In this review, we will be comparing 706 S3 and BRX, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Bowers Wilkins and GoldenEar.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W 706 S3 and GoldenEar BRX 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 )
GoldenEar BRX Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- " Folded Ribbon Tweeter
- 6" Polypropylene Woofer
- 40-35k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:20-250watts
- Weight:5.45kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 308.0" x 8-1/8" x 12-5/16"( 308.0 x 207.0 x 313.0mm )
What size room are the B&W 706 S3 and GoldenEar BRX 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 |
GoldenEar BRX |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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 B&W 706 S3 and GoldenEar BRX 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 BRX are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
B&W 706 S3 |
GoldenEar BRX |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
-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 BRX features a " Folded Ribbon Tweeter and 1 x 6" Polypropylene Woofer .
Frequency Response
706 S3 has a frequency range of 50-28k Hz whereas BRX has a frequency range of 40-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the BRX 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 and BRX have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. 706 S3 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the BRX's is at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the GoldenEar BRX a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 706 S3, 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.
706 S3 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas 706 S3 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS , 130 watts less than the BRX.
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
706 S3 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. BRX has a 5-way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
B&W 706 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
GoldenEar BRX's 5-way post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both 706 S3 and BRX 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 B&W 706 S3's and GoldenEar BRX'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 GoldenEar BRX has external dimensions of 308.0 x 207.0 x 313.0mm ( 12-1/8 x 8-1/8 x 12-5/16inch) .
GoldenEar BRX is 37mm shorter and 21mm less deeper than B&W 706 S3 but it is also 15mm wider.
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 GoldenEar BRX is approximately 647.9cm2 / 100.4inch2. The 706 S3 requires 1% less surface area than the BRX which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.