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Bowers & Wilkins 606 Review

Main Features

  • 1" Decoupled Dome Tweeter
  • 6.5" Continuum Woofer
  • 52-28k Hz Frequency Response
  • 88 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:30-120watts
  • Weight:15.180 lbs
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 13.5" x 7.4" x 12.7"
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B&W 606 Review

BW 606 is a 2-way Passive Bass Reflex Bookshelf speaker by Bowers & Wilkins. It features a 1" Decoupled Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer. The speaker has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz and a sensitivity of 88 dB. B&W 606 has an MSRP of 899$ per pair.

Bowers & Wilkins later replaced BW 606 with 606 S2 AE. Follow the link to read our in-depth comparison of these speakers:
Compare B&W 606 vs B&W 606 S2

BW 606 is a member of Bowers & Wilkins's 600 series of Passive speakers. Below you can see the main specs of these speakers.

Bowers & Wilkins 600 Series Speakers
Model Frequency SensitivityImpedance Woofer
B&W 606
52-28k Hz 88 dB8Ω 1 x 6.5"
B&W 603
Compare
48-28k Hz 88.5 dB8Ω 2 x 6.5"
B&W 607
Compare
52-28k Hz 84 dB8Ω 1 x 5"


**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Frequency Response

B&W 606 has a Frequency response range of 52-28k Hz at ±3dB (40Hz-33kHz at -6dB) and Power Range of 30-120 watts. At a minimum frequency of 52 Hz, BW 606 will provide an average bass depth so depending on your use case, you may consider supplementing your system with a subwoofer. Here we have a comparison of how BW 606's Low and High frequency values compare with the average, max and min Low and High frequency values in its class.

Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
B&W 606
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
B&W 606
Min
Average
Max

Among the speakers in our database with a max MSRP price of 1000$ (Pair), these are the 5 Passive Bookshelf speakers that have the deeper bass levels than the B&W 606's 52Hz:

  • Monitor Audio Bronze 100 with Low Frequency of 37 Hz (Compare w/ BW 606)
  • Polk XT20 with Low Frequency of 38 Hz (Compare w/ BW 606)
  • Monitor Audio Bronze 50 with Low Frequency of 40 Hz (Compare w/ BW 606)
  • Cambridge SX-60 with Low Frequency of 41 Hz (Compare w/ BW 606)
  • Polk ES20 with Low Frequency of 41 Hz (Compare w/ BW 606)


Impedance and Sensitivity

B&W 606's nominal impedance level is 8 ohms but can go down to as low as 3.7 ohms, and has a sensitivity of 88 dB.

Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
B&W 606
Min
Average
Max

Is the Bowers & Wilkins 606 an easy to drive speaker?

8 Ohms is pretty much the standard impedance amongst stereo speakers and amplifiers so Bowers & Wilkins 606 is not considered a difficult to drive speaker from nominal Impedance perspective.

88dB of Bowers & Wilkins 606 is an average sensitivity for stereo speaker so it is neither easy nor difficult to drive from Sensitivity perspective.

Minimum Impedance of B&W 606

Even though the nominal impedance of the BW 606 is 8 ohms, the minimum impedance level of this speaker according to Bowers & Wilkins is 3.7 ohms Bowers & Wilkins 606 so while choosing an amplifier, you should ideally check if the unit you are considering can provide this impedance level.

Input Type

BW 606 has Post type connectors and lets bi-amping/bi-wiring. Bi-wiring can provide improvements in the overall transparency of your loudspeakers by running separate speaker wires to the low & high frequency drivers from a single amplifier. Bi-amping allows the use of separate amplifiers for the high & low frequency drivers of your loudspeaker which may result in greater dynamic range & lower distortion.

B&W 606 Back View
B&W 606 Back View

Recommended Break In

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. .

B&W 606 Speaker Size: Weight and Dimensions

B&W 606 has external dimensions of (Height x Width x Depth) 13.5 x 7.4 x 12.7inch (345.0 x 190.0 x 324.0mm ). Each speaker weighs 6.90kg / 15.2lbs.

