In this review, we will be comparing 705 S3 Signature and Evoke 30, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Bowers Wilkins and Dynaudio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature and Dynaudio Evoke 20 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature | Dynaudio Evoke 20 |
|---|
| Brand | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 | Dynaudio
Denmark · founded 1977 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Decoupled Carbon Dome | 1.1" |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Continuum | 7" Magnesium Silicate Polymer |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50-28k Hz | 40-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-120 watts | up to 180 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 10.35kg / 22.8lbs | 9.90kg / 21.8lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 15" x 8.5" x 12.5"
380.0 x 215.0 x 317.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature and Dynaudio Evoke 20 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 |
Dynaudio Evoke 20 |
| Near-field |
Average |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
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 705 S3 Signature and Evoke 30 are 2-way speakers.
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 SignatureDynaudio Evoke 20
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature |
Dynaudio Evoke 20 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 7-inch
|
705 S3 Signature features a 1" Carbon Decoupled Carbon Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer. On the other hand, the Evoke 30 features a 1.1" Cerotar with Hexis Tweeter and 1 x 7" Magnesium Silicate Polymer Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3200Hz.
Frequency Response
705 S3 Signature has a frequency range of 50-28k Hz whereas Evoke 30 has a frequency range of 40-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the Evoke 30 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 705 S3 Signature'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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
705 S3 Signature is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Evoke 30 which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. 705 S3 Signature sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Evoke 30's is rated at 86 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature a more sensitive speaker compared to Dynaudio Evoke 20, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Evoke 30 can handle a max power of 180 watts RMS, whereas 705 S3 Signature has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 60 watts less than the Evoke 30.
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.
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
705 S3 Signature features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Evoke 30 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Dynaudio Evoke 20's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both 705 S3 Signature and Evoke 30 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
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 Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature's and Dynaudio Evoke 20'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 Dynaudio Evoke 20 has external dimensions of 380.0 x 215.0 x 317.0mm (15 x 8.5 x 12.1inch).
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature is 23mm narrower and 20mm less deeper than Dynaudio Evoke 20 but it is also 33mm taller.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Dynaudio Evoke 20 needs about 20% more floor or shelf area. Dynaudio Evoke 20 is 20mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature is 33mm taller.
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 Dynaudio Evoke 20 is approximately 681.6cm2 / 105.6inch2. The 705 S3 Signature requires 16% less surface area than the Evoke 30 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 Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature weighs 10.35kg / 22.8lbs and the Dynaudio Evoke 20 weighs 9.90kg / 21.8lbs. This makes the 705 S3 Signature 5% heavier than the Evoke 30.
Here is a comparison of how 705 S3 Signature and Evoke 30's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature
What's in the Box of Dynaudio Evoke 20?
Here are the items that come with the Evoke 30:
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Base Surface Area |
570cm2
vs
681cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
180 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
7 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
50 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
380mm
vs
413mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
4798USD
vs
5200USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature |
Dynaudio Evoke 20 |
| Brand |
Bowers Wilkins |
Dynaudio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-120 watts |
up to 180 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.7 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
50-28k Hz |
40-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
7" |
| Woofer Composition |
Continuum |
Magnesium Silicate Polymer |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Decoupled Carbon Dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
3200Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
413.0mm (16.3") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Width |
192.0mm (7.6") |
215.0mm (8.5") |
| Depth |
297.0mm (11.7") |
317.0mm (12.5") |
| Weight |
10.35kg (22.8lbs) |
9.90kg (21.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
No |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years (8 Years registered) |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years (8 Years registered) |
A generation apart: Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature is the newer design, against a 2019 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 | Dynaudio Evoke 20 digs deeper - 40Hz against 50Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature is more sensitive (88dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | B | Dynaudio Evoke 20 takes more power (180W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | A | Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($5,200 vs $4,798 a pair). |
A Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature B Dynaudio Evoke 20
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?
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 50Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and Dynaudio Evoke 20 for a mid-size room and a 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.