In this review, we will be comparing 703 S3 and PerformaBe F226Be, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Bowers Wilkins and Revel.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W 703 S3 and Revel PerformaBe F226Be first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | B&W 703 S3 | Revel PerformaBe F226Be |
|---|
| Brand | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 | Revel
United States · founded 1996 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" dome with proprietary acoustic lens waveguide |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Aerofoil | 2 x 6.5" DCC Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 46-28k Hz | 50-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-200 watts | 50-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 28.81kg / 63.4lbs | 26.36kg / 58lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 44" x 7.6" x 13.9"
1117.0 x 192.0 x 353.0mm | 41-5/16" x 9-13/16" x 13-3/4"
1050.0 x 250.0 x 350.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the B&W 703 S3 and Revel PerformaBe F226Be 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 |
Revel PerformaBe F226Be |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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
Both 703 S3 and PerformaBe F226Be are 3-way speakers.
B&W 703 S3Revel PerformaBe F226Be
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 |
Revel PerformaBe F226Be |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
703 S3 features a 1" Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Aerofoil Woofer. On the other hand, the PerformaBe F226Be features a 1" beryllium dome with proprietary acoustic lens waveguide Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" DCC Aluminum Woofer.
Frequency Response
703 S3 has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz whereas PerformaBe F226Be has a frequency range of 50-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 46Hz, the 703 S3 can go slightly deeper then the PerformaBe F226Be's min frequency of 50Hz.
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 and PerformaBe F226Be have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 88 dB.
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.
Both handle the same maximum of 200 watts RMS, though 703 S3 is rated 30-200 watts and PerformaBe F226Be 50-200 watts.
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 PerformaBe F226Be 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
Cabinet Type and Port Position
703 S3 has a rear firing port whereas PerformaBe F226Be has a front firing ports. Revel PerformaBe F226Be's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to B&W 703 S3 with its rear-firing port.
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 Revel PerformaBe F226Be'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 Revel PerformaBe F226Be has external dimensions of 1050.0 x 250.0 x 350.0mm (41-5/16 x 9-13/16 x 13-3/4inch).
Revel PerformaBe F226Be is 67mm shorter and 3mm less deeper than B&W 703 S3 but it is also 58mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of B&W 703 S3 and Revel PerformaBe F226Be in scale.
Comparison image of B&W 703 S3 and Revel PerformaBe F226Be 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 Revel PerformaBe F226Be is approximately 875.0cm2 / 135.6inch2. The 703 S3 requires 23% less surface area than the PerformaBe F226Be 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 Revel PerformaBe F226Be weighs 26.36kg / 58lbs. This makes the 703 S3 9% heavier than the PerformaBe F226Be.
Here is a comparison of how 703 S3 and PerformaBe F226Be'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 Revel PerformaBe F226Be?
Here are the items that come with the PerformaBe F226Be:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Locking rings
- 4 Washers
- 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- Foam port plug
- Owners Manual
 Low Frequency Response |
46 Hz
vs
50 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
677cm2
vs
875cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
5998USD
vs
7700USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Height |
1050mm
vs
1117mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Bowers & Wilkins 703 S3 |
Revel PerformaBe F226Be |
| Brand |
Bowers Wilkins |
Revel |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-200 watts |
50-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.1 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
46-28k Hz |
50-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aerofoil |
DCC Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
dome with proprietary acoustic lens waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
5.25" |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1117.0mm (44") |
1050.0mm (41.3") |
| Width |
192.0mm (7.6") |
250.0mm (9.8") |
| Depth |
353.0mm (13.9") |
350.0mm (13.8") |
| Weight |
28.81kg (63.4lbs) |
26.36kg (58lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
Wood/Lacquer |
| 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 |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
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 | A | B&W 703 S3 digs deeper - 46Hz against 50Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Revel PerformaBe F226Be is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | B&W 703 S3: bi-amping; Revel PerformaBe F226Be: bi-amping. B&W 703 S3 sits in a wider range (8 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | B&W 703 S3 is cheaper - $5,998 against $7,700, about 22% less. |
A B&W 703 S3 B Revel PerformaBe F226Be
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Revel PerformaBe F226Be is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.