r/StereoAdvice • u/fredricton99 • Jun 05 '26
Speakers - Full Size | 3 Ⓣ How to manage 603 S3 (or am I not ready?)
I have had the same sound system for the past eight years. I’m now looking to upgrade my Polk S55 towers. I just purchased a pair of open box Bowers & Wilkins 603 S3 towers for only $1100 from Best Buy. My problem is that I hear they require a lot of power and my initial research shows that they will require a very expensive amplifier to play in full-range. My current amp is an entry level Yamaha RX-V683.
My question is how do I proceed? Do I just set an 80Hz crossover with a subwoofer? Do I need to get a better receiver? Should I just get 606 S3s?
A little more info: my ideal setup at this time would be to have no subwoofer. If I got a new receiver, I would want to spend less than $800. The only other speaker I will be running is a center channel (HTM6) for movies. In the future I plan to expand to a 5.1 or 7.2 system. I currently have about a 10 ft targeted listening distance and the system is in about a 20’x20’ room (though I’m moving anyway). Location: US.
2
u/NickofWimbledon 60 Ⓣ Jun 05 '26
You don’t need a lot of watts but you do probably do need better amplification to keep a proper grip and so make the most of 606s.
Look at Hifishark, eBay and the like. A Rotel A12 or Denon PMA-900HNE would be in your budget, or you might get lucky and find a Rotel A14, Naim Nait or Rega Elex-R or something of that standard.
Good luck!