In this review, we will be comparing AE520 and 703 S2, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Acoustic Energy and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of AE520 and B&W 703 S2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | AE520 | B&W 703 S2 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" dome with waveguide | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.2" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 4 x 5" carbon fibre cone | 2 x 6.5" Aerofoil |
|---|
| Frequency response | 30Hz - 28kHz | 46-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 300 watts | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 30.00kg / 66lbs | 25.00kg / 55lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 44.5" x 7.3" x 12.6"
1130.0 x 185.0 x 320.0mm | 40.4" x 12-11/16" x 12.6"
1025.0 x 200.0 x 321.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the AE520 and B&W 703 S2 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
AE520 |
B&W 703 S2 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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Drivers
Both AE520 and 703 S2 are 3-way speakers.
AE520B&W 703 S2
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
AE520 |
B&W 703 S2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.2-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
4 x 5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
AE520 features a 1" carbon fibre dome with waveguide Tweeter, a 5.2" Midrange and 4 x 5" carbon fibre cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 373Hz and 2.8kHz. On the other hand, the 703 S2 features a 1" Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Aerofoil Woofer.
Frequency Response
AE520 has a frequency range of 30Hz - 28kHz whereas 703 S2 has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the AE520 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 703 S2's min frequency of 46Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
AE520 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the 703 S2 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. AE520 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the 703 S2's is rated at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the AE520 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 703 S2, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
AE520 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas 703 S2 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the AE520.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier — change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both AE520 and 703 S2 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare AE520's and B&W 703 S2's external dimensions. AE520 has external dimensions of 1130.0 x 185.0 x 320.0mm (44.5 x 7.3 x 12.6inch) whereas B&W 703 S2 has external dimensions of 1025.0 x 200.0 x 321.0mm (40.4-inch x 12-11/16-inch x 12.6-inch).
AE520 is 15mm narrower and 1mm less deeper than B&W 703 S2 but it is also 105mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the AE520 is approximately 592.0cm2 / 91.8inch2 and base area of the B&W 703 S2 is approximately 642.0cm2 / 99.5inch2. The AE520 requires 8% less surface area than the 703 S2 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The AE520 weighs 30.00kg / 66lbs and the B&W 703 S2 weighs 25.00kg / 55lbs. This makes the AE520 20% heavier than the 703 S2.
Here is a comparison of how AE520 and 703 S2's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of B&W 703 S2?
Here are the items that come with the 703 S2:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Plinth (base)
- 2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- Two-piece foam port plug
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Lock-nuts
- 4 Screws
- 4 Washers
- 4 Lock washers
- Hex-key
- Manual
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Number of Woofers |
4
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
46 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
592cm2
vs
642cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
4999USD
vs
5000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
1025mm
vs
1130mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Acoustic Energy AE520 |
Bowers & Wilkins 703 S2 |
| Brand |
Acoustic Energy |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 300 watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.1 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
30Hz - 28kHz |
46-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
4 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
carbon fibre cone |
Aerofoil |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome with waveguide |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.2" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
373Hz and 2.8kHz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1130.0mm (44.5") |
1025.0mm (40.4") |
| Width |
185.0mm (7.3") |
200.0mm (7.9") |
| Depth |
320.0mm (12.6") |
321.0mm (12.6") |
| Weight |
30.00kg (66lbs) |
25.00kg (55lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Resonance Suppression Composite (RSC) |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Piano Gloss Black, Piano Gloss White, American Walnut wood veneer |
Rosewood, Gloss Black, Satin White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
A |
AE520 digs deeper - 30Hz against 46Hz. |
| Amplifier needs |
evenly matched |
Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match |
B |
B&W 703 S2 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom |
A |
AE520 takes more power (300W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability |
B |
B&W 703 S2: bi-amping. B&W 703 S2 sits in a wider range (8 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price |
evenly matched |
Much the same money ($4,999 vs $5,000 a pair). |
A AE520
B B&W 703 S2
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement or how you will use them.
Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 46Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate AE520 the better fit for a very large room, and B&W 703 S2 for a mid-size room.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.