KEF Q3 Meta vs Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3: which mid-price standmount speakers are sonically superior?

The KEF Q3 Meta have a big task on their hands. The mid-price standmount speaker arena isn't short on talent, with the Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 reigning supreme as the current What Hi-Fi? Award-winners in this ever-competitive field.

Those 606 S3 have nabbed back-to-back trophies, too, making the task of the Q3 Meta just a little bit tougher than it might already have been.

That said, KEF knows its way around a set of standmounts. The Q3 Meta are a five-star pair, while established models such as the LS50 Meta (1000 / $1499 / AU$2495) and Q Concerto Meta (£1099 / $1299 / AU$2000) showcase what the hi-fi brand is capable of when it's at the top of its game.

This is Lennox Lewis vs. Frank Bruno: two heavyweights facing off in the 'Battle of Britain'. Let's find out which is capable of delivering that knockout blow.

KEF Q3 Meta vs B&W 606 S3: price

The Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 have been around since late 2023, so in standmount speaker terms, they're maturing nicely. When they first landed in test rooms in August 2023, they would have set you back £749 / $1100 / AU$1499 per pair, but UK buyers will find they can snap a pair up for between £649 and £699 these days.

The KEFs, meanwhile, have been around only since late 2024, making them newer than their B&W rivals. For now, though, their price of £649 / $900 / AU$1300 puts them on a collision course with the 606 S3, with a lower price if you're in the US or Australia. Those in the UK might also see them available for £549 at the time of writing.

**Winner: KEF Q3 Meta**

KEF Q3 Meta vs B&W 606 S3: build and design

We're not talking apples and oranges here, but there are a few points of distinction to make between our two sets of five-star contenders.

The KEF Q3 Meta are the larger of the two, weighing in at a substantial 8.2kg and measuring 35.7 x 21 x 30.5cm (hwd). The B&W 606 S3 are swimming in similar waters, measuring in at 34.4 x 18.9 x 30cm and weighing roughly 7kg each, making them a touch slimmer and lighter than their Q3 Meta counterparts.

Still, there's not a huge amount in it and both are admirably engineered speakers. The Q3 Meta are built to the high standard that we have come to expect from KEF, with a weighty construction that demonstrates a product well made. KEF’s signature Uni-Q driver is what naturally draws the eye, while their single set of rear terminals are also nicely made and properly finished.

It's the same story when handling the more established B&W Award-winners. The speakers' cabinets use strengthened internal bracing, with the two drive units positioned closer together on the fascia than on the previous S2 generation. This is something Bowers & Wilkins claims improves the integration between the two drivers for better stereo imaging.

Both sets of rivals employ a two-way design. The 606 S3 have a 25mm dome tweeter that is made out of titanium for the first time in the 600 Series, and the 16.5cm mid/bass mid/bass driver uses B&W’s proprietary 'Continuum' cone material.

Elsewhere, the 606 S3 inherit design concepts and technologies derived from the step-up 700 S3 series. These include a more powerful motor assembly for the mid/bass driver, an updated crossover, a neater speaker terminal layout and reflex port design, as well as a longer tube-loading system for reducing the amount of unwanted radiation from the back of the tweeter.

The KEFs, conversely, employ the 12th generation of the brand's signature Uni-Q driver array consisting of a 25mm tweeter and a 16.5cm mid/bass – this driver array acts as a single point-source to disperse audio more evenly for a more “immersive and cohesive soundstage”.

KEF’s chunky speakers also implement the brand’s innovative ‘Metamaterial Absorption Technology’ (MAT) technology. This is a puck-shaped, maze-like structure that uses a series of channels to absorb rearward sound radiation from the back of the tweeter dome in pursuit of a cleaner, less distorted sound.

Both pairs, then, are made to the high standards we would expect from brands that know their way around a pair of standmounts. The 606 S3 are arguably a little more chic in their aesthetic, and some users might find the KEFs a tad bulky, but in terms of tangible build quality and class-leading tech, there's not much to pick between our two rivals here.

**Winner: Draw**

KEF Q3 Meta vs B&W 606 S3: sound quality

The Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 have laid down an impressive marker since arriving in 2023. They have won the What Hi-Fi? Award for the best standmount speaker £600-£800 for two years in a row, and we don't tend to grant back-to-back accolades for products that don't have some serious quality about them.

