In this review, we will be comparing 704 S3 and S 809, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Bowers Wilkins and Jamo.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W 704 S3 and Jamo S 809 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
B&W 704 S3 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Tweeter
- 5" Midrange
- 2 x 5" Aerofoil Woofer
- 46-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-150watts
- Weight:20.53kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 964.0" x 6.5" x 11.8"( 964.0 x 165.0 x 300.0mm )
Jamo S 809 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Tweeter
- 3 x 5" Aluminized Polyfiber Woofer
- 37-26k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:120watts
- Weight:13.60kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1042.0" x 7.5" x 9.9"( 1042.0 x 191.0 x 252.0mm )
What size room are the B&W 704 S3 and Jamo S 809 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 704 S3 |
Jamo S 809 |
| 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the B&W 704 S3 and Jamo S 809 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 S 809 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 |
Jamo S 809 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
3 x 5-inch
|
704 S3 features a 1" Tweeter , a 5" Midrange and 2 x 5" Aerofoil Woofer . On the other hand, the S 809 features a 1" Tweeter and 3 x 5" Aluminized Polyfiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2000Hz.
Frequency Response
704 S3 has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz whereas S 809 has a frequency range of 37-26k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 37Hz, the S 809 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 and S 809 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. 704 S3 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the S 809's is at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Jamo S 809 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 150 watts RMS from the amp the whereas S 809 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the 704 S3.
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
704 S3 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. S 809 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
B&W 704 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Jamo S 809's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
704 S3 has a rear firing port whereas S 809 has a front firing ports. Jamo S 809's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to B&W 704 S3 with its rear-firing port.
Jamo S 809 Port
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 Jamo S 809'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 Jamo S 809 has external dimensions of 1042.0 x 191.0 x 252.0mm ( 41.0 x 7.5 x 9.9inch) .
B&W 704 S3 is 26mm narrower and 78mm shorter than Jamo S 809 but it is also 48mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of B&W 704 S3 and Jamo S 809 in scale.
Comparison image of B&W 704 S3 and Jamo S 809 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 704 S3 is approximately 495.0cm2 / 76.7inch2 and base area of the Jamo S 809 is approximately 481.3cm2 / 74.6inch2. The 704 S3 requires 3% more surface area than the S 809 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.