Bowers & Wilkins 603 S2 Anniversary Edition is a 3-way Passive Bass Reflex Floor-standing speaker by Bowers Wilkins. It was released in 2020. It features a 1" Tweeter, 1 x 6" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Paper Woofer. The speaker has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz and a sensitivity of 88.5 dB. B&W 603 S2 has an MSRP of 2300$ per pair.
Room Size Suitability
The size of the room where you plan to use the B&W 603 S2 is a crucial factor in your decision. We have assessed its suitability for various room sizes based on its dimensions and maximum power output:
| Listening Environment* |
Suitability |
| Near-field | Bad |
| Small Room | Poor |
| Mid-size Room | Good |
| Large Room | Good |
| Very Large Room | 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.)
B&W 603 S2 Speaker Structure
Bowers Wilkins replaced the older B&W 603 with this model and later 603 S2 AE was replaced with B&W 603 S3. Follow the links to compare these speakers in detail: Compare B&W 603 S2 vs B&W 603
Compare B&W 603 S2 vs B&W 603 S3
Bowers Wilkins's 600 S2 Anniversary Edition Series of Loudspeakers
603 S2 AE is a member of Bowers Wilkins's 600 S2 Anniversary Edition series of Passive speakers. The first generation of B&W 600 series was introduced in 1996 and sold more than 1 million in 25 years in six different generation. To celebrate the 25th year of the series, B&W introduced the S2 Anniversary Edition, which is the seventh generation of the series. Below you can see the main specs of these speakers.
See all 4 Bowers Wilkins 600 S2 Anniversary Edition models compared »
Bowers Wilkins 600 S2 Anniversary Edition Series Speakers
Bowers Wilkins 600 S2 Anniversary Edition Series Speakers
Frequency Response of the B&W 603 S2 Speaker
B&W 603 S2 has a Frequency response range of 48-28k Hz and Power Range of 30-200 watts. With a minimum frequency of 48 Hz, 603 S2 AE delivers moderate bass depth so depending on your use case, you might want to consider adding a subwoofer to your system.
Here we have a comparison of how 603 S2 AE's Low frequency value compares with the average, max and min Low frequency values in its class.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Thinking about a subwoofer for the B&W 603 S2?
Among the speakers in our database with a max MSRP price of 3000$ (Pair), these are the 5 Passive Floor-standing speakers that have the deeper bass levels than the B&W 603 S2's 48Hz:
B&W 603 S2 Crossover
Impedance and Sensitivity
B&W 603 S2's nominal impedance level is
8 ohms but can go down to as low as
3 ohms, and has a sensitivity of
88.5 dB.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
8 Ohms is pretty much the standard nominal impedance amongst stereo speakers and amplifiers so Bowers & Wilkins 603 S2 Anniversary Edition is not considered a difficult to drive speaker from nominal Impedance perspective.
Sensitivity
89dB of the Bowers & Wilkins 603 S2 Anniversary Edition is an average sensitivity for stereo speaker so it is neither easy nor difficult to drive Sensitivity wise. Work out how loud the B&W 603 S2 plays in your room →
Minimum Impedance of the B&W 603 S2
Even though the nominal impedance of the 603 S2 AE is 8 ohms, the minimum impedance level of this speaker according to Bowers Wilkins is 3 ohms Bowers & Wilkins 603 S2 Anniversary Edition so while choosing an amplifier, you should ideally check if the unit you are considering can provide this impedance level.
What amplifier does the B&W 603 S2 need?
At normal listening levels in a medium room, about
9.5–150 W
per channel into 8 ohms.
Set your own conditions and we will rank every amplifier we cover.
Prefer to browse? Integrated amplifiers under $3,000, or every amplifier we cover.
Input Type
603 S2 AE has Binding post type connectors and lets bi-amping/bi-wiring. Bi-wiring can enhance the overall transparency of your loudspeakers by using separate speaker wires for the low and high-frequency drivers from a single amplifier. Bi-amping, on the other hand, involves using separate amplifiers for the high and low-frequency drivers, potentially resulting in a greater dynamic range and reduced distortion.