Despite their advancing years, we continue to be impressed by B&W's mid-price speakers. Their precise, refined and slightly lean personality is paired with a more open and spacious presentation than their predecessors could muster, with the 606 S3 conveying the shifts of scale and intensity of our music with impressive subtlety.

What's so rewarding about the 606 S3 is that they have the dynamism and musicality to really get us involved in what is being played. These are speakers that are capable of conveying the changing energies of music as it evolves, while their impressive levels of detail only add to their enchanting talents.

They sound big and weighty, too. As we say in our review, their enlarged cabinets allow for greater authority: “Orchestral pieces roar with more conviction and in a wider soundstage than the smaller 607 S3 allow, while low-frequency performances are controlled and have an organic depth to them.”

The 606 S3 do need need some careful partnering to get the most out of them, and we advise finding an amplifier that doesn't accentuate their slightly bright, excitable treble. Still, if you partner them with equipment that can really bring out their best – we find the Arcam A5 integrated works nicely – the 606 S3 remain a superb standmount candidate at this price. Worthy Award-winners, indeed.

The Q3 Meta, meanwhile, are a little different in how they deliver music. While the rival Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 have that slightly enthusiastic treble to contend with, no elements of the Q3 Meta – be they overly bright top notes or booming bass – negatively draw the ear.

In fact, switching from the Q3 Meta to the 606 S3 does shine a light on the latter's slightly unrefined upper-end, all while emphasising just how controlled and well-calibrated these impressive KEF speakers are.

The Q3 Meta deliver a composed, even-handed personality, showcasing excellent stereo imaging and a talent for sonic organisation and integration. They never seem strained or ill at ease, handling music in a composed, mature manner that makes us feel reassured as we listen to song after song.

Despite being a pair of standmounters, the scale, breadth and solidity of their soundstage is remarkable, and even when our test tracks get demanding, their stereo imaging or the integrity of the soundstage rarely suffer.

That canny balance gives the Q3 Meta admirable versatility. Play a lean, thin recording, such as Elvis Costello’s Veronica, and the KEFs will perform an admirable job of negating the recording’s limitations while still communicating its essential verve and character.

These are excellent all-rounders for this price level, and we have no issues recommending them as a safe bet to a wide range of potential listeners thanks to their forgiving, mature nature.

Not only that, they are also a clear, detailed and sonically rich set of standmounts, defining the edges of notes nicely and filling out key timbres with ample body and brawn.

Nothing about them is boring, either. As we say in our review, they handle dynamics “with a pleasing subtlety”, and have “the insight to bring subtle dynamic shifts and variations through in a way that sounds natural and engaging, all while making larger dynamic changes sound dramatic yet unforced.”

The Q3 Meta are not quite as crisp-sounding as the 606 S3, but we never feel as though we're getting a muffled or muddy reproduction from the KEFs. Their balance makes them extremely easy to recommend.

A tricky one, but the KEF Q3 Meta just shade a victory here.

**Winner: KEF Q3 Meta**

KEF Q3 Meta vs B&W 606 S3: verdict

We remain huge admirers of the Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3. There's a reason they have nabbed back-to-back What Hi-Fi? Awards, and while new challengers have come for their crown, there's little to suggest that they won't continue to reward prospective listeners thanks to their clear sonic talents.

And the occasional cheeky discount makes them an attractive buy for anyone looking to save a few extra quid (it tends to be UK-only deals for now) on an established pair of speakers.

The KEF Q3 Meta are a tempting alternative. While they may not be as crisp and clean sounding as the 606 S3 (and they are slightly bulkier), we see the Q3 Meta as a safe bet for anyone looking for a beautifully balanced, mature and well-rounded set of standmounts.

To quote from our original review, the KEFs are “an attractive choice for listeners who want a pair of speakers that are confident and composed no matter what you throw at them.”

Much as we have admired the 606 S3 for so long, the Q3 Meta make a compelling case as a pair of standmounts that will please most of the people most of the time.

**Overall winner: KEF Q3 Meta**

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