What amplifier does the B&W 607 S3 need?

Pick a speaker and tell us how loud you listen and how big the room is. We work out the power it actually needs, check which amplifiers can safely drive its impedance, and rank 293 amplifiers against it.

Your system

Four questions. Nothing is hidden on price.

Passive speakers only - a powered speaker already has its amplifier inside.
Changes the order only. Nothing is hidden for costing too little or too much.
B&W 607 S3
B&W 607 S3
Bookshelf
84 dB · 8 ohm
dips to 3 ohm
$900 a pair
Full specs →
Power needed
30–100 W
per channel, into 8 ohms

To hit 95 dB peaks at 3 m from a pair of B&W 607 S3, you need at least 30 W a channel. More than 100 W is wasted here - that is all Bowers Wilkins rates the speaker to take.

Show the working
  • 95 dB target at the seat
  • +4.8 dB for 3.0 m of distance
  • -3 dB for a stereo pair
  • -82.0 dB effective sensitivity
  • 2 dB allowed for optimistic published sensitivity
  • Published sensitivity 84 dB, used as 82.0 dB per watt.

WiiM Vibelink with the B&W 607 S3

Excellent match
5 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 3 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 3.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (100 W to 200 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Full WiiM Vibelink specs · Clear this amp
 
$90 $25,000

219 integrated amplifiers suit the B&W 607 S3

Also show the 9 we do not recommend
1
WiiM Vibelink
WiiM Vibelink
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 100 W into 8 ohms · $299
Excellent match
5 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 3 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 3.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (100 W to 200 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
2
Sonos Amp
Sonos Amp
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 125 W into 8 ohms · $699
Workable with care
6 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated to 4 ohms, but this speaker dips to 3. Fine at sane volume, tight if you push it hard.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (125 W to 250 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
3
AudioControl Bijou 600
AudioControl Bijou 600
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 100 W into 8 ohms · $899
Workable with care
5 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated to 4 ohms, but this speaker dips to 3. Fine at sane volume, tight if you push it hard.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (100 W to 200 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
4
AudioControl Rialto 600
AudioControl Rialto 600
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 100 W into 8 ohms · $899
Workable with care
5 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated to 4 ohms, but this speaker dips to 3. Fine at sane volume, tight if you push it hard.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (100 W to 200 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
5
WiiM Amp Ultra
WiiM Amp Ultra
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 100 W into 8 ohms · $549
Workable with care
5 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
This amplifier does not publish a minimum impedance. An 8 ohm speaker is a safe bet even so.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (100 W to 200 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
6
SVS Prime SoundBase
SVS Prime SoundBase
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 75 W into 8 ohms · $699
Workable with care
4 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated to 4 ohms, but this speaker dips to 3. Fine at sane volume, tight if you push it hard.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (75 W to 150 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
7
ELAC DS-A101-G
ELAC DS-A101-G
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 40 W into 8 ohms · $850
Workable with care
Just barely enough (1 dB of headroom). Fine at normal volume, no reserve for peaks.
Rated down to 2 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (40 W to 80 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
8
Marantz Stereo 70s
Marantz Stereo 70s
Stereo Receiver · Class A/B · 75 W into 8 ohms · $1,000
Workable with care
4 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated to 4 ohms, but this speaker dips to 3. Fine at sane volume, tight if you push it hard.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (75 W to 150 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
9
Onkyo Muse Y-40
Onkyo Muse Y-40
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 75 W into 8 ohms · $1,000
Workable with care
4 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated to 4 ohms, but this speaker dips to 3. Fine at sane volume, tight if you push it hard.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (75 W to 150 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
10
Mark Levinson No.5802
Mark Levinson No.5802
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 125 W into 8 ohms · $8,500
Good match
6 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 2 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (125 W to 250 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
11
Mark Levinson No.5805
Mark Levinson No.5805
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 125 W into 8 ohms · $10,500
Good match
6 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 2 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (125 W to 250 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
12
Devialet Astra
Devialet Astra
Integrated Amplifier · ADH (Analog Digital Hybrid) · 150 W into 8 ohms · $20,000
Good match
7 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 2 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (150 W to 300 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
13
Emotiva BasX TA2+
Emotiva BasX TA2+
Stereo Receiver · Class A/B · 135 W into 8 ohms · $1,299
Workable with care
7 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated to 4 ohms, but this speaker dips to 3. Fine at sane volume, tight if you push it hard.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (135 W to 250 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
14
Eversolo Play
Eversolo Play
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 60 W into 8 ohms · $699
Workable with care
3 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated to 4 ohms, but this speaker dips to 3. Fine at sane volume, tight if you push it hard.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (60 W to 110 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
15
Arcam A15
Arcam A15
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 80 W into 8 ohms · $999
Workable with care
4 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated to 4 ohms, but this speaker dips to 3. Fine at sane volume, tight if you push it hard.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (80 W to 120 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
16
Musical Fidelity M2si
Musical Fidelity M2si
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 76 W into 8 ohms · $1,299
Workable with care
4 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated to 4 ohms, but this speaker dips to 3. Fine at sane volume, tight if you push it hard.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (76 W to 135 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
17
Onkyo Muse Y-50
Onkyo Muse Y-50
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 125 W into 8 ohms · $1,500
Workable with care
6 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated to 4 ohms, but this speaker dips to 3. Fine at sane volume, tight if you push it hard.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (125 W to 250 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Costs more than the speakers - worth it only if you plan to upgrade them later.
18
Anthem STR
Anthem STR
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 200 W into 8 ohms · $5,000
Workable with care
8 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean. Well above the 100 W the maker rates the speaker for, so keep an eye on the volume knob.
Rated down to 2 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (200 W to 400 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
19
Yamaha WXA-50
Yamaha WXA-50
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 55 W into 8 ohms · $599
Workable with care
3 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 100 W.
Rated to 4 ohms, but this speaker dips to 3. Fine at sane volume, tight if you push it hard.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (55 W to 105 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
20
Audiolab 7000A
Audiolab 7000A
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 70 W into 8 ohms · $999
Workable with care
4 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated to 4 ohms, but this speaker dips to 3. Fine at sane volume, tight if you push it hard.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (70 W to 110 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.

