B&W Bowers & Wilkins

600 Series 3

The range features two finishes, light oak 'Sorrento' in addition to the traditional Black Ash, with driver and baffle colors coordinated to each of these options.

Midrange and bass/midrange drivers feature B&W's well-proven woven Kevlar cones, but with improved mechanical matching between voice coil and cone, while bass-only drivers benefit from rigid aluminum cones, further stiffened by a 'mushroom' construction.

This is the largest of the bookshelf / stand-mount models in the range. Although similar in concept to the DM601 S3, the DM602 S3 enjoys the benefits of a larger cabinet and a 180mm (7-in) woven Kevlar® cone bass / midrange driver to give a more extended bass response and higher output capability. It is therefore the bookshelf solution for medium size rooms.

The outer layer of the double skinned baffle construction is molded from mica-filled polypropylene strong yet well damped acoustically. The profile is attractively contoured, the rounded vertical edges reducing diffraction the secondary radiation of sound from sharp edges that can time-smear the clarity of fine detail in the signal.

The LCR60 S3 center speaker would normally be used to partner the DM602 S3 in home theatre systems, but larger rooms may benefit from the extra output capability of the LCR600 S3.

Technical Specifications : DM602 S3
Description	2-way vented-box system
Dimensions	Height: 490mm (19.3in) Width: 236mm (9.3in) Depth: 293mm (11.5in)
Net Weight	10.5kg / 23.1lb
Freq. Response	49Hz - 22kHz ± 3dB on reference axis
Freq. Range	-6dB at 40Hz and 42kHz
Sensitivity	90dB spl (2.83V, 1m)
Nominal Impedance	8 ohms (minimum 3.0 ohms)
Power Handling	25W - 120W into 8 ohms on unclipped program
Drive Units	Unit 1: 1x 25mm(1in) metal dome high-frequency Unit 2: 1x 180mm (7in) woven Kevlar® cone bass/midrange Unit 3:
Finish	Cabinet: Black Ash or Sorrento (light oak) vinyl Grille: Black Cloth
Dispersion	Description: Within 2dB of response on reference axis Horizontal: over 40° arc Vertical: over 10° arc
Harmonic Distortion	2nd & 3rd harmonics <1% 60Hz - 20kHz (90dB spl, 1m)
Crossover Frequency	4kHz
Cable Impedance	0.1 ohms

Bowers & Wilkins doesn’t just build speakers; it engineers and builds every driver, crossover network, and many of the enclosures that leave its factory in Worthing, England. 

Indeed, pretty much every aspect of B&W’s design philosophy over the past decade has derived from its flagship model, the five-years-in-the-making,  Nautilus. In addition to its snail-shaped housing, the Nautilus’ most striking visual elements are three long tails emerging from the rear of the enclosure, immediately behind the high-frequency and midrange drivers. The idea is for these tapering tubes to absorb unwanted energy from the rear of a driver’s diaphragm by "trapping" it until the energy has dissipated. Slowly, over the years, this technology has made its way into many of B&W’s models, and can now be found in the company’s entry-level 600 Series 3 bookshelf and floor-standing speakers.

But the Nautilus-loaded tweeter is not the only thing that B&W’s design team engineered into this third-generation 600 Series. Improving the bond between the metal dome and its voice-coil winding has extended the tweeter’s smoothness and uppermost frequency response, which according to the company’s literature, benefits the ultra-high frequency potential of DVD-A and SACD sources.

A similar change has been made to the bright yellow Kevlar woofers that have been a B&W trademark since the 1970s. B&W discovered that woven Kevlar—the same stuff used to make flak jackets—also makes for a very low distortion driver (because it retains its shape while being bombarded by heavily amplified bass signals). As with the tweeter, the connecting points between the voice coil and Kevlar cone have been made stronger, creating small but noticeable improvements in linearity, and a more seamless blend between the two drivers. And borrowing from the midrange unit used in the Nautilus 800 Series, the basket assembly of the Kevlar bass/mid driver is now both lighter and stiffer than before. The idea is similar to that behind the Nautilus tweeter, but manifested differently. With a cluster of thin, star-shaped legs supporting the driver’s dual-layer frame, the reflective surface area behind the driver is minimized, lowering rear-wave-induced distortion.

Other 600 Series 3 refinements include a newly selected batch of crossover capacitors, extra-bracing inside the cabinets, and in the top model, the $1,400/pair DM604 S3, a newly developed aluminum woofer.

The model here is the smallest of three Series 3 floor-standing towers—the DM602.5 S3.

