Bowers & Wilkins - 606 S2 Anniversary Edition - Speaker Decision

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B&W 606 S2 vs B&W 607 Comparison x Speaker to replace Change B&W 606 S2

Passive Bookshelf | 52-28k Hz

CHECK PRICE Change B&W 607

Passive Bookshelf | 52-28k Hz

CHECK PRICE B&W 606 S2 See at AMAZON B&W 607 See at AMAZON B&W 606 S2 See at AMAZON B&W 607 See at AMAZON

In this review, we will be comparing 606 S2 AE and BW 607, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Bowers Wilkins

Let's have a brief look at the main features of B&W 606 S2 and B&W 607 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

B&W 606 S2 Key Specs

• 2-way Design
• 1" Decoupled Double Dome Tweeter
• 6.5" Continuum Woofer
• 52-28k Hz Frequency Response
• 88 dB Sensitivity
• Impedance: 8ohms
• Power Range:30-120watts
• Weight:6.90kg
• Dimensions (H x W x D): 347.0" x 7-1/2" x 12-13/16"( 347.0 x 191.0 x 326.0mm )

B&W 607 Key Specs

• 2-way Design
• 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
• 5" Continuum Woofer
• 52-28k Hz Frequency Response
• 84 dB Sensitivity
• Impedance: 8ohms
• Power Range:30-100watts
• Weight:4.70kg
• Dimensions (H x W x D): 300.0" x 6.4" x 8.1"( 300.0 x 165.0 x 207.0mm )

What size room are the B&W 606 S2 and B&W 607 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:

Listening Environment*	B&W 606 S2	B&W 607
Near-field	Poor	Average
Small Room	Average	Good
Mid-size Room	Good	Average
Large Room	Average	Poor
Very Large Room	Poor	Bad

(* 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.)

In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the B&W 606 S2 and B&W 607 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.

**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.

Drivers

Both 606 S2 AE and BW 607 are 2-way speakers.

Driver	B&W 606 S2	B&W 607
Driver Setup	2-way	2-way
Tweeter	1-inch	1-inch
Midrange	-	-
Woofer	1 x 6.5-inch	1 x 5-inch

606 S2 AE features a 1" Aluminum Decoupled Double Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer . On the other hand, the BW 607 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Continuum Woofer .

Frequency Response

606 S2 AE and BW 607 has exactly the same frequency range of 52-28k Hz.

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

606 S2 AE BW 607 Min Average Max High Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

B&W 606 S2 B&W 607 Min Average Max

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

606 S2 AE and BW 607 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. 606 S2 AE sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the BW 607's is at 84 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the B&W 606 S2 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 607, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Bookshelf Speakers

606 S2 AE BW 607 Min Average Max

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.

606 S2 AE can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS from the amp the whereas BW 607 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the 606 S2 AE.

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

Both 606 S2 AE and BW 607 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both 606 S2 AE and BW 607 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 B&W 606 S2's and B&W 607's external dimensions. B&W 606 S2 has external dimensions of 347.0 x 191.0 x 326.0mm ( 13-5/8 x 7-1/2 x 12-13/16inch) whereas B&W 607 has external dimensions of 300.0 x 165.0 x 207.0mm ( 11.8 x 6.4 x 8.1inch) .

B&W 606 S2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 26mm wider, 47mm taller and 119mm deeper than B&W 607.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of B&W 606 S2 and B&W 607 in scale.

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 B&W 606 S2 is approximately 622.7cm2 / 96.5inch2 and base area of the B&W 607 is approximately 341.6cm2 / 52.9inch2. The 606 S2 AE requires 82% more surface area than the BW 607 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.

Here is an another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale: