603 S2 - Pregnant BOWERS & WILKINS - Free user manual and instructions

Product Type	Floor-standing loudspeaker (2.5-way)
Dimensions (H x W x D)	1005 x 200 x 300 mm (with grille)
Weight	23.2 kg each
Driver Complement	1x 25mm Decoupled Carbon Dome tweeter, 2x 165mm Continuum cone bass/mid
Frequency Response	48 Hz – 28 kHz (±3 dB)
Sensitivity	88.5 dB (2.83 V, 1 m)
Impedance	8 Ω (minimum 3.1 Ω)
Recommended Amplifier Power	30 W – 200 W
Crossover Frequency	4 kHz
Port Type	Rear-firing Flowport
Grille	Magnetic, removable
Available Finishes	Mocha, Satin White, Black
Power Handling (continuous)	120 W (unclipped program)
Maximum Recommended Cable Impedance	0.1 Ω
Cleaning Instructions	Wipe with a soft, dry cloth. Do not use solvents or abrasive cleaners. Remove grille carefully for cleaning.
Safety Precautions	Place on a stable, level surface. Do not expose to moisture or extreme temperatures. Keep away from direct sunlight.
Spare Parts / Repairability	Drivers, crossovers, and binding posts available through authorized service centers. Grille assembly replaceable.
Warranty	5 years (limited, depending on region)
Year of Release	2021

Frequently Asked Questions - 603 S2 BOWERS & WILKINS

What is the recommended placement distance from the rear wall?

For optimal bass balance, place the 603 S2 at least 30 cm (12 inches) from the rear wall. Experiment by moving the speaker closer or farther to fine-tune bass response.

Is there a break-in period for the 603 S2 speakers?

Yes, the drivers and crossovers benefit from a break-in period of about 50-100 hours of normal listening. The sound will become smoother and more open over time.

Can I bi-wire or bi-amp the 603 S2?

Yes, the 603 S2 features bi-wireable binding posts. You can bi-wire by connecting separate cables to the HF and LF terminals, or bi-amp by using two amplifier channels. Remove the jumper plates first.

What amplifier power is recommended for the 603 S2?

Bowers & Wilkins recommends amplifiers between 30 W and 200 W per channel. The speakers are moderately sensitive (88.5 dB), so they work well with most quality integrated amplifiers and receivers.

How should I clean the 603 S2 speaker cabinets?

Use a soft, dry microfiber cloth to gently dust the cabinet. For stubborn marks, slightly dampen the cloth with water (not wet). Never use alcohol, ammonia, or abrasive cleaners. The grille can be removed and cleaned with a lint roller or gentle vacuum.

What is the warranty period for the 603 S2?

The standard warranty is 5 years from the date of purchase, but may vary by region. It covers manufacturing defects. Keep your receipt and register the product online if required.

Can the 603 S2 be used as a center channel speaker?

No, the 603 S2 is a floor-standing speaker designed for stereo or multi-channel front left/right use. For a center channel, consider the dedicated B&W HTM72 S2 or similar.

Are the speaker grilles removable?

Yes, the magnetic grilles are easily removable for a more open sound and to show off the drivers. They snap back on securely.

What type of speaker cable should I use?

Use high-quality stranded speaker cable with a cross-section of at least 2.5 mm² (14 AWG) for runs up to 10 m. Keep cable impedance below 0.1 Ω for best performance.

How do I tighten the binding posts?

The binding posts accept banana plugs, spades, or bare wire. Hand-tighten the caps firmly – do not use tools. Ensure a clean connection without stray strands.

USER MANUAL 603 S2 BOWERS & WILKINS

Welcome and thank you for choosing Bowers & Wilkins.

Our founder, John Bowers, believed that imaginative design, innovative engineering and advanced technology were keys that could unlock the enjoyment of audio in the home. His belief is one that we continue to share and inspires every product we design.

This is a high performance product that rewards thoughtful installation, so we suggest that you take some time to read this manual before you begin. Continue on page 5 →

Carton Contents

Check in the carton for:

1 Foam plug
1 Accessory pack containing
4 Rubber feet
4 M6 spike feet
4 Lock nuts (10mm across flats)
1 Plinth
1 Accessory pack containing
1 Allen key
4 M6 x 35mm screws
4 Plain washers
4 Shakeproof washers

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Environmental Information

This product complies with international directives, including but not limited to:

i. the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) in electrical and electronic equipment,
ii. the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of CHemicals (REACH)
iii. the disposal of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE).

Consult your local waste disposal authority for guidance on how properly to recycle or dispose of this product.

1. Positioning

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Speaker Installation

The speakers are intended to be floor mounted only. It is important to ensure that the speakers stand firmly on the floor using the spike feet supplied whenever possible. In addition, fit the plinth for proper stability.

You may attach the plinth during the unpacking process, following the diagrams on the top flap of the carton. Alternatively, you may attach it after the product has been fully unpacked, by covering a suitable support such as a table with a cloth and laying the speaker on its side with the base of the cabinet overhanging the support. Align the plinth with its attachment holes in the underside of the cabinet, ensuring that the arrow on the underside of the plinth points forwards. Secure the plinth using the screws and washers supplied. Fit the shakeproof washers between the plain washers and the screw heads. Tighten the screws using the Allen key supplied.

The spike feet are designed to pierce carpet and rest on the floor surface. Initially, screw the lock nuts onto the spikes enough to leave the nuts floating just above the carpet when the spikes are resting on the floor beneath. Screw the spikes fully into the threaded inserts in the plinth. If the cabinet rocks when placed on the floor, unscrew the two spikes that do not touch the floor until the cabinet rests firmly without rocking. Finally, lock the nuts against the cabinet. It may be more convenient to fit and adjust the spike feet after speaker positioning has been optimised.

If there is no carpet and you wish to avoid scratching the floor surface, use either a protective metal disc (a coin perhaps) between the spike and the floor, or use the supplied rubber feet. Fit the rubber feet and level the cabinet in the same manner as with the spike feet.

Speaker Positioning

Adjustment of speaker position following initial installation will probably further improve the sound quality and is usually worthwhile.

In either stereo or home theatre installations, try to ensure that the immediate surroundings of each speaker are similar in acoustic character. For example, if one speaker is adjacent to bare walls while the other is adjacent to soft furnishings and curtains, both the overall sound quality and the stereo image are likely to be compromised.

Conventional Stereo Systems

To begin with, the speakers should be positioned between 1.5m and 3m apart at two corners of an equilateral triangle completed by the listening area at the third corner. The speakers should be approximately 0.5m away from the back wall, and at least 0.5m away from any side walls (above).

5 Channels 7 Channels

Home Theatre Systems

If the speakers are to be used for the front channels in a home theatre system, they should be placed closer together than for 2-channel audio, because the surround channels tend to widen the image. Positioning the speakers within approximately 0.5m of the sides of the screen will also help keep the sound image in scale with the visual image. As with conventional stereo positioning, the speakers should ideally be at least 0.5m away from any side walls. If you would prefer to place your speaker against the back wall and this location results in over emphasised bass, see the Fine Tuning section of this manual for information on using the foam plugs.

Stray magnetic fields

The speaker drive units create stray magnetic fields that extend beyond the boundaries of the cabinet. We recommend you keep magnetically sensitive articles (CRT television and computer screens, computer discs, audio and video tapes, swipe cards and the like) at least 0.5m from the speaker. LCD, OLED and plasma screens are not affected by magnetic fields.

3. Connections

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All connections should be made with the audio equipment switched off.
There are 2 linked pairs of terminals on the back of the speaker. For conventional connection (above left), the terminal links should remain in place (as delivered) and just one pair of terminals connected to the amplifier. For bi-wire connections or bi-amplification (above right), the terminal links should be removed and each pair of terminals connected to the amplifier or amplifiers independently. Bi-wiring can improve the resolution of low-level detail.

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Ensure that the positive terminals on the speaker (marked + and coloured red) are connected to the positive output terminal on the amplifier and the negative terminals on the speaker (marked – and coloured black) are connected to the negative output terminal on the amplifier. Incorrect connection can result in poor imaging and loss of bass.
Ask your dealer for advice when selecting speaker cable.

1. Fine Tuning
   

Before fine tuning, make sure that all the connections in the installation are correct and secure.

Moving the speakers further from the walls will generally reduce the volume of bass. Space behind the speakers will also help to create an aural impression of depth. Conversely, moving the speakers closer to the walls will increase the volume of bass. If you want to reduce the volume of bass without moving the speakers further from the wall, fit the foam plugs or, for less severe bass reduction, the foam rings in the port tubes (above).

If the bass seems uneven with frequency this will most probably be a consequence of the acoustic properties of your listening room. Even small changes in the position of the speakers or listening position can have a significant effect on sonic performance, especially at low frequencies. Try moving your listening position or locating your speakers along a different wall if possible.

If no alternatives exist, you can adjust your loudspeakers' low-frequency performance using the supplied foam bungs. The bungs are a two-piece part, allowing for a degree of fine-tuning using either the outer, larger-diameter piece in isolation or the two parts together. Using solely the outer, larger-diameter foam bung will deliver less bass attenuation than the complete bung assembly.

1. Running In 6. Aftercare

The performance of the speaker will change subtly during the initial listening period. If the speaker has been stored in a cold environment, the damping compounds and suspension materials of the drive units will take some time to recover their correct mechanical properties. The drive unit suspensions will also loosen up during the first hours of use. The time taken for the speaker to achieve its intended performance will vary depending on previous storage conditions and how it is used. As a guide, allow up to a week for the temperature effects to stabilise and 15 hours of average use for the mechanical parts to attain their intended design characteristics.

The cabinet surfaces will usually only require dusting. If you wish to use an aerosol or other cleaner, apply the cleaner onto the cloth, not directly onto the product and test a small area first, as some cleaning products may damage some of the surfaces. Avoid products that are abrasive, or contain acid, alkali or antibacterial agents. Marks on the paint surface may be removed with a dilute perfume-free soap solution. Remove any remaining streak marks by spraying with a proprietary glass cleaner and lightly wiping dry with a microfibre cloth. Do not use cleaning agents on the drive units and avoid touching them as damage may result.

1. Déballage

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Kartoninhalt

Im Karton liegen:

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Heimkinosysteme

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Conteúdos da caixa

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Installazione

Posizionamento

Sistemi Home Theatre

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Inhoud doos

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Luidspreker Installeren

Luidsprekeropstelling

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Home Theater Systemen

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Τοποθέτηση ηχείου

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Содержание упаковки

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Установка колонок

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Obsah balení

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Pozice reprosoustav

Domácí kino

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Instalacja głośnika

Ustawienie głośnika

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Karton Kutu İçeriği

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Hoparlör Kurulumu

Ev Sineması Sistemi

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包装箱内的物品

检查纸箱内的下列物品：

环保信息

本产品符合国际指令，包括但不限于：

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扬声器的安装

扬声器的定位

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家庭影院系统

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所有的连接应当在设备关闭时进行。

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包裝箱內的物品

檢查紙箱內的下列物品：

環保信息

本產品符合國際指令，包括但不限於：

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揚聲器的安裝

揚聲器的定位

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家庭影院系統

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所有的連接應當在設備關閉時進行。

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内容物

以下の内容を確認してください。

フォームプラグ 1個

アクセサリーパック1 袋

中身

ゴム足 4個

M6スパイク 4本

ロックナット（10mm平面幅）4個

台座 1個

アクセサリーパック 1袋

中身

六角レンチ 1個

M6 x 35mmネジ 4個

平ワッシャー 4個

菊座ワッシャー 4個

環境関連情報

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スピーカーの設置

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내용물

환경 정보

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스피커 설치

스피커 설치 위치

홈씨어터 시스템

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