Clad in "light oak ‘Sorrento’" vinyl (a "black ash" wrap is also available), the $700 per pair 602.5 is a handsome thing. The slender cabinet’s dimensions are pleasing to the eye, and the faux wood veneer is well done, making this a speaker that should fit nicely into almost any environment. Furthermore, the sheer black grille cloth contrasts well with the pale Sorrento (or adds uniformity with the black ash), and the speaker is equally attractive with the grille off, revealing a dove-gray baffle, rounded at the edges, that’s been patterned with tiny cornice shapes engineered to break up front-baffle diffraction. The top third of the enclosure houses a 1-inch metal-dome tweeter (the Nautilus tube is internal, about four inches long) and a 6.5-inch version of the Kevlar bass/midrange driver. Immediately below it sits B&W’s Flowport, a tapered vent whose surface has been dimpled like a golf ball in order to smooth the flow of air from the cabinet. Depending on proximity to the rear wall, a (supplied) foam plug may be inserted in the port to reduce bass output, and stabilizing spikes are also supplied. Single or bi-wired connections complete the package.

This speaker takes considerable time to loosen up and smooth out, so keep this in mind if you purchase a set or audition them in a dealer’s listening room. If the speakers sound pinched and aggressive, they need more time.

Along with a healthy break-in period, careful placement is the key to getting the most from this design. The spec sheet lists 70Hz as the 3dB-down point, and it is this critical midbass area that is most affected by room placement, and consequently so is our perception of the 602.5’s tonal balance. Put it too close to the rear wall and the bass, though richer and more authoritative, turns pudgy and somewhat unpredictable (though the foam port plugs help minimize this effect). Place it too far from the rear wall, and the scrawny nature of an unbroken-in pair is exacerbated. The ideal balance in my room was about two feet out from the rear wall and about three from the sides, angled slightly inward. Once placed like this, the speakers were fully and well integrated, with a wide soundstage, lots of air, and a precise focus. The bass tends to be more quick and punchy than deep, and the tweeter, as expected, is quite crystalline and extended.

Trade-offs; any way you slice it, all speakers, especially in the $1,000-and-under category, reflect a series of design choices that every company—and every consumer—is confronted with. If you’re a romantic, you will probably prefer a warmer, easier musical experience than the one given by the 602.5. If you’re into speed, extended highs, a bass with no fat, and exciting dynamics, and space and dollars are important considerations, then B&W’s DM602.5 Series 3 is a speaker you’ll find yourself embracing.

Specifications
Driver complement: 6.5-inch woven Kevlar bass/midrange, 1-inch alloy dome tweeter
Frequency response: 70Hz–20kHz
Dimensions: 33.5 x 8 x 11.3 inches
Weight: 31.9 lbs. each

Manufacturer Information
B&W Loudspeakers of America
A Division of Equity International
54 Concord Street
North Reading, Massachusetts 01864
Phone: (978) 664-2870
http://www.bwspeakers.com/
Price: $700/pair

This is the larger of the two LCR (Left, Center, Right) models in the range and its greater volume and larger drivers make it more suitable to partner the larger models in the range – DM603 S3 and DM604 S3 – as a center speaker.

Like the LCR60 S3, the ability to use the LCR600 S3 in either horizontal (more usual in the center position) or vertical orientation, together with its magnetic shielding, makes it an extremely versatile speaker. This is especially relevant when considering the practical problems of successfully accommodating five speakers in a domestic home theatre installation.

Most LCR systems will be used for enjoying movies. However, all B&W speakers have a long design heritage rooted in the high quality reproduction of music and our LCR models are no exception to this design philosophy.

Center Speaker

Technical Specifications : LCR600 S3
Description	2.5-way vented-box system with magnetic shielding
Dimensions	Height: 204mm (8in) Width: 545mm (21.8in) Depth: 311mm (12.2in)
Net Weight	12.5kg / 27.5lb
Freq. Response	60Hz - 22kHz ± 3dB on reference axis
Freq. Range	-6dB at 48Hz and 42kHz
Sensitivity	89dB spl (2.83V, 1m)
Max. Recommended Cable Impedance	8 ohms (minimum 3.0 ohms)
Power Handling	25W - 150W into 8 ohms on unclipped program
Drive Units	Unit 1: 1x 25mm (1in) metal dome high-frequency Unit 2: 1x 165mm (6.5in) woven Kevlar® cone bass/midrange Unit 3: 1x 165mm (6.5in) woven Kevlar® cone bass
Finish	Cabinet: Black Ash or Sorrento (light oak) vinyl Grille: Black Cloth
Dispersion	Description: Within 2dB of response on reference axis Horizontal: over 40° arc Vertical: over 20° arc
Harmonic Distortion	2nd & 3rd harmonics <1% 70Hz - 20kHz (90dB spl, 1m)
Crossover Frequency	300Hz, 4kHz
Cable Impedance	0.1 ohms