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B&W 702 S3 vs KEF R11 Comparison

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B&W 702 S3

Passive Floor-standing | 46-28k Hz

Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3
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KEF R11

Passive Floor-standing | 46-28k Hz

KEF R11
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B&W 702 S3 B&W 702 S3
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KEF R11 KEF R11
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B&W 702 S3
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KEF R11
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B&W 702 S3 vs KEF R11 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing 702 S3 and R11, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Bowers Wilkins and KEF.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of B&W 702 S3 and KEF R11 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

B&W 702 S3 Key Specs

  • 3-way Design
  • 1" Tweeter
  • 6" Midrange
  • 3 x 6.5" Aerofoil Woofer
  • 46-28k Hz Frequency Response
  • 90 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:30-300watts
  • Weight:33.46kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 1138.0" x 7.6" x 15.4"( 1138.0 x 192.0 x 391.0mm )

KEF R11 Key Specs

  • 3-way Design
  • 1" Dome Tweeter
  • 5" Midrange
  • 4 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer
  • 5" Midrange
  • 46-28k Hz Frequency Response
  • 90 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:15-300watts
  • Weight:37.70kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 1301.0" x 12-1/4" x 15-5/16"( 1301.0 x 312.0 x 389.0mm )

What size room are the B&W 702 S3 and KEF R11 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 KEF R11
Near-field Bad Bad
Small Room Poor Poor
Mid-size Room Average Average
Large Room Good Good
Very Large Room Average Average

(* 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.)

In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the B&W 702 S3 and KEF R11 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.


**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


Drivers

Both 702 S3 and R11 are 3-way speakers.

Driver B&W 702 S3 KEF R11
Driver Setup 3-way 3-way
Tweeter 1-inch 1-inch
Midrange 1 x 6-inch 1 x 5-inch
Woofer 3 x 6.5-inch 4 x 6.5-inch

702 S3 features a 1" Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Aerofoil Woofer . On the other hand, the R11 features a 1" aluminum Dome Tweeter , a 5" Midrange and 4 x 6.5" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 400Hz and 2900Hz.

Frequency Response

702 S3 and R11 has exactly the same frequency range of 46-28k Hz.

Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.

Low Frequency

Floor-standing Speakers

702 S3
R11
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Floor-standing Speakers

B&W 702 S3
KEF R11
Min
Average
Max

None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.

Impedance and Sensitivity

702 S3 and R11 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 88 dB.

Sensitivity

Floor-standing Speakers

702 S3
R11
Min
Average
Max

Power Range

Power range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.

Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.

Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring

Both 702 S3 and R11 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.

B&W 702 S3 Terminals
B&W 702 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

KEF R11 Terminals
KEF R11's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both 702 S3 and R11 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

Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 KEF R11'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 KEF R11 has external dimensions of 1301.0 x 312.0 x 389.0mm ( 51-3/16 x 12-1/4 x 15-5/16inch) .

B&W 702 S3 is 120mm narrower and 163mm shorter than KEF R11 but it is also 2mm deeper.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of B&W 702 S3 and KEF R11 in scale.

B&W 702 S3 vs KEF R11 Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of B&W 702 S3 and KEF R11 Size and External Dimensions

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 KEF R11 is approximately 1213.7cm2 / 188.1inch2. The 702 S3 requires 38% less surface area than the R11 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 B&W 702 S3 weighs 33.46kg / 73.6lbs and the KEF R11 weighs 37.70kg / 82.9lbs. This makes the R11 13% heavier than the 702 S3.

Here is a comparison of how 702 S3 and R11's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.

Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
B&W 702 S3
KEF R11
Min
Average
Max

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
  • What's in the Box of KEF R11?

    Here are the items that come with the R11:
  • Floorstanding loudspeaker
  • Grille
  • 2 Foam port plugs
  • 4 Outrigger feet
  • 4 Spikes
  • 4 Protective discs
  • 4 Screws
  • 4 Washers
  • Wrench
  • Hex-key
  • User Manual
  • Warranty Information

  • Reasons to choose Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 over KEF R11
    Height 1138mm vs 1301mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Base Surface Area 750cm2 vs 1213cm2 Takes less floor space

    Reasons to choose KEF R11 over Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3

    Sensitivity 90 dB vs 88 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Minimum Impedance 3.2 ohms vs 3.1 ohms Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier
    Number of Woofers 4 vs 3 More woofers
    Price per pair* 6000USD vs 6998USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
    B&W 702 S3 vs KEF R11 Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 KEF R11
    Brand Bowers Wilkins KEF
    Speaker Type Floor-standing speaker Floor-standing speaker
    Power Range 30-300 watts 15-300 watts
    Sensitivity 90 dB 90 dB
    Impedance 8 ohms 8 ohms
    Impedance 3.1 ohms 3.2 ohms
    Frequency Response 46-28k Hz 46-28k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 3 4
    Woofer Size 6.5" 6.5"
    Woofer Composition Aerofoil Hybrid Aluminum
    Woofer Surround Material Rubber Rubber
    Tweeter Size 1" 1"
    Tweeter Type n/a Dome
    Aimable Tweeter No No
    Midrange Driver 6" 5"
    Crossover Frequency n/a 400Hz and 2900Hz
    Firing Direction rear rear
    Physical Specs
    Height 1138.0mm (44.8") 1301.0mm (51.2")
    Width 192.0mm (7.6") 312.0mm (12.3")
    Depth 391.0mm (15.4") 389.0mm (15.3")
    Weight 33.46kg (73.6lbs) 37.70kg (82.9lbs)
    Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
    Finish MDF/Lacquer MDF/Lacquer
    Available Colors Gloss Black,Satin White,Mocha,Rosenut Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut
    Grille Yes Yes
    Moisture Resistancy No No
    Connections
    Biamp Inputs Yes Yes
    Other
    Parts Warranty 5 Years 5 Years
    Labor Warranty 5 Years 5 Years

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