In this review, we will be comparing 706 S2 and 706 S3, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W 706 S2 and B&W 706 S3 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | B&W 706 S2 | B&W 706 S3 |
|---|
| Brand | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Decoupled Soft-Dome | 1" Decoupled Carbon Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Continuum | 6.5" Continuum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50-28k Hz | 50-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-120 watts | 30-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 8.05kg / 17.7lbs | 8.42kg / 18.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 13.5" x 7.8" x 11.9"
340.0 x 200.0 x 301.0mm | 13.6" x 7.6" x 13.1"
345.0 x 192.0 x 334.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the B&W 706 S2 and B&W 706 S3 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 706 S2 |
B&W 706 S3 |
| 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both 706 S2 and 706 S3 are 2-way speakers.
B&W 706 S2B&W 706 S3
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
B&W 706 S2 |
B&W 706 S3 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
706 S2 features a 1" Decoupled Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer. On the other hand, the 706 S3 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer.
Frequency Response
706 S2 and 706 S3 has exactly the same frequency range of 50-28k Hz.
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
706 S2 and 706 S3 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
706 S2 and 706 S3 have the same power range of 30-120 watts.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both 706 S2 and 706 S3 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
B&W 706 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both 706 S2 and 706 S3 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 B&W 706 S2's and B&W 706 S3's external dimensions. B&W 706 S2 has external dimensions of 340.0 x 200.0 x 301.0mm (13.5-inch x 7.8-inch x 11.-inch) whereas B&W 706 S3 has external dimensions of 345.0 x 192.0 x 334.0mm (13.6-inch x 7.6-inch x 13.1-inch).
B&W 706 S2 is 5mm shorter and 33mm less deeper than B&W 706 S3 but it is also 8mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of B&W 706 S2 and B&W 706 S3 in scale.
Comparison image of B&W 706 S2 and B&W 706 S3 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 706 S2 is approximately 602.0cm2 / 93.3inch2 and base area of the B&W 706 S3 is approximately 641.3cm2 / 99.4inch2. The 706 S2 requires 6% less surface area than the 706 S3 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of B&W 706 S2 and B&W 706 S3 on a Media Console
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 706 S2 weighs 8.05kg / 17.7lbs and the B&W 706 S3 weighs 8.42kg / 18.5lbs. This makes the 706 S3 5% heavier than the 706 S2.
Here is a comparison of how 706 S2 and 706 S3's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of B&W 706 S2?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 706 S2:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 2 Two-piece foam port plugs
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- 4 Jumper-straps
- Manual
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
What's in the Box of B&W 706 S3?
Here are the items that come with the 706 S3:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 2 Two-piece foam port plugs
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- 4 Jumper-straps
- Manual
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
 Height |
340mm
vs
345mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
602cm2
vs
641cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1999USD
vs
2199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Bowers & Wilkins 706 S2 |
Bowers & Wilkins 706 S3 |
| Brand |
Bowers Wilkins |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
30-120 watts |
30-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.7 ohms |
3.7 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
50-28k Hz |
50-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Continuum |
Continuum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Decoupled Soft-Dome |
Decoupled Carbon Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
340.0mm (13.4") |
345.0mm (13.6") |
| Width |
200.0mm (7.9") |
192.0mm (7.6") |
| Depth |
301.0mm (11.9") |
334.0mm (13.1") |
| Weight |
8.05kg (17.7lbs) |
8.42kg (18.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Rosewood, Gloss Black, Satin White |
Gloss Black,Satin White,Mocha,Rosenut |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24-26" |
24-26" |
| 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 |
A generation apart: B&W 706 S3 is the newer design, against a 2017 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (50Hz vs 50Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (120W vs 120W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | B&W 706 S2: bi-amping; B&W 706 S3: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($1,999 vs $2,199 a pair). |
A B&W 706 S2 B B&W 706 S3
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it.
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.