To have a better perspective on the real life size of B&W 606, let's compare it with a standard size Compact Disc which has a diameter of 4.7inch (120mm).

B&W 606 Real Life Body Size Comparison
B&W 606 Speaker Size Compared to a Compact Disc

Here we place the B&W 606 virtually next to a standard width amplifier and turntable on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet to get a better idea about the size.

B&W 606 placed next to an amplifier and turntable
B&W 606 Speaker next to an amplifier and turntable

Cabinet type and Materials

B&W 606 has a Bass Reflex type cabinet and 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 606 comes with 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet which you can use to secure your loudspeaker on the surface that you are putting on.

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 606 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. BW 606 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 606 is available in Black, White.

Wall Mounting

BW 606 doesn't sport any built-in mounting bracket so you need an external structure to mount on walls.

Speaker Stands

Bowers & Wilkins sells a dedicated speaker stand for the BW 606 with a model name Bower Wilkins STAV24. You can check the latest price and availability of these stands at B&H PHOTO and Amazon.

Bower Wilkins STAV24 for B&W 606
Bower Wilkins STAV24 Speaker Stands for B&W 606

Grille

BW 606 comes with magnetic grilles in black or gray depending on the body color. The purpose of the speaker grille is to protect the delicate driver elements from external impacts while still allowing the sound pass as clearly as possible.Since the included grille of the BW 606 magnetic type, it is very easy to put it on and off.

What's in the Box of B&W 606?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of BW 606:
  • 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
  • 2 Grilles
  • 2 Two-piece foam port plugs
  • 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
  • 4 Jumper-straps
  • Manual
  • Bowers & Wilkins brochure
  • Warranty Information
  • User's Manual

    For more information about how to setup, use and maintain the Bowers & Wilkins 606, use the direct link below to download the official manual document:
    Download User Manual for B&W 606

    Official Brochure

    Here is a link to download the official brochure for the Bowers & Wilkins 606 speaker:
    Official Brochure for B&W 606

    Official Product Page

    Official manufacturer's product page for the Bowers & Wilkins 606 speaker can be found below:
    Official Product Page for B&W 606

    Warranty

    5 Years of parts warranty and 5 Years of labor warranty is generally provided by the manufacturer.


    Bowers & Wilkins 606 Alternatives in Passive Bookshelf Speakers
    Model Type Sensitivity Impedance Frequency
    Klipsch R-51M
    Compare
    2-way 93 dB 8 ohms 62-21k Hz
    B&W 606 S2
    Compare
    2-way 88 dB 8 ohms 52-28k Hz
    Wharfedale Elysian 2
    Compare
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    Klipsch RP-400M
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    ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
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    Wharfedale EVO4.1
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    2-way 87 dB 8 ohms 64-22k Hz
    Klipsch RP-500M
    Compare
    2-way 93 dB 8 ohms 48-25k Hz
    Klipsch RP-600M
    Compare
    2-way 96 dB 8 ohms 45-25k Hz
    Jamo S 801
    Compare
    2-way 85 dB 8 ohms 76-26k Hz
    Monitor Audio Bronze 1
    Compare
    2-way 88 dB 8 ohms 55-30k Hz
    Polk TSi100
    Compare
    2-way 89 dB 8 ohms 61-24k Hz
    Wharfedale LINTON
    Compare
    3-way 90 dB 6 ohms 40-20k Hz
    KEF Q150
    Compare
    2-way 86 dB 8 ohms 51-28k Hz
    Klipsch R-41M
    Compare
    2-way 90 dB 8 ohms 68-21k Hz
    B&W 706 S2
    Compare
    2-way 88 dB 8 ohms 50-28k Hz
    Wharfedale EVO4.2
    Compare
    3-way 88 dB 8 ohms 54-22k Hz
    Frequently Asked Questions about Bowers & Wilkins 606
    What is the External Dimensions of Bowers & Wilkins 606
    What is the Speaker Sensitivity of Bowers & Wilkins 606
    is the Bowers & Wilkins 606 an easy to drive speaker?


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