In this review, we will be comparing 702 S3 and XR100, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Bowers Wilkins and McIntosh. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W 702 S3 and McIntosh XR100 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the B&W 702 S3 and McIntosh XR100 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the B&W 702 S3 and McIntosh XR100 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that 702 S3 is a 3-way design whereas the XR100 is a 4-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.
| Driver |
B&W 702 S3 |
McIntosh XR100 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
4-way
|
|
Super Tweeter
|
- |
0.75-inch |
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
2-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
8 x 2.0-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
4 x 6.0-inch
|
702 S3 features a 1" Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Aerofoil Woofer . On the other hand, the XR100 features a 2" titanium tweeter with neodymium-iron-boron alloy magnet dome (x2) Tweeter , a 0.75" Supertweeter , a 2.0" Midrange and 4 x 6.0" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 300Hz, 2000kHZ and 8000kHZ.
Frequency Response
702 S3 has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz whereas XR100 has a frequency range of 30-45k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the XR100 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 702 S3's min frequency of 46Hz.
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
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
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 XR100 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. 702 S3 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the XR100's is at 87 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the B&W 702 S3 a more sensitive speaker compared to McIntosh XR100, 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. 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.
702 S3 can handle a max power of 600 watts RMS from the amp the whereas 702 S3 has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS , 300 watts less than the XR100.
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 XR100 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
McIntosh XR100's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both 702 S3 and XR100 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 McIntosh XR100'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 McIntosh XR100 has external dimensions of 1266.0 x 296.0 x 432.0mm ( 49-13/16 x 11-5/8 x 17inch) .
McIntosh XR100 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 104mm wider, 128mm taller and 41mm deeper than B&W 702 S3.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of B&W 702 S3 and McIntosh XR100 in scale.
Comparison image of B&W 702 S3 and McIntosh XR100 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 McIntosh XR100 is approximately 1278.7cm2 / 198.2inch2. The 702 S3 requires 41% less surface area than the XR100 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 McIntosh XR100 weighs 31.14kg / 68.5lbs. This makes the 702 S3 7% heavier than the XR100.
Here is a comparison of how 702 S3 and XR100'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 loudspeakerGrillePlinth (base)2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)Two-piece foam port plug4 Rubber feet4 Spike feet4 Lock-nuts4 Screws4 Washers4 Lock washersHex-keyManualBowers & Wilkins brochureWarranty Information
What's in the Box of McIntosh XR100?
Here are the items that come with the XR100:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille4 Feet4 Glides4 Tiptoes4 ScrewsOwners Manual
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
6.0 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
1138mm
vs
1266mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
750cm2 (192x391mm)
vs
1278cm2 (296x432mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
6998USD
vs
11000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
600 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
4-way
vs
3-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
| Number of Woofers |
4
vs
3
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
46 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
45k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 |
McIntosh XR100 |
| Brand |
Bowers Wilkins |
McIntosh |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-300 watts |
75-600 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.1 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
46-28k Hz |
30-45k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
4 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.0" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aerofoil |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
2" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
dome (x2) |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
2.0" |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
300Hz, 2000kHZ and 8000kHZ |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1138.0mm (44.8") |
1266.0mm (49.8") |
| Width |
192.0mm (7.6") |
296.0mm (11.7") |
| Depth |
391.0mm (15.4") |
432.0mm (17") |
| Weight |
33.46kg (73.6lbs) |
31.14kg (68.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
Real wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black,Satin White,Mocha,Rosenut |
Red Walnut, Black, Pear Maple |
| 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 |