In this review, we will be comparing HTM72 S3 and HTM72 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 HTM72 S2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | B&W HTM72 S3 | BW HTM72 S2 |
|---|
| Brand | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Decoupled Soft-Dome | 1" Decoupled Carbon Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5" Continuum cone | 2 x 5" Continuum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 70-28k Hz | 70-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-120 watts | 30-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 9.70kg / 21.3lbs | 9.14kg / 20.1lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 6-5/8" x 18-15/16" x 10-15/16"
169.0 x 482.0 x 278.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the B&W HTM72 S3 and BW HTM72 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 HTM72 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both HTM72 S3 and HTM72 S2 are 2-way speakers.
B&W HTM72 S3BW HTM72 S2
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 HTM72 S3 |
BW HTM72 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 HTM72 S2 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Continuum Woofer.
Frequency Response
HTM72 S3 and HTM72 S2 has exactly the same frequency range of 70-28k Hz.
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 HTM72 S2 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 87 dB.
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.
HTM72 S3 and HTM72 S2 have the same power range of 30-120 watts.
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 HTM72 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
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both HTM72 S3 and HTM72 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
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 BW HTM72 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 HTM72 S2 has external dimensions of 169.0 x 482.0 x 278.0mm (6-5/8 x 18-15/16 x 10-15/16inch).
B&W HTM72 S3 is 4mm narrower and 3mm shorter than BW HTM72 S2 but it is also 26mm deeper.
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 HTM72 S2 is approximately 1340.0cm2 / 207.7inch2. The HTM72 S3 requires 8% more surface area than the HTM72 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 HTM72 S2 weighs 9.14kg / 20.1lbs. This makes the HTM72 S3 6% heavier than the HTM72 S2.
Here is a comparison of how HTM72 S3 and HTM72 S2'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 BW HTM72 S2?
Here are the items that come with the HTM72 S2:
- 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
 Height |
166mm
vs
169mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Minimum Impedance |
4.3 ohms
vs
3 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Base Surface Area |
1340cm2
vs
1453cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1199USD
vs
1499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Bowers & Wilkins HTM72 S3 |
Bowers & Wilkins HTM72 S2 |
| 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 |
70-28k 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 Carbon Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
166.0mm (6.5") |
169.0mm (6.7") |
| Width |
478.0mm (18.8") |
482.0mm (19") |
| Depth |
304.0mm (12") |
278.0mm (10.9") |
| Weight |
9.70kg (21.3lbs) |
9.14kg (20.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
Gloss Black, Satin White, Rosenut |
| 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 |
A generation apart: B&W HTM72 S3 is the newer design, against a 2017 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (70Hz vs 70Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 87dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (120W vs 120W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | B&W HTM72 S3: bi-amping; BW HTM72 S2: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | BW HTM72 S2 is cheaper - $1,199 against $1,499, about 20% less. |
A B&W HTM72 S3 B BW HTM72 S2
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it.
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.