In this review, we will be comparing 702 S3 and ESL X, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Bowers Wilkins and MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W 702 S3 and MartinLogan ESL X first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | B&W 702 S3 | MartinLogan ESL X |
|---|
| Brand | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 8.6 x 40" curved electrostatic transducer |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 6.5" Aerofoil | 2 x 8" high-excursion paper cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 46-28k Hz | 41-22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-300 watts | 20-400 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 33.46kg / 73.6lbs | 23.64kg / 52lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 44.8" x 7.6" x 15.4"
1138.0 x 192.0 x 391.0mm | 59-1/4" x 9-7/16" x 20-3/4"
1505.0 x 240.0 x 528.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the B&W 702 S3 and MartinLogan ESL X 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 |
MartinLogan ESL X |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Good |
(* 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 ESL X 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 S3MartinLogan ESL X
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 |
MartinLogan ESL X |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
8.6 x 40-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
702 S3 features a 1" Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Aerofoil Woofer. On the other hand, the ESL X features a 8.6 x 40" curved electrostatic transducer Tweeter and 2 x 8" high-excursion paper cone Woofer.
Frequency Response
702 S3 has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz whereas ESL X has a frequency range of 41-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 41Hz, the ESL X 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 ESL X 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 ESL X's is rated at 91 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the MartinLogan ESL X 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.
ESL X can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS, whereas 702 S3 has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the ESL X.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both 702 S3 and ESL X features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
B&W 702 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 MartinLogan ESL X'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 MartinLogan ESL X has external dimensions of 1505.0 x 240.0 x 528.0mm (59-1/4 x 9-7/16 x 20-3/4inch).
MartinLogan ESL X is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 48mm wider, 367mm taller and 137mm deeper than B&W 702 S3.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of B&W 702 S3 and MartinLogan ESL X in scale.
Comparison image of B&W 702 S3 and MartinLogan ESL X 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 MartinLogan ESL X is approximately 1267.2cm2 / 196.4inch2. The 702 S3 requires 41% less surface area than the ESL X 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 MartinLogan ESL X weighs 23.64kg / 52lbs. This makes the 702 S3 42% heavier than the ESL X.
Here is a comparison of how 702 S3 and ESL X'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
What's in the Box of MartinLogan ESL X?
Here are the items that come with the ESL X:
- Floor-standing hybrid electrostatic loudspeaker
- AC power adapter (w/ attached 10-feet DC cord)
- Cloth grille (installed)
- 4 Pre-installed feet
- Users Manual (En/Fr)
- Product Registration Card
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1138mm
vs
1505mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
750cm2
vs
1267cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
41 Hz
vs
46 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 |
MartinLogan ElectroMotion ESL X |
| Brand |
Bowers Wilkins |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-300 watts |
20-400 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.1 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
46-28k Hz |
41-22k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aerofoil |
high-excursion paper cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
8.6 x 40" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
curved electrostatic transducer |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1138.0mm (44.8") |
1505.0mm (59.3") |
| Width |
192.0mm (7.6") |
240.0mm (9.4") |
| Depth |
391.0mm (15.4") |
528.0mm (20.8") |
| Weight |
33.46kg (73.6lbs) |
23.64kg (52lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
Composite |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black,Satin White,Mocha,Rosenut |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Yrs w/ Registration |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Yrs w/ Registration |
A generation apart: B&W 702 S3 is the newer design, against a 2016 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | MartinLogan ESL X digs deeper - 41Hz against 46Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | MartinLogan ESL X is more sensitive (91dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | B&W 702 S3 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | B | MartinLogan ESL X takes more power (400W vs 300W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | B&W 702 S3 is easier to place; MartinLogan ESL X is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | B&W 702 S3: bi-amping; MartinLogan ESL X: bi-amping. B&W 702 S3 sits in a wider range (8 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
A B&W 702 S3 B MartinLogan ESL X
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?
MartinLogan ESL X has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. 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 MartinLogan ESL X the better fit for a very large room; elsewhere the two are rated the same.
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.