In this review, we will be comparing Dovedale and BW 606, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Wharfedale and Bowers Wilkins. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Dovedale and B&W 606 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Wharfedale Dovedale 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Wharfedale Dovedale and B&W 606 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 Dovedale is a 3-way design whereas the BW 606 is a 2-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 |
Wharfedale Dovedale |
B&W 606 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 10-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Dovedale features a 1" soft dome Tweeter , a 5" Midrange and 1 x 10" black woven Kevlar cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 560Hz and 2900Hz. On the other hand, the BW 606 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer .
Frequency Response
Dovedale has a frequency range of 36-20K HZ whereas BW 606 has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 36Hz, the Dovedale can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the BW 606's min frequency of 52Hz.
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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf 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
Dovedale is a 6.5 ohms speaker compared to the BW 606 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Dovedale sensitivity is rated at 89 DB and the BW 606's is rated at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Dovedale a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 606, 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. 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.
Dovedale can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas BW 606 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 130 watts less than the Dovedale.
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 606 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Dovedale has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale Dovedale's Post terminals
B&W 606's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Dovedale and BW 606 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 Wharfedale Dovedale's and B&W 606's external dimensions. Wharfedale Dovedale has external dimensions of 660 x 370 x 417mm ( 23.6 x 14.6 x 16.4 inch) whereas B&W 606 has external dimensions of 345.0 x 190.0 x 324.0mm ( 13.5 x 7.4 x 12.7inch) .
Wharfedale Dovedale is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 180mm wider, 315mm taller and 93mm deeper than B&W 606.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale Dovedale and B&W 606 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale Dovedale 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 Dovedale is approximately 1542.9cm2 / 239.1inch2 and base area of the B&W 606 is approximately 615.6cm2 / 95.4inch2. The Dovedale requires 151% more surface area than the BW 606 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 Wharfedale Dovedale weighs 26.20kg / 57.6lbs and the B&W 606 weighs 6.90kg / 15.2lbs. This makes the Dovedale 280% heavier than the BW 606.
Here is a comparison of how Dovedale 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 B&W 606?
Here are the items that come with the BW 606:
2 Bookshelf loudspeakers2 Grilles2 Two-piece foam port plugs8 Self-adhesive rubber feet4 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)ManualBowers & Wilkins brochureWarranty Information
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
36 Hz
vs
52 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6.5 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Minimum Impedance |
3.7 ohms
vs
3.6 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
345mm
vs
660mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
615cm2 (190x324mm)
vs
1542cm2 (370x417mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
899USD
vs
5000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Wharfedale Dovedale |
Bowers & Wilkins 606 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-250 watts |
30-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 DB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
6.5 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.6 ohms |
3.7 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
36-20K HZ |
52-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
black woven Kevlar cone |
Continuum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
soft dome |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
560Hz and 2900Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
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 |
660.0mm (26") |
345.0mm (13.6") |
| Width |
370.0mm (14.6") |
190.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
417.0mm (16.4") |
324.0mm (12.8") |
| Weight |
26.20kg (57.6lbs) |
6.90kg (15.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Walnut |
Black, White, Oak |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
24-26" |
| 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 |