Wonderful imaging, tight bass, crisp highs.

None apparent.

After suffering many years with inadequate speakers I finally purchased the B&W 603s2's. I'm very happy with my decision, great imaging, tight bass and crisp highs, and powered by only a Yamaha RX-V793 (80 watts x 5). Can't wait to uprade to a more powerful amp but for now these speakers have given me incentive to spend even more $. Movies are just as impressive through these babies, best value I could find in the price range, highly recommended!

Similar Products Used:

B&W LCR6S2 CENTER, B&W 601S2 SURROUNDS, B&W AS6 SUB

Clarity, bass

Few

These speakers are amazing. I listened to every speaker I could find in a similar price range and nothing compared. While each of the other speakers seemed to have at least one distinct weakness, I couldn't find any with these speakers. Just don't underpower them!

Similar Products Used:

None

Clarity and Quality

None at all!!

I loved the 602's but I felt I needed a little more Umph! if you know what I mean. B&W are the clearest speakers I have ever heard. And for $1000, they are the best speakers that you can buy. I am so impressed with the quality and clarity of sound, that there is no way someone can convince me of a better speaker. Maybe there is, but not for $1000!!

I can not describe the overall clarity B&W brings to the sound of music. I even run my TV through these speakers, and notice a difference. DVD movies take on a whole new meaning. I love to turn the lights out at night and just sit there in the dark and listen to Nina Simone, or Patsy Cline. You think they are in the room singing, the sound is so clear.

There is no other speaker I will ever buy than B&W. If you have $1000, then get the 603 s2 and nothing else.

My package:
Main speakers: B&W 603 s2
Center speaker: B&W cc6 s2
Rear speakers: Boston HD5
Receiver: Sony STR-DB 930(Best receiver for $500)
CD Player: Sony CDR- 70ES
DVD Player: Panasonic A-115(Extreme quality for price)
Cables: Kimber Hero

Similar Products Used:

602 s2

Clarity, warmth, soundstage

Cannot handle large orchestras

Classic:
The treble sounds shrill with horns and the middle frequencies loose distinction with massive string sections. In some records the timpani sound like in a box. Woodwinds and cellos sound OK.
Jazz:
These speakers are ideal for jazz ensembles. Specially with vinyl records, the rhythm section has authenticity, saxophones and flutes breathe naturally, with a sense of body and presence. The overall sound is smooth, warm and involving.
Pop:
Better with blues, acoustic instruments and fingered strings than with heavy guitars, which can be a little too harsh. Voices sound large and alive. Not for dance music: if you like disco, go to a disco.
Soundstage:
The instruments are fairly distributed between the speakers. Voices appear right in the middle, well above the other sounds. Bass guitars are well focussed in the middle, a little below other instruments. Guitars, pianos and violins travel between the left or right speaker and the centre upper spot. Horns in orchestral music appear behind and don’t stand tall. Drums can be tremendously real. Sounds are spread in a screen between the speakers rather than being projected toward the listener.
Caution:
Don’t place the B&W’s too close to rear and side walls if you want to preserve their clarity. Give them space to breathe.
In conclusion:
Do you appreciate realism in the presentation of music? Do you prefer blues, jazz, world, chamber music, or intimate pop to heavy loads of electric music? And you cannot spend much money in a pair of speakers? So the SII is the one for you.

Awesome low mid and high end range

none

It is a gorgeous speaker for the price I absolutely love it

Similar Products Used:

B&W 602 S2 & B&W 601 S2

crisp & clear highs, very good imaging, very clean bass

POOR AFTERSALES!...country distributor only wants to give 1 year warranty..despite B&W-UK's insistence on 5 years!

Really good speakers...unfortunately, they have very poor aftersales service in this country . Distributor adamantly refuses to give 5 year warranty...NO REASON GIVEN!
Somehow, B&W doesn't know or have control over it's representatives or distributors. ....or perhaps looks the other way intentionally?...
I again emailed them about this...NO REPLY AT ALL ..it's been a week now!
Why B&W here refuses to stand by their products is a puzzle......some fishy here!....


