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Bowers & Wilkins’ Entry-Level Bookshelf Speakers Make Its Elite Sound More Affordable

The acclaimed British hi-fi maker’s loudspeakers are suddenly more affordable.

Pair of white bookshelf speakers on gray metal stands flanking a wooden record cabinet with vinyl records and a turntable.Bowers & Wilkins
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By Tucker Bowe

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Bowers & Wilkins is well known for its various loudspeaker lines geared toward audiophiles, many of which are out of most people’s price range— case in point, the $110,000 Nautilus.

But the famed British hi-fi manufacturer does dabble in the more entry-level audiophile space thanks to its 600 Series of loudspeakers.

Refreshed in late 2023, there are two bookshelf speakers within the 600 Series, the 607 S3 ($1,000) and the 606 S3 ($1,200), both of which are designed to be the bedrock of a traditional hi-fi system.

Bowers & Wilkins 600 Series S3

Living room with beige sofa, wooden coffee table with books, wooden record shelf with vinyls and speakers on stands.
B&W’s 606 S3 are the larger of its two entry-level bookshelf speakers.
Bowers & Wilkins

Two bookshelf speaker models

Both of Bowers & Wilkins’ entry-level bookshelf speakers, the 607 S3 and the 606 S3, share quite a bit in common. They both have a two-way design that pairs the same TitaniumDome tweeter with the brand’s latest Continuum Cone mid/woofer.

The main difference between the two is size and power. The 606 S3 has a larger cabinet and stands nearly two inches taller. While the two speakers share the same tweeter, the 606 S3 has a larger mid/bass driver (6.5 inches vs. the 607 S3’s 5-inch mid/bass driver).

Wooden media console with vinyl records, black amplifier, and turntable, flanked by white speakers on stands in sunlit room.
The 606 S3 are the larger of B&W’s two entry-level bookshelf speakers.
Bowers & Wilkins
Four bookshelf speakers in different finishes—black, walnut wood, white, and oak wood—arranged on beige geometric pedestals.
The 606 S3 (pictured) comes in four different finishes. The smaller 607 S3 comes in three (not the black/cherry)
Bowers & Wilkins

Naturally, the smaller of these two speakers, the 607 S3, is a better fit for smaller listening spaces. But both are relatively easy to drive, with a recommended power output of 30-100 watts into 8 ohms.

As far as looks go, both the 607 S3 and 606 S3 bookshelf speakers are available in the same three finishes: oak/white, matte black or glossy white. The larger 606 S3 models also come in fourth, cherry/black finish.

Blurred person walking past a wooden shelf with pottery, plants, books, and a white speaker in a sunlit room.
The 607 S3 (shown) are the smaller of the two, by roughly two inches in height.
Bowers & Wilkins

What’s the sale?

The smaller of these two bookshelf speakers, the 607 S3, which costs $1,000, is not currently on sale.

A pair of the larger bookshelf speakers, the 606 S3, normally costs $1,200, but Audio Advisor is discounting them by $120. And several color options are on sale.

About the Author: Tucker Bowe has been on Gear Patrol’s editorial team since 2014. With a passion for consumer tech and hi-fi, he tracks everything from headphones and turntables to smartphones and wearables. If it lights up or makes noise, he probably covers it.

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