In this review, we will be comparing 703 S3 and ESL 9, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Bowers Wilkins and MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W 703 S3 and MartinLogan ESL 9 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | B&W 703 S3 | MartinLogan ESL 9 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 9.2 x 44" curved electrostatic transducer |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Aerofoil | 2 x 8" high-excursion paper cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 46-28k Hz | 34-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-200 watts | 20-400 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 28.81kg / 63.4lbs | 35.45kg / 78lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 44" x 7.6" x 13.9"
1117.0 x 192.0 x 353.0mm | 59-13/16" x 10-7/16" x 25-7/16"
1520.0 x 266.0 x 647.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the B&W 703 S3 and MartinLogan ESL 9 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 703 S3 |
MartinLogan ESL 9 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.
**This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that 703 S3 is a 3-way design whereas the ESL 9 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 703 S3MartinLogan ESL 9
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 703 S3 |
MartinLogan ESL 9 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
9.2 x 44-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
703 S3 features a 1" Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Aerofoil Woofer. On the other hand, the ESL 9 features a 9.2 x 44" curved electrostatic transducer Tweeter and 2 x 8" high-excursion paper cone Woofer.
Frequency Response
703 S3 has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz whereas ESL 9 has a frequency range of 34-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 34Hz, the ESL 9 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 703 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
703 S3 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the ESL 9 which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the ESL 9 can provide this impedance level.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 90 dBdB.
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 9 can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS, whereas 703 S3 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 200 watts less than the ESL 9.
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 703 S3 and ESL 9 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
B&W 703 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
MartinLogan ESL 9'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 703 S3's and MartinLogan ESL 9's external dimensions. B&W 703 S3 has external dimensions of 1117.0 x 192.0 x 353.0mm (44-inch x 7.6-inch x 13.9-inch) whereas MartinLogan ESL 9 has external dimensions of 1520.0 x 266.0 x 647.0mm (59-13/16 x 10-7/16 x 25-7/16inch).
MartinLogan ESL 9 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 74mm wider, 403mm taller and 294mm deeper than B&W 703 S3.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of B&W 703 S3 and MartinLogan ESL 9 in scale.
Comparison image of B&W 703 S3 and MartinLogan ESL 9 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 703 S3 is approximately 677.8cm2 / 105.1inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan ESL 9 is approximately 1721.0cm2 / 266.8inch2. The 703 S3 requires 61% less surface area than the ESL 9 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 703 S3 weighs 28.81kg / 63.4lbs and the MartinLogan ESL 9 weighs 35.45kg / 78lbs. This makes the ESL 9 23% heavier than the 703 S3.
Here is a comparison of how 703 S3 and ESL 9'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 S3?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 703 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 9?
Here are the items that come with the ESL 9:
- Floorstanding hybrid electrostatic loudspeaker
- AC power adapter (w/ attached 10-feet DC cord)
- Grille
- 4 Spike Feet
- Users Manual
- Product Registration Card
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1117mm
vs
1520mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
677cm2
vs
1721cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
5998USD
vs
7000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
90 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 |
34 Hz
vs
46 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Bowers & Wilkins 703 S3 |
MartinLogan Masterpiece Classic ESL 9 |
| Brand |
Bowers Wilkins |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-200 watts |
20-400 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.1 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
46-28k Hz |
34-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aerofoil |
high-excursion paper cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
9.2 x 44" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
curved electrostatic transducer |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1117.0mm (44") |
1520.0mm (59.8") |
| Width |
192.0mm (7.6") |
266.0mm (10.5") |
| Depth |
353.0mm (13.9") |
647.0mm (25.5") |
| Weight |
28.81kg (63.4lbs) |
35.45kg (78lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
Composite |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black,Satin White,Mocha,Rosenut |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years w/ Registration |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years w/ Registration |
A generation apart: B&W 703 S3 is the newer design, against a 2017 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 9 digs deeper - 34Hz against 46Hz. |
| Amplifier needs |
B |
MartinLogan ESL 9 is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match |
A |
B&W 703 S3 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom |
B |
MartinLogan ESL 9 takes more power (400W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
B&W 703 S3 is easier to place; MartinLogan ESL 9 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability |
depends |
B&W 703 S3: bi-amping; MartinLogan ESL 9: bi-amping. |
| Price |
A |
B&W 703 S3 is cheaper - $5,998 against $7,000, about 14% less. |
A B&W 703 S3
B MartinLogan ESL 9
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?
The usual trade-off: MartinLogan ESL 9 measures better, B&W 703 S3 costs about 14% 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, which makes the cheaper B&W 703 S3 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate B&W 703 S3 the better fit for a mid-size room, and MartinLogan ESL 9 for a very large 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.