 225's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
B&W 606's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Diamond 225 has a bottom firing port whereas BW 606 has a rear firing ports. Wharfedale 225's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to B&W 606 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 Wharfedale 225's and B&W 606's external dimensions. Wharfedale 225 has external dimensions of 355.0 x 196.0 x 290.0mm (13.9 x 7.7 x 11.4inch) whereas B&W 606 has external dimensions of 345.0 x 190.0 x 324.0mm (13.5 x 7.4 x 12.7inch).
B&W 606 is 6mm narrower and 10mm shorter than Wharfedale 225 but it is also 34mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale 225 and B&W 606 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale 225 and B&W 606 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 Wharfedale 225 is approximately 568.4cm2 / 88.1inch2 and base area of the B&W 606 is approximately 615.6cm2 / 95.4inch2. The Diamond 225 requires 8% less surface area than the BW 606 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of Wharfedale 225 and B&W 606 on a Media Console
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 Wharfedale 225 weighs 6.55kg / 14.4lbs and the B&W 606 weighs 6.90kg / 15.2lbs. This makes the BW 606 5% heavier than the Diamond 225.
Here is a comparison of how Diamond 225 and BW 606's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Wharfedale 225?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Diamond 225:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles (pre-installed)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- User's Manual
- Installation Guide
What's in the Box of B&W 606?
Here are the items that come with the BW 606:
- 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
 Minimum Impedance |
4.2 ohms
vs
3.7 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
45 Hz
vs
52 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
568cm2
vs
615cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
349USD
vs
899USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
345mm
vs
355mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Wharfedale Diamond 225 |
Bowers & Wilkins 606 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-120 watts |
30-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4.2 ohms |
3.7 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
45-20k Hz |
52-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Woven Kevlar |
Continuum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2300Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
rear |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
n/a |
allow up to a week for the temperature effects to stabilise and 15 hours of average use for the parts to attain their intended design characteristics. |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
355.0mm (14") |
345.0mm (13.6") |
| Width |
196.0mm (7.7") |
190.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
290.0mm (11.4") |
324.0mm (12.8") |
| Weight |
6.55kg (14.4lbs) |
6.90kg (15.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black, White, Walnut |
Black, White, Oak |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24" |
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 - B&W 606 costs roughly 2.6x what Wharfedale 225 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 | A | Wharfedale 225 digs deeper - 45Hz against 52Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (120W vs 120W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Wharfedale 225: bi-amping; B&W 606: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Wharfedale 225 is cheaper - $349 against $899, about 61% less; arguably a different class. |
A Wharfedale 225 B B&W 606
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?
Wharfedale 225 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 52Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $550 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.