Showing the best 20 of 219. Narrow it with the price range below, or a different budget split.

65 power amplifiers that would also drive them

Listed separately because they are not a complete system: a power amplifier has no volume control and no inputs to speak of, so you need a preamplifier or a streaming preamp as well. Worth it if you already own one, or if you want to buy the two halves separately.

1
Schiit Vidar 2F
Schiit Vidar 2F
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 100 W into 8 ohms · $799
Workable with care
5 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
This amplifier does not publish a minimum impedance. An 8 ohm speaker is a safe bet even so.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (100 W to 200 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
2
Eversolo AMP-F2
Eversolo AMP-F2
Power Amplifier · Class D · ? W into 8 ohms · $799
Workable with care
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean. Well above the 100 W the maker rates the speaker for, so keep an eye on the volume knob.
Rated down to 2 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
No 4 ohm power rating on file. On a 8 ohm speaker dipping to 3 that is the figure that matters, so this one is unproven on the load.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
3
Naim NAP 250
Naim NAP 250
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 100 W into 8 ohms · $8,999
Excellent match
5 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 2 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (100 W to 190 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
4
Emotiva BasX A2+
Emotiva BasX A2+
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 160 W into 8 ohms · $799
Workable with care
7 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean. Well above the 100 W the maker rates the speaker for, so keep an eye on the volume knob.
This amplifier does not publish a minimum impedance. An 8 ohm speaker is a safe bet even so.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (160 W to 250 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
5
Accuphase P-4600
Accuphase P-4600
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 150 W into 8 ohms · $13,975
Good match
7 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 2 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (150 W to 300 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
6
Naim NAP 350
Naim NAP 350
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 175 W into 8 ohms · $8,499
Workable with care
8 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean. Well above the 100 W the maker rates the speaker for, so keep an eye on the volume knob.
Rated down to 2 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (175 W to 345 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
7
Parasound Halo A23+
Parasound Halo A23+
Power Amplifier · Class A/AB · 160 W into 8 ohms · $2,500
Workable with care
7 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean. Well above the 100 W the maker rates the speaker for, so keep an eye on the volume knob.
Rated down to 2 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (160 W to 240 W).
Costs more than the speakers - worth it only if you plan to upgrade them later.
8
Cambridge Audio MXW70
Cambridge Audio MXW70
Power Amplifier · Class D · 70 W into 8 ohms · $599
Workable with care
4 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated to 4 ohms, but this speaker dips to 3. Fine at sane volume, tight if you push it hard.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (70 W to 125 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
Were these amplifier recommendations useful?
It helps us tune the matching, and we read every comment.

Sensitivity and impedance figures are the manufacturer's own. We read sensitivity as dB at 2.83 V/1 m and take 2 dB off it, because published figures run high. Treat the result as a well-founded starting point, not a measurement. Full B&W 607 S3 specs.

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