In this review, we will be comparing 706 S3 and S400 MKII, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Bowers Wilkins and Buchardt.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W 706 S3 and Buchardt S400 MKII first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
B&W 706 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:8.42kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 345.0" x 7.6" x 13.1"( 345.0 x 192.0 x 334.0mm )
Buchardt S400 MKII Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 0.74" aluminum waveguide Tweeter
- 6" paper Woofer
- 33-40k HZ Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:40-200watts
- Weight:7.50kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 365.0" x 7" x 11"( 365.0 x 180.0 x 280.0mm )
What size room are the B&W 706 S3 and Buchardt S400 MKII 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 S3 |
Buchardt S400 MKII |
| 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 706 S3 and Buchardt S400 MKII 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
Both 706 S3 and S400 MKII are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
B&W 706 S3 |
Buchardt S400 MKII |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
0.74-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6-inch
|
706 S3 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer . On the other hand, the S400 MKII features a 0.74" fine weave soft fabric textile aluminum waveguide Tweeter and 1 x 6" paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1800Hz.
Frequency Response
706 S3 has a frequency range of 50-28k Hz whereas S400 MKII has a frequency range of 33-40k HZ. With a minimum frequency of 33Hz, the S400 MKII can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 706 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
706 S3 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the S400 MKII which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the S400 MKII can provide this impedance level.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 88 dBdB.
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.
706 S3 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas 706 S3 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS , 80 watts less than the S400 MKII.
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.
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 706 S3's and Buchardt S400 MKII's external dimensions. 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) whereas Buchardt S400 MKII has external dimensions of 365.0 x 180.0 x 280.0mm ( 14.4 x 7 x 11inch) .
Buchardt S400 MKII is 12mm narrower and 54mm less deeper than B&W 706 S3 but it is also 20mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of B&W 706 S3 and Buchardt S400 MKII in scale.
Comparison image of B&W 706 S3 and Buchardt S400 MKII 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 S3 is approximately 641.3cm2 / 99.4inch2 and base area of the Buchardt S400 MKII is approximately 504.0cm2 / 78.1inch2. The 706 S3 requires 27% more surface area than the S400 MKII which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is an 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 S3 and Buchardt S400 MKII on a Media Console