Floorstanding loudspeakers — B&W (Bowers & Wilkins) 603 S3

The 603 S3 is the only floorstanding speaker in the 600 Series S3 from Bowers & Wilkins, announced on 23 August 2023 as part of the eighth generation of the 600 Series, the entry hi-fi range of the British maker. It launched at USD 2,500 per pair, and Bowers & Wilkins now lists it at USD 2,700. The series also includes the 606 S3 and 607 S3 stand-mounts, the HTM6 S3 centre, the ASW608 and ASW610 subwoofers and FS-600 stands.

Key specs that matter

This three-way vented design uses a 25 mm Decoupled Double Dome titanium tweeter, a 150 mm Continuum cone FST midrange and two 165 mm paper bass cones. Published crossover data places a third-order low-pass on the bass drivers at 350 Hz and a second-order low-pass on the midrange at 4 kHz. The ±3 dB response is 46 Hz to 28 kHz and the -6 dB range 29 Hz to 33 kHz. Sensitivity is 90 dB at 2.83 V and 1 m, and impedance is 8 ohms nominal with a 3.0 ohm minimum. Distortion stays below 1% from 100 Hz to 22 kHz and below 0.5% from 350 Hz to 12 kHz. The recommended amplifier power is 30 to 200 W into 8 ohms, with cable impedance no higher than 0.1 ohm. The cabinet measures 985 x 190 x 340 mm, or 1,020 x 260 x 402 mm with the plinth, and weighs 27.5 kg. Finishes are Black, White and Oak.

Engineering and use context

The titanium tweeter pairs a 25 micron main dome with a 30 micron titanium ring that braces it, and a longer tube-loading system taken from the 700 S3 reduces the resonance behind the dome. The tweeter grille uses a more open mesh first applied to Bowers & Wilkins' Signature models. FST, the Fixed Suspension Transducer, uses a minimal surround on the midrange so that the Continuum cone moves as a piston without energy stored in a large roll suspension. The bass drivers use stronger motor systems borrowed from higher-end models, and the crossover gains upgraded bypass capacitors from the 700 S3. The cabinet has stronger internal bracing, and drivers are mounted with intersecting trim rings. The Flowport follows the 700 Series specification, with a dimpled surface that reduces turbulence at high air speeds.

Pairing

Thanks to its efficiency, the 603 S3 works with modest integrated amplifiers, although its low impedance minimum favours amplifiers comfortable with low impedances. The plinth widens the footprint for stability.

Alternatives

The Bowers & Wilkins 704 S3 is the smallest 700 S3 floorstander, pairing a Carbon Dome tweeter and 130 mm FST midrange with two 130 mm Aerofoil bass drivers.