In this review, we will be comparing 704 S3 and HDI-3600, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Bowers Wilkins and JBL. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W 704 S3 and JBL HDI-3600 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the B&W 704 S3 and JBL HDI-3600 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 704 S3 and JBL HDI-3600 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 704 S3 is a 3-way design whereas the HDI-3600 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.
| Driver |
B&W 704 S3 |
JBL HDI-3600 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
704 S3 features a 1" Tweeter , a 5" Midrange and 2 x 5" Aerofoil Woofer . On the other hand, the HDI-3600 features a 1" Tweeter and 3 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer .
Frequency Response
704 S3 has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz whereas HDI-3600 has a frequency range of 38-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the HDI-3600 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 704 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
704 S3 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the HDI-3600 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 HDI-3600 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. 704 S3 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the HDI-3600's is rated at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the JBL HDI-3600 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 704 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. 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.
704 S3 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas 704 S3 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS , 100 watts less than the HDI-3600.
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 704 S3 and HDI-3600 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
B&W 704 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both 704 S3 and HDI-3600 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 704 S3's and JBL HDI-3600's external dimensions. B&W 704 S3 has external dimensions of 964.0 x 165.0 x 300.0mm ( 38-inch x 6.5-inch x 11.8-inch) whereas JBL HDI-3600 has external dimensions of 1028.0 x 259.0 x 345.0mm ( 40-7/16 x 10-3/16 x 13-9/16inch) .
JBL HDI-3600 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 94mm wider, 64mm taller and 45mm deeper than B&W 704 S3.
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 704 S3 is approximately 495.0cm2 / 76.7inch2 and base area of the JBL HDI-3600 is approximately 893.6cm2 / 138.5inch2. The 704 S3 requires 45% less surface area than the HDI-3600 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 704 S3 weighs 20.53kg / 45.2lbs and the JBL HDI-3600 weighs 28.09kg / 61.8lbs. This makes the HDI-3600 37% heavier than the 704 S3.
Here is a comparison of how 704 S3 and HDI-3600'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 704 S3?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 704 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 JBL HDI-3600?
Here are the items that come with the HDI-3600:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)4 Spike feetOwners Manual
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Height |
964mm
vs
1028mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
495cm2 (165x300mm)
vs
893cm2 (259x345mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
3998USD
vs
4180USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
38 Hz
vs
46 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
Bowers & Wilkins 704 S3 |
JBL HDI-3600 |
| Brand |
Bowers Wilkins |
JBL |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-150 watts |
20-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.1 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
46-28k Hz |
38-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aerofoil |
Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
964.0mm (38") |
1028.0mm (40.5") |
| Width |
165.0mm (6.5") |
259.0mm (10.2") |
| Depth |
300.0mm (11.8") |
345.0mm (13.6") |
| Weight |
20.53kg (45.2lbs) |
28.09kg (61.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
MDF/Wood-veneer |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black,Satin White,Mocha,Rosenut |
Grey |
| 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 |