Bowers & Wilkins 603
Whether it’s budget or high-end speakers, B&W usually delivers on the engineering front, and the 603s are no different. Peel away the magnetic grilles – a first for the 600 Series – and you’ll see what we mean.
Traditionally, a 600 Series speaker would sport B&W’S trademark yellow Kevlar midrange cones. But this material has now been replaced by B&W’S eye-catching silver Continuum cone material, first introduced on its flagship 800 Series Diamond. Here, the cone is actually part of a B&W FST drive unit.
FST drivers replace a traditional rubber surround with a specially designed foam ring. B&W claims the foam damps vibrations in the cone better, thus improving clarity and reducing distortion. The only limitation to the design is that it restricts the
movement of the cone, so it can be used only for midrange, not bass.
Hence the 603’s 15cm FST driver is used with a pair of 16.5cm paper bass cones. Add a 25mm double-dome tweeter for high frequencies and you have a true three-way speaker, which is quite unusual at this level.
Unfortunately for the 603s, it feels like the driver design might have distracted B&W from the speaker’s overall finish. The cabinet exterior doesn’t look like it belongs on a product worth over a grand. It feels quite scratchy and basic, and the plinths seem like an afterthought. They’re functional but don’t do the 603s’ appearance any favours.
B&W recommends listening to them without the plinths for the best audio performance, so it’s a good excuse to leave them in the packaging. Compare the fit and finish of the B&W 603s to the similarly priced Fyne Audio F501s and, in our opinion, the latter come across as considerably more premium.
The 603s are rear-ported, so it helps if you can give them a bit of room to breathe. We’d suggest around 50cm from a rear wall, a decent width apart and slightly toed in to the listening position.
Elements in space
We start with I’m A Ghost by Australian hip-hoppers Hilltop Hoods. A solitary harp carves a furrow through the opening seconds of the track and the speakers track its plucking with intent. The track’s vocal emerges front and centre, and is met with a mixture of piano and strings. The B&WS deliver with focus and precision, but there’s loads of space – it’s a huge, expansive stereo image which allows you to dip in and enjoy each of the elements individually.
As the track ups the tempo and injects a fluttering bassline and more percussion, the B&W’S step up their game too. The speakers handle the dynamic shifts and flows of the strings with confidence. And confident is exactly how we’d describe their character. Whether it’s bass weight, vocal clarity or general detail, the B&WS sound as if they know how to handle a tune.
Switch to Muse’s Dead Inside and the B&WS hammer home their strong-willed sense of delivery. As the track drives along, every drum thwack hits with intent and purpose. The bass notes are deep and probing when required, the speakers reinforcing Muse’s reputation for powerful stadium rock.
Strong vocal support
Arguably the B&WS’ biggest attraction is the way they handle vocals. That FST driver does a great job of presenting and communicating with the listener. We play Jorja Smith’s Don’t Watch Me Cry, and the B&WS show just how attentive and revealing they can be. This piece sounds intimate and emotional – whether it’s the subtle echo or the detail in the breaths between lines, the B&WS have no problem extracting the information and telling you what’s going on.
Our only slight reservation would be the 603s don’t deliver the most relaxed of listens. If you prefer a balance that’s a little less forward and more easy-going, you might want to consider the Acoustic Energy AE309S instead.
The 603s are the kind of floorstanders that won’t struggle to sell themselves during a demo. They are blessed with a certain wow factor, especially with voices, that other speakers at this price can only dream of. And the listening experience just gets better, thanks to their wide soundstage, impressive sense of scale and insightful delivery.
If you have just over a grand to spend on a new pair of speakers, you should give the B&W 603s a whirl.