B&W HTM72 S3 vs BW HTM6 S2 Comparison

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B&W HTM72 S3

Passive Center Channel | 70-28k Hz

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BW HTM6 S2

Passive Center Channel | 72-28k Hz

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B&W HTM72 S3

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BW HTM6 S2

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B&W HTM72 S3

See at AMAZON

BW HTM6 S2

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B&W HTM72 S3 vs BW HTM6 S2 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing HTM72 S3 and HTM6 S2, two Passive Center Channel speakers by Bowers Wilkins

Let's have a brief look at the main features of B&W HTM72 S3 and BW HTM6 S2 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

B&W HTM72 S3 Key Specs

2-way Design

1" Decoupled Soft-Dome Tweeter

2 x 5" Continuum cone Woofer

70-28k Hz Frequency Response

87 dB Sensitivity

Impedance: 8ohms

Power Range:30-120watts

Weight:9.70kg

Dimensions (H x W x D): 166.0" x 18-13/16" x 11-15/16"( 166.0 x 478.0 x 304.0mm )

BW HTM6 S2 Key Specs

2-way Design

1" Decoupled Double Dome Tweeter

2 x 5" Continuum Woofer

72-28k Hz Frequency Response

87 dB Sensitivity

Impedance: 8ohms

Power Range:30-120watts

Weight:7.82kg

Dimensions (H x W x D): 162.0" x 18-15/16" x 11-1/16"( 162.0 x 482.0 x 281.0mm )

What size room are the B&W HTM72 S3 and BW HTM6 S2 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 HTM72 S3	BW HTM6 S2
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 HTM72 S3 and BW HTM6 S2 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

Both HTM72 S3 and HTM6 S2 are 2-way speakers.

Driver	B&W HTM72 S3	BW HTM6 S2
Driver Setup	2-way	2-way
Tweeter	1-inch	1-inch
Midrange	-	-
Woofer	2 x 5-inch	2 x 5-inch

HTM72 S3 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Decoupled Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Continuum cone Woofer . On the other hand, the HTM6 S2 features a 1" Decoupled Double Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Continuum Woofer .

Frequency Response

HTM72 S3 has a frequency range of 70-28k Hz whereas HTM6 S2 has a frequency range of 72-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 70Hz, the HTM72 S3 can go slightly deeper then the HTM6 S2's min frequency of 72Hz.

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

HTM72 S3

HTM6 S2

Min

Average

Max

High Frequency

Center Channel Speakers

B&W HTM72 S3

BW HTM6 S2

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

HTM72 S3 and HTM6 S2 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 87 dB.

Sensitivity

Center Channel Speakers

HTM72 S3

HTM6 S2

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.

HTM72 S3 and HTM6 S2 has the same power range of 30-120 watts.

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 HTM72 S3 and HTM6 S2 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.

B&W HTM72 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

BW HTM6 S2 's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both HTM72 S3 and HTM6 S2 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 HTM72 S3's and BW HTM6 S2 's external dimensions. 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 ) whereas BW HTM6 S2 has external dimensions of 162.0 x 482.0 x 281.0mm ( 6-3/8 x 18-15/16 x 11-1/16inch) .

BW HTM6 S2 is 4mm shorter and 23mm less deeper than B&W HTM72 S3 but it is also 4mm 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 HTM72 S3 is approximately 1453.1cm² / 225.2inch² and base area of the BW HTM6 S2 is approximately 1354.4cm² / 209.9inch². The HTM72 S3 requires 7% more surface area than the HTM6 S2 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 B&W HTM72 S3 weighs 9.70kg / 21.3lbs and the BW HTM6 S2 weighs 7.82kg / 17.2lbs. This makes the HTM72 S3 24% heavier than the HTM6 S2.

Here is a comparison of how HTM72 S3 and HTM6 S2's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.

Weight
All Center Channel Speakers

B&W HTM72 S3

BW HTM6 S2

Min

Average

Max

What's in the Box of B&W HTM72 S3?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of 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

What's in the Box of BW HTM6 S2 ?

Here are the items that come with the HTM6 S2:

Center-channel loudspeaker

Grille (pre-installed)

Two-piece foam plug

4 Self-adhesive rubber feet

2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)

Manual

Warranty Information

Bowers Wilkins brochure

Reasons to choose Bowers & Wilkins HTM72 S3 over Bowers & Wilkins HTM6 S2 Anniversary Edition

Low Frequency Response	70 Hz vs 72 Hz	Generates deeper bass

Reasons to choose Bowers & Wilkins HTM6 S2 Anniversary Edition over Bowers & Wilkins HTM72 S3

Minimum Impedance	4.3 ohms vs 3 ohms	Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier
Height	162mm vs 166mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Base Surface Area	1354cm² vs 1453cm²	Takes less floor space
Price per pair*	899USD vs 1499USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

B&W HTM72 S3 vs BW HTM6 S2 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Bowers & Wilkins HTM72 S3	Bowers & Wilkins HTM6 S2 Anniversary Edition
Brand	Bowers Wilkins	Bowers Wilkins
Speaker Type	Center channel speaker	Center channel speaker
Power Range	30-120 watts	30-120 watts
Sensitivity	87 dB	87 dB
Impedance	8 ohms	8 ohms
Impedance	3 ohms	4.3 ohms
Frequency Response	70-28k Hz	72-28k Hz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	2	2
Woofer Size	5"	5"
Woofer Composition	Continuum cone	Continuum
Woofer Surround Material	n/a	Rubber
Tweeter Size	1"	1"
Tweeter Type	Decoupled Soft-Dome	Decoupled Double Dome
Aimable Tweeter	No	No
Midrange Driver	No	No
Firing Direction	rear	rear
Physical Specs
Height	166.0mm (6.5")	162.0mm (6.4")
Width	478.0mm (18.8")	482.0mm (19")
Depth	304.0mm (12")	281.0mm (11.1")
Weight	9.70kg (21.3lbs)	7.82kg (17.2lbs)
Enclosure	Bass Reflex	Bass Reflex
Available Colors	Gloss Black	Black, White, Oak
Grille	Yes	Yes
Moisture Resistancy	No	No
Connections
Biamp Inputs	Yes	Yes
Other
Parts Warranty	5 Years	5 Years
Labor Warranty	5 Years	5 Years