In this review, we will be comparing 702 S3 and AE509, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Bowers Wilkins and Acoustic Energy.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W 702 S3 and AE509 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | B&W 702 S3 | AE509 |
|---|
| Brand | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 | Acoustic Energy
United Kingdom · founded 1987 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" dome with waveguide |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 6.5" Aerofoil | 2 x 5" carbon fibre cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 46-28k Hz | 32Hz - 28kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-300 watts | up to 175 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 33.46kg / 73.6lbs | 22.00kg / 48.4lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 44.8" x 7.6" x 15.4"
1138.0 x 192.0 x 391.0mm | 39.4" x 7.3" x 10.6"
1000.0 x 185.0 x 270.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the B&W 702 S3 and AE509 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* |
B&W 702 S3 |
AE509 |
| 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.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that 702 S3 is a 3-way design whereas the AE509 is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
B&W 702 S3AE509
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
B&W 702 S3 |
AE509 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 5-inch
|
702 S3 features a 1" Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Aerofoil Woofer. On the other hand, the AE509 features a 1" carbon fibre dome with waveguide Tweeter and 2 x 5" carbon fibre cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800Hz.
Frequency Response
702 S3 has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz whereas AE509 has a frequency range of 32Hz - 28kHz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the AE509 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 702 S3'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
702 S3 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the AE509 which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. 702 S3 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the AE509's is rated at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the AE509 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 702 S3, 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.
702 S3 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas AE509 has a max power handling value of 175 watts RMS, 125 watts less than the 702 S3.
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 702 S3 and AE509 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 B&W 702 S3's and AE509's external dimensions. B&W 702 S3 has external dimensions of 1138.0 x 192.0 x 391.0mm (44.8-inch x 7.6-inch x 15.4-inch) whereas AE509 has external dimensions of 1000.0 x 185.0 x 270.0mm (39.4 x 7.3 x 10.6inch).
B&W 702 S3 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 7mm wider, 138mm taller and 121mm deeper than AE509.
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 B&W 702 S3 is approximately 750.7cm2 / 116.4inch2 and base area of the AE509 is approximately 499.5cm2 / 77.4inch2. The 702 S3 requires 50% more surface area than the AE509 which gives it a small disadvantage 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 B&W 702 S3 weighs 33.46kg / 73.6lbs and the AE509 weighs 22.00kg / 48.4lbs. This makes the 702 S3 52% heavier than the AE509.
Here is a comparison of how 702 S3 and AE509'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 702 S3?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 702 S3:
- 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
175 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
46 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1000mm
vs
1138mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
499cm2
vs
750cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
3499USD
vs
6998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 |
Acoustic Energy AE509 |
| Brand |
Bowers Wilkins |
Acoustic Energy |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-300 watts |
up to 175 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.1 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
46-28k Hz |
32Hz - 28kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aerofoil |
carbon fibre cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
dome with waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
2800Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1138.0mm (44.8") |
1000.0mm (39.4") |
| Width |
192.0mm (7.6") |
185.0mm (7.3") |
| Depth |
391.0mm (15.4") |
270.0mm (10.6") |
| Weight |
33.46kg (73.6lbs) |
22.00kg (48.4lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
Resonance Suppression Composite (RSC) |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black,Satin White,Mocha,Rosenut |
Piano Gloss Black, Piano Gloss White, American Walnut wood veneer |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
n/a |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
|
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
|
These sit in different price classes - B&W 702 S3 costs roughly 2x what AE509 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | AE509 digs deeper - 32Hz against 46Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | B&W 702 S3 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | A | B&W 702 S3 takes more power (300W vs 175W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | AE509 is easier to place; B&W 702 S3 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | B&W 702 S3: bi-amping. B&W 702 S3 sits in a wider range (8 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | AE509 is cheaper - $3,499 against $6,998, about 50% less; arguably a different class. |
A B&W 702 S3 B AE509
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system 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?
The usual trade-off: B&W 702 S3 measures better, AE509 costs about about 100% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. 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 B&W 702 S3 the better fit for a very large room, and AE509 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.