In this review, we will be comparing 705 S3 and Mission 770, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Bowers Wilkins and Mission.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W 705 S3 and Mission 770 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
B&W 705 S3 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:9.58kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 413.0" x 7.6" x 13.3"( 413.0 x 192.0 x 297.0mm )
Mission 770 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.25" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 8" mineral-loaded polyproylene Woofer
- 42-20,000 Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:25-200watts
- Weight:27.20kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 590.0" x 11-13/16" x 12-11/16"( 590 x 279.4 x 301mm )
What size room are the B&W 705 S3 and Mission 770 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 705 S3 |
Mission 770 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| 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 705 S3 and Mission 770 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
Both 705 S3 and Mission 770 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
B&W 705 S3 |
Mission 770 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.25-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
705 S3 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer . On the other hand, the Mission 770 features a 1.25" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 8" mineral-loaded polyproylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2900Hz.
Frequency Response
705 S3 has a frequency range of 50-28k Hz whereas Mission 770 has a frequency range of 42-20,000 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the Mission 770 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 705 S3'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
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 and Mission 770 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 88 dB.
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 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas 705 S3 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS , 80 watts less than the Mission 770.
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
705 S3 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Mission 770 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
B&W 705 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Mission 770's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
705 S3 has a rear firing port whereas Mission 770 has a Front firing ports.
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 705 S3's and Mission 770's external dimensions. B&W 705 S3 has external dimensions of 413.0 x 192.0 x 297.0mm ( 16.3-inch x 7.6-inch x 13.3-inch) whereas Mission 770 has external dimensions of 590 x 279.4 x 301mm ( 23-1/4inch x 11-13/16inch x 12-11/16inch ) .
Mission 770 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 87.4mm wider, 177mm taller and 4mm deeper than B&W 705 S3.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of B&W 705 S3 and Mission 770 in scale.
Comparison image of B&W 705 S3 and Mission 770 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 705 S3 is approximately 570.2cm2 / 88.4inch2 and base area of the Mission 770 is approximately 841.0cm2 / 130.4inch2. The 705 S3 requires 32% less surface area than the Mission 770 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.