In this review, we will be comparing Emit 10 and 707 S3, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Dynaudio and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Dynaudio Emit 10 and B&W 707 S3 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Dynaudio Emit 10 | B&W 707 S3 |
|---|
| Brand | Dynaudio
Denmark · founded 1977 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Soft-Dome | 1" Decoupled Carbon Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.5" MSP | 5" Continuum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 64-25k Hz | 50-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 84 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | — | 30-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 6.40kg / 14.1lbs | 6.16kg / 13.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 11-7/16" x 6-11/16" x 10-11/16"
290.0 x 170.0 x 272.0mm | 11.8" x 6.5" x 11.2"
300.0 x 165.0 x 284.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Dynaudio Emit 10 and B&W 707 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* |
Dynaudio Emit 10 |
B&W 707 S3 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Average |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Emit 10 and 707 S3 are 2-way speakers.
Dynaudio Emit 10B&W 707 S3
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Dynaudio Emit 10 |
B&W 707 S3 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.5-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
Emit 10 features a 1.1" Cerotar Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.5" MSP Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3700 Hz. On the other hand, the 707 S3 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Continuum Woofer.
Frequency Response
Emit 10 has a frequency range of 64-25k Hz whereas 707 S3 has a frequency range of 50-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the 707 S3 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Emit 10's min frequency of 64Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
Emit 10 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the 707 S3 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Emit 10 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the 707 S3's is rated at 84 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Dynaudio Emit 10 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 707 S3, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
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
707 S3 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Emit 10 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
B&W 707 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Emit 10 and 707 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 Dynaudio Emit 10's and B&W 707 S3's external dimensions. Dynaudio Emit 10 has external dimensions of 290.0 x 170.0 x 272.0mm (11-7/16 x 6-11/16 x 10-11/16inch) whereas B&W 707 S3 has external dimensions of 300.0 x 165.0 x 284.0mm (1.8-inch x 6.5-inch x 11.2-inch).
Dynaudio Emit 10 is 10mm shorter and 12mm less deeper than B&W 707 S3 but it is also 5mm wider.
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.
Near-identical footprints.
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 Dynaudio Emit 10 is approximately 462.4cm2 / 71.7inch2 and base area of the B&W 707 S3 is approximately 468.6cm2 / 72.6inch2. The Emit 10 requires 1% less surface area than the 707 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 Dynaudio Emit 10 weighs 6.40kg / 14.1lbs and the B&W 707 S3 weighs 6.16kg / 13.6lbs. This makes the Emit 10 4% heavier than the 707 S3.
Here is a comparison of how Emit 10 and 707 S3's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of B&W 707 S3?
Here are the items that come with the 707 S3:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 2 Two-piece foam port plugs
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- 4 Jumper-straps
- Manual
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
 Max Input Power |
150 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
86 dB
vs
84 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
5.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
290mm
vs
300mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
462cm2
vs
468cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
799USD
vs
1799USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
50 Hz
vs
64 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
| General |
Dynaudio Emit 10 |
Bowers & Wilkins 707 S3 |
| Brand |
Dynaudio |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
84 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
4.0 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
64-25k Hz |
50-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.5" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
MSP |
Continuum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Decoupled Carbon Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
3700 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
290.0mm (11.4") |
300.0mm (11.8") |
| Width |
170.0mm (6.7") |
165.0mm (6.5") |
| Depth |
272.0mm (10.7") |
284.0mm (11.2") |
| Weight |
6.40kg (14.1lbs) |
6.16kg (13.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Gloss Black,Satin White,Mocha,Rosenut |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
24-26" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - B&W 707 S3 costs roughly 2.3x what Dynaudio Emit 10 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | B&W 707 S3 digs deeper - 50Hz against 64Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Dynaudio Emit 10 is more sensitive (86dB vs 84dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | B&W 707 S3 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | A | Dynaudio Emit 10 takes more power (150W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | B | B&W 707 S3: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Dynaudio Emit 10 is cheaper - $799 against $1,799, about 56% less; arguably a different class. |
A Dynaudio Emit 10 B B&W 707 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?
B&W 707 S3 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 125% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Dynaudio Emit 10 looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the B&W 707 S3 appeals to you. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 64Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Dynaudio Emit 10 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Dynaudio Emit 10 the better fit for near-field listening; elsewhere the two are rated the same.
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.