In this review, we will be comparing HTM72 S3 and HTM71 S3, two Passive Center Channel speakers by Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W HTM72 S3 and B&W HTM71 S3 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | B&W HTM72 S3 | B&W HTM71 S3 |
|---|
| Brand | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Decoupled Soft-Dome | 1" Solid Body Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5" Continuum cone | 4 x 5" Aerofoil Profile |
|---|
| Frequency response | 70-28k Hz | 50-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-120 watts | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 9.70kg / 21.3lbs | 17.50kg / 38.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 6-1/2" x 18-13/16" x 11-15/16"
166.0 x 478.0 x 304.0mm | 9-1/4" x 24-3/4" x 14"
235.0 x 629.0 x 356.0mm |
|---|
HTM72 S3 and HTM71 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 HTM72 S3 and B&W HTM71 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 HTM72 S3 |
B&W HTM71 S3 |
| 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that HTM72 S3 is a 2-way design whereas the HTM71 S3 is a 3-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.
B&W HTM72 S3B&W HTM71 S3
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
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 HTM72 S3 |
B&W HTM71 S3 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
4 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 HTM71 S3 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Solid Body Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 4 x 5" Aerofoil Profile Woofer.
Frequency Response
HTM72 S3 has a frequency range of 70-28k Hz whereas HTM71 S3 has a frequency range of 50-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the HTM71 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 Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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
HTM72 S3 and HTM71 S3 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. HTM72 S3 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the HTM71 S3's is at 89 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the B&W HTM71 S3 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W HTM72 S3, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
HTM71 S3 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas HTM72 S3 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 80 watts less than the HTM71 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 HTM72 S3 and HTM71 S3 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
B&W HTM71 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both HTM72 S3 and HTM71 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 HTM72 S3's and B&W HTM71 S3'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 B&W HTM71 S3 has external dimensions of 235.0 x 629.0 x 356.0mm (9-1/4inch x 24-3/4inch x 14inch).
B&W HTM71 S3 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 151mm wider, 69mm taller and 52mm deeper than B&W HTM72 S3.
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 HTM71 S3 needs about 54% more floor or shelf area. B&W HTM71 S3 is 52mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. B&W HTM71 S3 is 69mm 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 HTM72 S3 is approximately 1453.1cm2 / 225.2inch2 and base area of the B&W HTM71 S3 is approximately 2239.2cm2 / 347.1inch2. The HTM72 S3 requires 35% less surface area than the HTM71 S3 which gives it a small advantage 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 B&W HTM71 S3 weighs 17.50kg / 38.5lbs. This makes the HTM71 S3 80% heavier than the HTM72 S3.
Here is a comparison of how HTM72 S3 and HTM71 S3's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
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 B&W HTM71 S3?
Here are the items that come with the HTM71 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
 Height |
166mm
vs
235mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1453cm2
vs
2239cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1499USD
vs
2499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Number of Woofers |
4
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
50 Hz
vs
70 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Bowers & Wilkins HTM72 S3 |
Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S3 |
| Brand |
Bowers Wilkins |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
30-120 watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
70-28k Hz |
50-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
4 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Continuum cone |
Aerofoil Profile |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Decoupled Soft-Dome |
Solid Body Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
4" |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
166.0mm (6.5") |
235.0mm (9.3") |
| Width |
478.0mm (18.8") |
629.0mm (24.8") |
| Depth |
304.0mm (12") |
356.0mm (14") |
| Weight |
9.70kg (21.3lbs) |
17.50kg (38.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
Gloss Black |
| 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 |
Siblings in Bowers Wilkins's 700 S3 series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | B&W HTM71 S3 digs deeper - 50Hz against 70Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | B&W HTM71 S3 is more sensitive (89dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | B&W HTM71 S3 takes more power (200W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | B&W HTM72 S3 is easier to place; B&W HTM71 S3 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | B&W HTM72 S3: bi-amping; B&W HTM71 S3: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | B&W HTM72 S3 is cheaper - $1,499 against $2,499, about 40% less; arguably a different class. |
A B&W HTM72 S3 B B&W HTM71 S3
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
The usual trade-off: B&W HTM71 S3 measures better, B&W HTM72 S3 costs about about 67% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 70Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper B&W HTM72 S3 much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, B&W HTM71 S3 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, B&W HTM72 S3 is the easier speaker to get right.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.