BW HTM71 S2 vs Focal Aria CC 900 Comparison

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BW HTM71 S2

Passive Center Channel | 50-28k Hz

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Focal Aria CC 900

Passive Center Channel | 57-28k Hz

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BW HTM71 S2

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Focal Aria CC 900

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BW HTM71 S2

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Focal Aria CC 900

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BW HTM71 S2 vs Focal Aria CC 900 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing HTM71 S2 and Aria CC 900, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Bowers Wilkins and Focal.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of BW HTM71 S2 and Focal Aria CC 900 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

BW HTM71 S2 Key Specs

3-way Design

1" Decoupled Carbon Dome Tweeter

4" Midrange

2 x 6.5" Aerofoil Profile Woofer

50-28k Hz Frequency Response

89 dB Sensitivity

Impedance: 8ohms

Power Range:30-200watts

Weight:18.05kg

Dimensions (H x W x D): 228.0" x 23-1/4" x 11-7/8"( 228.0 x 591.0 x 302.0mm )

Focal Aria CC 900 Key Specs

2-way Design

1" inverted dome Tweeter

2 x 6.5" flax/fiberglass Woofer

57-28k Hz Frequency Response

91 dB Sensitivity

Impedance: 8ohms

Power Range:40-200watts

Weight:10.45kg

Dimensions (H x W x D): 202.0" x 20-15/16" x 11-3/16"( 202.0 x 532.0 x 285.0mm )

What size room are the BW HTM71 S2 and Focal Aria CC 900 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*	BW HTM71 S2	Focal Aria CC 900
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 BW HTM71 S2 and Focal Aria CC 900 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

One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that HTM71 S2 is a 3-way design whereas the Aria CC 900 is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.

Driver	BW HTM71 S2	Focal Aria CC 900
Driver Setup	3-way	2-way
Tweeter	1-inch	1-inch
Midrange	1 x 4-inch	-
Woofer	2 x 6.5-inch	2 x 6.5-inch

HTM71 S2 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Dome Tweeter , a 4" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Aerofoil Profile Woofer . On the other hand, the Aria CC 900 features a 1" TNF aluminum/magnesium inverted dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" flax/fiberglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800Hz.

Frequency Response

HTM71 S2 has a frequency range of 50-28k Hz whereas Aria CC 900 has a frequency range of 57-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the HTM71 S2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Aria CC 900's min frequency of 57Hz.

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 Center Channel class in our database.

Low Frequency

Center Channel Speakers

HTM71 S2

Aria CC 900

Min

Average

Max

High Frequency

Center Channel Speakers

BW HTM71 S2

Focal Aria CC 900

Min

Average

Max

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

HTM71 S2 and Aria CC 900 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. HTM71 S2 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Aria CC 900's is at 91 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Focal Aria CC 900 a more sensitive speaker compared to BW HTM71 S2, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Center Channel Speakers

HTM71 S2

Aria CC 900

Min

Average

Max

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.

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

HTM71 S2 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Aria CC 900 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both HTM71 S2 and Aria CC 900 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 BW HTM71 S2's and Focal Aria CC 900's external dimensions. BW HTM71 S2 has external dimensions of 228.0 x 591.0 x 302.0mm ( 8-15/16 x 23-1/4 x 11-7/8inch) whereas Focal Aria CC 900 has external dimensions of 202.0 x 532.0 x 285.0mm ( 7-15/16 x 20-15/16 x 11-3/16inch) .

BW HTM71 S2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 59mm wider, 26mm taller and 17mm deeper than Focal Aria CC 900.

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 BW HTM71 S2 is approximately 1784.8cm² / 276.6inch² and base area of the Focal Aria CC 900 is approximately 1516.2cm² / 235.0inch². The HTM71 S2 requires 18% more surface area than the Aria CC 900 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.

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 BW HTM71 S2 weighs 18.05kg / 39.7lbs and the Focal Aria CC 900 weighs 10.45kg / 23lbs. This makes the HTM71 S2 73% heavier than the Aria CC 900.

Here is a comparison of how HTM71 S2 and Aria CC 900's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.

Weight
All Center Channel Speakers

BW HTM71 S2

Focal Aria CC 900

Min

Average

Max

What's in the Box of BW HTM71 S2?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of HTM71 S2:

Center-channel loudspeaker

Grille

2 Two-piece foam port plugs

4 Self-adhesive rubber feet

4 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)

Manual

Bowers Wilkins brochure

Warranty Information

What's in the Box of Focal Aria CC 900?

Here are the items that come with the Aria CC 900:

Center-channel loudspeaker

Grille

4 Rubber feet

User Manual

Reasons to choose Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S2 over Focal Aria CC 900

Driver Setup	3-way vs 2-way	Have a dedicated mid-range driver
Low Frequency Response	50 Hz vs 57 Hz	Generates deeper bass

Reasons to choose Focal Aria CC 900 over Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S2

Sensitivity	91 dB vs 89 dB	Play louder with same amount of amplification power
Minimum Impedance	4.3 ohms vs 3.0 ohms	Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier
Height	202mm vs 228mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Base Surface Area	1516cm² vs 1784cm²	Takes less floor space
Price per pair*	1099USD vs 1999USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

BW HTM71 S2 vs Focal Aria CC 900 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S2	Focal Aria CC 900
Brand	Bowers Wilkins	Focal
Speaker Type	Center channel speaker	Center channel speaker
Power Range	30-200 watts	40-200 watts
Sensitivity	89 dB	91 dB
Impedance	8 ohms	8 ohms
Impedance	3.0 ohms	4.3 ohms
Frequency Response	50-28k Hz	57-28k Hz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	2	2
Woofer Size	6.5"	6.5"
Woofer Composition	Aerofoil Profile	flax/fiberglass
Woofer Surround Material	Rubber	n/a
Tweeter Size	1"	1"
Tweeter Type	Decoupled Carbon Dome	inverted dome
Aimable Tweeter	No	No
Midrange Driver	4"	N/A"
Crossover Frequency	n/a	2800Hz
Firing Direction	rear	rear
Physical Specs
Height	228.0mm (9")	202.0mm (8")
Width	591.0mm (23.3")	532.0mm (20.9")
Depth	302.0mm (11.9")	285.0mm (11.2")
Weight	18.05kg (39.7lbs)	10.45kg (23lbs)
Enclosure	Bass Reflex	Bass Reflex
Available Colors	Gloss Black, Satin White, Rosenut	Gloss Black
Grille	Yes	Yes
Moisture Resistancy	No	No
Connections
Biamp Inputs	Yes	n/a
Other
Parts Warranty	5 Years	5 Years
Labor Warranty	5 Years	5 Years