Bowers & Wilkins 603 S3 is a 3-way Passive Bass Reflex Floor-standing speaker by Bowers Wilkins. It features a 1" Decoupled Double Dome Tweeter, 1 x 6" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Paper Woofer. The speaker has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz and a sensitivity of 90 dB. B&W 603 S3 has an MSRP of 2500$ per pair.
Room Size Suitability
The size of the room where you plan to use the B&W 603 S3 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 S3 Speaker Structure
Bowers Wilkins replaced the older 603 S2 AE with this model. Follow the link to read our detailed comparison of these models:
Compare B&W 603 S3 vs B&W 603 S2
Bowers Wilkins's 600 S3 Series of Loudspeakers
603 S3 is a member of Bowers Wilkins's 600 S3 series of Passive speakers. Below you can see the main specs of these speakers.
Bowers Wilkins 600 S3 Series Speakers
Bowers Wilkins 600 S3 Series Speakers
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Frequency Response of the B&W 603 S3 Speaker
B&W 603 S3 has a Frequency response range of 46-28k Hz at ±3dB and Power Range of 30-200 watts. With a minimum frequency of 46 Hz, 603 S3 delivers moderate bass depth so depending on your use case, you might want to consider adding a subwoofer to your system.
To focus on the subwoofers that are in a similar price range with B&W 603 S3, check out the Powered Subwoofers under $3000. Alternatively, find the Full list of Powered Subwoofers regardless of the price.
Here we have a comparison of how 603 S3's Low and High frequency values compare with the average, max and min Low and High frequency values in its class.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Among the speakers in our database with a max MSRP price of 3000$ (Pair), these are the 5 Passive Floor-standing speakers that have the deeper bass levels than the B&W 603 S3's 46Hz:
B&W 603 S3's Titanium Decoupled Double Dome Tweeter
B&W 603 S3 Crossover
Impedance and Sensitivity
B&W 603 S3's nominal impedance level is
8 ohms but can go down to as low as
3 ohms, and has a sensitivity of
90 dB.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
8 Ohms is pretty much the standard nominal impedance amongst stereo speakers and amplifiers so Bowers & Wilkins 603 S3 is not considered a difficult to drive speaker from nominal Impedance perspective.
Sensitivity
90dB of the Bowers & Wilkins 603 S3 is an average sensitivity for stereo speaker so it is neither easy nor difficult to drive Sensitivity wise.
Minimum Impedance of the B&W 603 S3
Even though the nominal impedance of the 603 S3 is 8 ohms, the minimum impedance level of this speaker according to Bowers Wilkins is 3 ohms Bowers & Wilkins 603 S3 so while choosing an amplifier, you should ideally check if the unit you are considering can provide this impedance level.
Check the amplifiers that are in a similar price range to the B&W 603 S3:
Input Type
603 S3 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.
B&W 603 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
B&W 603 S3 External Dimensions and Weight
B&W 603 S3 has external dimensions of (Height x Width x Depth) 38.8 x 7.5 x 14.5inch (985.0 x 190.0 x 368.0mm ).
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 S3 is approximately 699.2cm2 / 108.4inch2.
To get a better perspective on the real life size of B&W 603 S3, let's compare it with a standard size Compact Disc which has a diameter of 4.7inch (120mm).
B&W 603 S3 Speaker Size Compared to a Compact Disc
Here we place the B&W 603 S3 virtually next to a standard width amplifier and turntable on a media center to get a better idea about the size.
B&W 603 S3 Floor-standing Speaker next to a Media Stand
WeightThe B&W 603 S3 weighs 27.50kg / 60.5lbs per piece. Here is a comparison of how 603 S3'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 S3 compare to the Bowers & Wilkins 703 S2?
One of the natural alternative to the B&W 603 S3 is the which is located one step higher in Bowers Wilkins's Passive Floor-standing selection.
Check the Detailed Comparison of B&W 603 S3 vs for more details.
Cabinet type and Materials
B&W 603 S3 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 S3 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 feet4 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 S3 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 S3 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 S3 is available in Matte Black, Matte White, Oak and Red Cherry.
B&W 603 S3 Colors
Does the B&W 603 S3 come with a Grille?
603 S3 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 S3 is magnetic type, it is very easy to put it on and off.
What's in the Box of B&W 603 S3?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 603 S3:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrillePlinith (base)2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)4 Rubber feet4 Spike feet4 Hex-nuts4 Screws4 Washers4 Lock-washersTwo-piece foam port plugHex-keyManualBowers & Wilkins brochureWarranty Information
Recommended Accessories
Here is a list of accessories that we think you may need for the Bowers & Wilkins 603 S3.
User's Manual
For more information about how to setup, use and maintain the Bowers & Wilkins 603 S3, use the direct link below to download the official manual document:
Download User Manual for B&W 603 S3
Official Brochure
Here is a link to download the official brochure for the Bowers & Wilkins 603 S3 speaker:
Official Brochure for B&W 603 S3
Official Product Page
Official manufacturer's product page for the Bowers & Wilkins 603 S3 speaker can be found below:
Official Product Page for B&W 603 S3
Warranty
5 Years of parts warranty and 5 Years of labor warranty is generally provided by the manufacturer.