In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Bowers Wilkins. Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the 702 S3 Signature is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature and Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 Signature first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Decoupled Carbon Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Continuum Woofer
- 50-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-120watts
- Weight:10.35kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 16-1/4" x 7-9/16" x 11-11/16" ( 413.0 x 192.0 x 297.0mm )
Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 Signature Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Decoupled Carbon Dome Tweeter
- 6" Midrange
- 3 x 6.5" Aerofoil Woofer
- 6" Midrange
- 46-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-300watts
- Weight:35.26kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 44-13/16" x 7-9/16" x 13-15/16" ( 1138.0 x 192.0 x 354.0mm )
705 S3 Signature and 702 S3 Signature are members of Bowers Wilkins's 700 S3 Signature series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Bowers Wilkins 700 S3 Signature Series
History
What size room are the Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature and Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 Signature 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* |
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature |
Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 Signature |
| Near-field |
Average |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
Average |
(* 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 Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature and Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 Signature compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that 705 S3 Signature is a 2-way design whereas the 702 S3 Signature is a 3-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 |
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature |
Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 Signature |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
705 S3 Signature features a 1" Carbon Decoupled Carbon Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer . On the other hand, the 702 S3 Signature features a 1" Carbon Decoupled Carbon Dome Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Aerofoil Woofer .
Frequency Response
705 S3 Signature has a frequency range of 50-28k Hz whereas 702 S3 Signature has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 46Hz, the 702 S3 Signature can go slightly deeper then the 705 S3 Signature's min frequency of 50Hz.
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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature
Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 Signature
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
705 S3 Signature and 702 S3 Signature have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. 705 S3 Signature sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the 702 S3 Signature's is at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 Signature a more sensitive speaker compared to Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
705 S3 Signature can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas 705 S3 Signature has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS , 180 watts less than the 702 S3 Signature.
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 705 S3 Signature and 702 S3 Signature features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both 705 S3 Signature and 702 S3 Signature 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 Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature's and Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 Signature's external dimensions. Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature has external dimensions of 413.0 x 192.0 x 297.0mm ( 16-1/4 x 7-9/16 x 11-11/16inch) whereas Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 Signature has external dimensions of 1138.0 x 192.0 x 354.0mm ( 44-13/16 x 7-9/16 x 13-15/16inch) .
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 Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature is approximately 570.2cm2 / 88.4inch2 and base area of the Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 Signature is approximately 679.7cm2 / 105.4inch2. The 705 S3 Signature requires 16% less surface area than the 702 S3 Signature which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.