B & W 602 vs 603

[kexodusc]

I really enjoyed the sound of the 603 based on limited test tracks inside the stores, but some of my friends say that the 603 may not be the best choice for me because its a 2.5 speaker system. They say that the passive/radiation speaker may provide a sweeter sound and more bass, but its bad because there is no current driving it and needs to be helped by the mid-range speaker (which requires more current from the receiver/Amp and also loss in the voice reproduction ?).

I'm not sure the 603 is a passive radiator design...but even if it is, your friend's assessment is wrong. I'm not sure where the "more current from the amp" statement comes from either? More active drivers does NOT equal better sound. It just equals more drivers. There's many different ways to design and build a speaker...passive radiator vs. 2.5 way vs. 3-way is just one of many decisions. Different ways of arriving at the same destination. I like the 600 series, I think you're off to a good start

Another bad point is that the 603 only has a 6.5" mid range driver where the 602 has a 7" mid range speaker.

Yes, and this could actually be a negative...the extra 1/2" won't do much for the all important midrange, just the bass, and it might have to be crossed over at a lower point, hence putting more strain on the tweeter. However, I doubt these points weren't considered in the design...I wouldn't sweat it. My point here is, again, there's plenty of options to consider in a speaker design...I'm pretty sure B&W did what they felt was best...your best bet is to try to listen to the two speakers and see which YOU prefer.

My friends say its more beneficial for me to buy the 602 because of the larger mid-range driver and that I will save about $500 CDN which will be put towards the sub-woofer (which they say is much better than the passive/radiation speaker on the 603).

First, the larger mid-range driver isn't going to help the mid-range at all...it's going to help the bass. Second, as was mentioned above, include $100-150 CDN for some good stands (anything more is fine, if you've got a really good reason, but in all honesty probably overkill for the 602's). You can probably do much better buying used stands or shopping around...try to get something that isn't hollow, and is fairly sturdy. Steel, or MDF is preferable.
That allows you $350 towards a better subwoofer. Yes, based on my listening experiences with the 600 line, I think this is probably the better option if you are considering a combination music/home theater system. Especially for multi-channel audio...the subwoofer will really lend itself to the lower frequencies, better than the 603 floorstanders will produce, while relieving the mid-range drivers of the burden of producing bass. This quite often helps the mid-range driver sound even better.

After hearing this information I have to kind of wonder what is the point of the 603 ? Its about $500 more and I would easily made it up with the sub-woofer. The only logical thing that I have been told is that the 603 is more suitable speaker for a two channel speaker stereo system while the 602 is better for a home theatre system.

Yeah, the 603 has more bass if you're only buying 2 speakers...some people probably really do like it better than the 602 even with a subwoofer though...
To tell you the truth, I can't think of any bookshelf speaker less than $1500 CDN that I actually don't prefer more than its floorstanding cousin. Even for music. Maybe I like bookshelfs better, but I find they acheive better soundstage and imaging, while the bass from the floorstander models usually isn't impressive enough to justify the cost. I'm not against floorstanders, I just believe that manufacturers are gouging consumers as far prices go when it comes to floorstanders relative to their bookshelf counterparts. Again, you almost have to do a side by side demo for you to draw your own conclusions.

For multi channel music, get the best, center channel you can (provided it matches the main speakers) and use a good subwoofer with a low crossover point (ie: 60,50, or even 40Hz). I can't recall what the 600 series center channel options are.
No need for 2 subs in your system.

IMO, the Monitor series from Paradigm, and the 600 series are a little on the bright side, and have always been in every version I've heard...the Studio series is a bit smoother, but still on the bright side. But this doesn't mean any of these are bad...Myself (and many others) tend to like bright speakers, provided they aren't harsh - maybe I'm less sensitive to high-frequencies?
I find the 600's and Monitor line very, similar in overall performance with just some slight differences...I don't think I can honestly say I prefer one to the other. Again...take everything you hear from your friends, and read in reviews, with a grain of salt.
Speakers are very highly subjective...just like music is. What your friends, myself, or a reviewer likes, is probably considerably different from what you like. Make sure you buy the right speakers for you.

And finally, don't put your faith into everything your salesperson tells you. Use your own ears, determining which speakers you like more isn't hard at all and there's never a right or wrong answer. Obviously salespeople have their own agenda they're trying to reach. A friend of mine who works in a small a/v shop frequently gets commission bonuses for "pushing" certain models based on current inventory levels of his store or the factory, and often they'll get factory to dealer incentives for selling so many of one type of model or another depending on the brands. He doesn't own in his own home any of the speakers he carries despite his opportunities for huge discounts.

Take your time...good luck.

P.S.
Wireworm: you own Studio 100's, Monitor 9's, and 601's??? Dude...you've got too many speakers.