In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Bowers Wilkins. Bowers & Wilkins 707 S3 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the HTM72 S3 is a Center Channel speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W 707 S3 and B&W HTM72 S3 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | B&W 707 S3 | B&W HTM72 S3 |
|---|
| Brand | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Decoupled Carbon Dome | 1" Decoupled Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5" Continuum | 2 x 5" Continuum cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50-28k Hz | 70-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 84 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-100 watts | 30-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 6.16kg / 13.6lbs | 9.70kg / 21.3lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 11.8" x 6.5" x 11.2"
300.0 x 165.0 x 284.0mm | 6-1/2" x 18-13/16" x 11-15/16"
166.0 x 478.0 x 304.0mm |
|---|
707 S3 and HTM72 S3 are members of Bowers Wilkins's 700 S3 series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
What size room are the B&W 707 S3 and B&W HTM72 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 707 S3 |
B&W HTM72 S3 |
| 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 707 S3 and HTM72 S3 are 2-way speakers.
B&W 707 S3B&W HTM72 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 707 S3 |
B&W HTM72 S3 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
2 x 5-inch
|
707 S3 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Continuum Woofer. On the other hand, the HTM72 S3 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Decoupled Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Continuum cone Woofer.
Frequency Response
707 S3 has a frequency range of 50-28k Hz whereas HTM72 S3 has a frequency range of 70-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the 707 S3 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the HTM72 S3's min frequency of 70Hz.
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
707 S3 and HTM72 S3 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. 707 S3 sensitivity is rated at 84 dB and the HTM72 S3's is at 87 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the B&W HTM72 S3 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 707 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
HTM72 S3 can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas 707 S3 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the HTM72 S3.
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 707 S3 and HTM72 S3 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
B&W 707 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
B&W HTM72 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both 707 S3 and HTM72 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 707 S3's and B&W HTM72 S3's external dimensions. B&W 707 S3 has external dimensions of 300.0 x 165.0 x 284.0mm (1.8-inch x 6.5-inch x 11.2-inch) whereas B&W HTM72 S3 has external dimensions of 166.0 x 478.0 x 304.0mm (6-1/2inch x 18-13/16inch x 11-15/16inch).
B&W 707 S3 is 313mm narrower and 20mm less deeper than B&W HTM72 S3 but it is also 134mm 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.
B&W HTM72 S3 needs about 210% more floor or shelf area. B&W HTM72 S3 is 20mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. B&W 707 S3 is 134mm 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 B&W 707 S3 is approximately 468.6cm2 / 72.6inch2 and base area of the B&W HTM72 S3 is approximately 1453.1cm2 / 225.2inch2. The 707 S3 requires 68% less surface area than the HTM72 S3 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of B&W 707 S3?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 707 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
What's in the Box of B&W HTM72 S3?
Here are the items that come with the HTM72 S3:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- Two-piece foam port plug
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- 4 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- Manual
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
- Online Registration Card