SHAME ON YOU B&W!!!!!

Crisp highs, deep dry bass and good imaging for acoustical music (classical, jazz, vocals).

Highs can become too dominant in some electronic music (tzzz,tzzz) which tires your ears and irritates your mind. Very narrow tweeter-beam urges for good listening position.

To begin with, I'd prefer an Infinity speaker twice as expensive...if only I had a perfect listening room at home. In the shops this speaker was best in it's class, the 604 being a little bit better but not worth the extra of 250 €uro's.
I am sure the soundcolor is very much a matter of taste. I like it bright, not overcontrolled so the new Mission 75. and 77. series were out of the question. To my surprise a JBL came quite near to the B&W (same 'color') but close inspection at low volumes revealed the B&W's sound was much more detailed, precise, highly defined. At home, I was not so sure anymore: was it my home acoustics or was it the dominance of the highs that annoyed me? Both it was, and bad recordings at times. It took me some time to accept the only effective remedy: less trebles, more curtains. However I gradually found out this is not always necessary. Especially acoustical instruments are favoured by the incredible precise and crisp Nautilus tweeter, so I use the tone-bypass quite a lot. Classical music (cello concerts), guitar music (Al di Meola!) and vocals sound absolutely great! Your own live concert, good imaging. Most electronic music (e.g.Yello) is ok, better with a little less trebles. To my surprise the difference between well recorded and not so well recorded cd's is now immense - the B&W's are very dynamic over a very wide frequency range. The good is that you hear sounds you never knew were present in the recording. The bad is that I found out I had too many bad recordings. All in all I am now a very happy listener, with the sensitive B&W's bi-amped (spkrs A+B) on a good old 2x150W Yamaha AX500. The crisp highs and the deep tight bass are sensational. The tweeter-beam is very narrow, so choose position for best results. Best buy in it's price-range, should not be overrated though.

Similar Products Used:

Good old Mission 710, carton woofers fell apart after 18 years of heavy use.

clear vocals, very "musical", neutral, depth, of course they look good too.

need to be driven hard,

These speakers need to be driven hard to bring out the clear neutral strings, vocals & drums...but once you've done that, they sound just great!

I've just had these babies for 3 days, so still in the "break-in" period but already they sound great.

nothing more to add here :)

have a nice day~

Similar Products Used:

Polk, Paradigm, Bose, Mission, Dynaudio, Martin Logans (auditioned a lot)

crystal clear sound reproduction and incredible sound depth

none i've found so far

I recently bought these and an LCR6 S2 as an upgrade from a Bose accoustimass 10 system, controlled by a Denon AVR4800. Not that Bose are bad speakers, but these just absolutely blew Bose out of the water. The 603's arrived before the LCR6 so i had at one point the 603's on right and left front and still used a Bose for the center. That really exposed the difference between B&W and Bose. T $1100 for the pair i have yet to see a better value in speakers. I also auditioned Monitor Audio, and a couple of other brands and Monitor was the only brand that came close to B&W, but B&W are by far the best sounding speakers i have heard. These speakers are absolutely incredible.

Natural,clear sound , a real 150 W ( not like Mission 774 ), quality bass...

Maybe the mid-range tones could be better

I wanted a quality front speakers with the strength and clear , natural sound. I have listened a speakers like Mission 774 , Acoustic Research models... and I am not quite happy with them . The Mission 774 is very pricefull but with too low and weak bass tone , the higher tones are too dominating and they dont sound good. The mid - tones from 774 is too bad.They are not for disco or rock music and they do not have that power like their producers said ( 170 W ),603 S2 are much stronger.
And , then I heard 603 S2 ! I was thinking that I am dreaming. Natural , clear sound , quality bass , and a lot of dymanic and power. This speakers you must listen loud , their 150 W are marvelous !!!
RECOMMENDED !!!

Similar Products Used:

Mission 773e, 774 , Acoustic Research