In this review, we will be comparing Aria 906 and 705 S2, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Focal and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Aria 906 and B&W 705 S2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Aria 906 | B&W 705 S2 |
|---|
| Brand | Focal
France · founded 1979 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Inverted Hard Dome | 1" Solid Body Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Flax | 6.5" Continuum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-28k Hz | 50-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89.5 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-120 watts | 30-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 8.64kg / 19lbs | 9.32kg / 20.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 15-3/8" x 8-15/16" x 11-5/16"
391.0 x 228.0 x 288.0mm | 16" x 7.8" x 11.9"
407.0 x 200.0 x 301.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Focal Aria 906 and B&W 705 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* |
Focal Aria 906 |
B&W 705 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 Aria 906 and 705 S2 are 2-way speakers.
Focal Aria 906B&W 705 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 |
Focal Aria 906 |
B&W 705 S2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Aria 906 features a 1" TNF aluminum/magnesium Inverted Hard Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Flax Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800Hz. On the other hand, the 705 S2 features a 1" Solid Body Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer.
Frequency Response
Aria 906 has a frequency range of 55-28k Hz whereas 705 S2 has a frequency range of 50-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the 705 S2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Aria 906's min frequency of 55Hz.
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
Aria 906 and 705 S2 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Aria 906 sensitivity is rated at 89.5 dB and the 705 S2's is at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Focal Aria 906 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 705 S2, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 120 watts RMS, though Aria 906 is rated 25-120 watts and 705 S2 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
705 S2 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Aria 906 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Focal Aria 906's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Aria 906 and 705 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 Focal Aria 906's and B&W 705 S2's external dimensions. Focal Aria 906 has external dimensions of 391.0 x 228.0 x 288.0mm (15-3/8 x 8-15/16 x 11-5/16inch) whereas B&W 705 S2 has external dimensions of 407.0 x 200.0 x 301.0mm (16-inch x 7.8-inch x 11.9-inch).
Focal Aria 906 is 16mm shorter and 13mm less deeper than B&W 705 S2 but it is also 28mm 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 Focal Aria 906 is approximately 656.6cm2 / 101.8inch2 and base area of the B&W 705 S2 is approximately 602.0cm2 / 93.3inch2. The Aria 906 requires 9% more surface area than the 705 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 Focal Aria 906 weighs 8.64kg / 19lbs and the B&W 705 S2 weighs 9.32kg / 20.5lbs. This makes the 705 S2 8% heavier than the Aria 906.
Here is a comparison of how Aria 906 and 705 S2's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Focal Aria 906?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Aria 906:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Cloth grilles
- User manual
What's in the Box of B&W 705 S2?
Here are the items that come with the 705 S2:
- 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
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Minimum Impedance |
4.6 ohms
vs
3.1 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Height |
391mm
vs
407mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
2198USD
vs
3299USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Low Frequency Response |
50 Hz
vs
55 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Base Surface Area |
602cm2
vs
656cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Focal Aria 906 |
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S2 |
| Brand |
Focal |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-120 watts |
30-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89.5 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4.6 ohms |
3.1 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
55-28k Hz |
50-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Flax |
Continuum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Inverted Hard Dome |
Solid Body Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2800Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
391.0mm (15.4") |
407.0mm (16") |
| Width |
228.0mm (9") |
200.0mm (7.9") |
| Depth |
288.0mm (11.3") |
301.0mm (11.9") |
| Weight |
8.64kg (19lbs) |
9.32kg (20.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Glass/Leather |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Black |
Rosewood, Gloss Black, Satin White |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24-28" |
24-26" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: B&W 705 S2 is the newer design, against a 2013 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | B&W 705 S2 digs deeper - 50Hz against 55Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Focal Aria 906 is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (120W vs 120W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | B | B&W 705 S2: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Focal Aria 906 is cheaper - $2,198 against $3,299, about 33% less. |
A Focal Aria 906 B B&W 705 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?
B&W 705 S2 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 50% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Focal Aria 906 looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the B&W 705 S2 appeals to you. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 55Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Focal Aria 906 much easier to justify. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Focal Aria 906 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.