In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Bowers Wilkins. Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S3 Signature is a Center Channel speaker whereas the 705 S3 Signature is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S3 Signature and Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S3 Signature Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Decoupled Carbon Dome Tweeter
- 5" Midrange
- 2 x 5" Aerofoil Woofer
- 50-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-200watts
- Weight:18.50kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 9-3/16" x 24-3/4" x 12-1/2" ( 233.0 x 628.0 x 318.0mm )
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature 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:10.35kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 16-1/4" x 7-9/16" x 11-11/16" ( 413.0 x 192.0 x 297.0mm )
HTM71 S3 Signature and 705 S3 Signature are members of Bowers Wilkins's 700 S3 Signature series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Bowers Wilkins 700 S3 Signature Series
History
What size room are the Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S3 Signature and Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature 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* |
Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S3 Signature |
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Average |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Bad |
(* 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 Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S3 Signature and Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature 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 S3 Signature is a 3-way design whereas the 705 S3 Signature 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 |
Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S3 Signature |
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
HTM71 S3 Signature features a 1" Carbon Decoupled Carbon Dome Tweeter , a 5" Midrange and 2 x 5" Aerofoil Woofer . On the other hand, the 705 S3 Signature features a 1" Carbon Decoupled Carbon Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer .
Frequency Response
HTM71 S3 Signature and 705 S3 Signature has exactly the same frequency range of 50-28k Hz.
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
High Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S3 Signature
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature
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 S3 Signature and 705 S3 Signature have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. HTM71 S3 Signature sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the 705 S3 Signature's is at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S3 Signature a more sensitive speaker compared to Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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.
HTM71 S3 Signature can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas 705 S3 Signature has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 80 watts less than the HTM71 S3 Signature.
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
Both HTM71 S3 Signature and 705 S3 Signature features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both HTM71 S3 Signature and 705 S3 Signature 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 Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S3 Signature's and Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature's external dimensions. Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S3 Signature has external dimensions of 233.0 x 628.0 x 318.0mm ( 9-3/16 x 24-3/4 x 12-1/2inch) whereas Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature has external dimensions of 413.0 x 192.0 x 297.0mm ( 16-1/4 x 7-9/16 x 11-11/16inch) .
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature is 436mm narrower and 21mm less deeper than Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S3 Signature but it is also 180mm 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 Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S3 Signature is approximately 1997.0cm2 / 309.5inch2 and base area of the Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature is approximately 570.2cm2 / 88.4inch2. The HTM71 S3 Signature requires 250% more surface area than the 705 S3 Signature which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.