Work out what gauge speaker cable this run needs →
B&W 603 S2's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
B&W 603 S2 External Dimensions and Weight
B&W 603 S2 has external dimensions of (Height x Width x Depth) 41-1/2 x 12-5/8 x 14-5/8inch (1055.0 x 190.0 x 372.0mm ).
Base Surface Area
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base area of B&W 603 S2 is approximately 706.8cm2 / 109.6inch2.
To get a better perspective on the real life size of B&W 603 S2, let's compare it with a standard size Compact Disc which has a diameter of 4.7inch (120mm).
B&W 603 S2 Speaker Size Compared to a Compact Disc
Here we place the B&W 603 S2 virtually next to a standard width amplifier and turntable on a media center to get a better idea about the size.
B&W 603 S2 Floor-standing Speaker next to a Media Stand
Find speakers that fit your shelf or alcove → · Work out where they should sit in the room →
WeightThe B&W 603 S2 weighs 24.10kg / 53lbs per piece. Here is a comparison of how 603 S2 AE's weight compares with the average, max and min weights in its class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Weight
Floor-standing Speakers under $3000
How does the B&W 603 S2 compare to the Bowers & Wilkins 703 S2?
One of the natural alternative to the B&W 603 S2 is the which is located one step higher in Bowers Wilkins's Passive Floor-standing selection.
Check the Detailed Comparison of B&W 603 S2 vs for more details.
Cabinet type and Materials
B&W 603 S2 has a
Bass Reflex type cabinet and a MDF/Vinyl finish. Bass Reflex type loudspeakers (aka Ported, Vented or Reflex Port) have enclosures that uses a port, hole or vent cut into the cabinet. Ported designs are generally more efficient than the Sealed designs.
Speaker Feet
B&W 603 S2 comes with the parts below which you can use to secure your loudspeaker on the surface that you are putting on:
- Plinth (base)
- 2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet
It is always recommended to use some kind of feet under all types of speakers. Besides limiting the movement of the speakers, it also compensates for non-flat surfaces and limits the contact surface area of the speaker. Rubber based feet also help isolating the vibrations within certain frequency ranges.
Port Position
B&W 603 S2 is a rear-firing port speaker so you have to make sure you leave enough space between the back of the speaker and wall or bookshelf so that it has room to breathe. 603 S2 AE comes with
2 Two-piece foam port plugs so if you don't have any choice but place the speakers too close to the walls or other surfaces, you can use these plugs in order to avoid boomy or too much bass.
Available colors
B&W 603 S2 is available in Matte Black, Matte White, Oak and Red Cherry.
Does the B&W 603 S2 come with a Grille?
603 S2 AE comes with magnetic grilles. The purpose of the grille is to protect the delicate driver elements from external impacts while still allowing the sound to pass as clearly as possible. Since the included grille of the 603 S2 AE is magnetic type, it is very easy to put it on and off.
What's in the Box of B&W 603 S2?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 603 S2 AE:
- 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
Recommended Accessories
Here is a list of accessories that we think you may need for the Bowers & Wilkins 603 S2 Anniversary Edition.
User's Manual
For more information about how to setup, use and maintain the Bowers & Wilkins 603 S2 Anniversary Edition, use the direct link below to download the official manual document:
Download User Manual for B&W 603 S2
Official Brochure
Here is a link to download the official brochure for the Bowers & Wilkins 603 S2 Anniversary Edition speaker:
Official Brochure for B&W 603 S2
Official Product Page
Official manufacturer's product page for the Bowers & Wilkins 603 S2 Anniversary Edition speaker can be found below:
Official Product Page for B&W 603 S2
Warranty
5 Years of parts warranty and 5 Years of labor warranty is generally provided by the manufacturer.