In this review, we will be comparing Kanta No.3 and 702 S3, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Focal and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Kanta No.3 and B&W 702 S3 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Kanta No.3 | B&W 702 S3 |
|---|
| Brand | Focal
France · founded 1979 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Hard-Dome | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" Flax | 3 x 6.5" Aerofoil |
|---|
| Frequency response | 33-40k Hz | 46-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-400 watts | 30-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 46.09kg / 101.4lbs | 33.46kg / 73.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 50-3/8" x 15-3/16" x 20-1/2"
1280.0 x 386.0 x 521.0mm | 44.8" x 7.6" x 15.4"
1138.0 x 192.0 x 391.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Focal Kanta No.3 and B&W 702 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* |
Focal Kanta No.3 |
B&W 702 S3 |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
Average |
(* 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 Kanta No.3 and 702 S3 are 3-way speakers.
Focal Kanta No.3B&W 702 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 |
Focal Kanta No.3 |
B&W 702 S3 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
Kanta No.3 features a 1.1" IAL3 Beryllium Hard-Dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Flax Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 250 Hz - 2500 Hz. On the other hand, the 702 S3 features a 1" Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Aerofoil Woofer.
Frequency Response
Kanta No.3 has a frequency range of 33-40k Hz whereas 702 S3 has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 33Hz, the Kanta No.3 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 702 S3's min frequency of 46Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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
Kanta No.3 and 702 S3 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Kanta No.3 sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the 702 S3's is at 90 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Focal Kanta No.3 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 702 S3, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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.
Kanta No.3 can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS, whereas 702 S3 has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Kanta No.3.
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
702 S3 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Kanta No.3 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
B&W 702 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Kanta No.3 has a Front firing port whereas 702 S3 has a rear firing ports.
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 Kanta No.3's and B&W 702 S3's external dimensions. Focal Kanta No.3 has external dimensions of 1280.0 x 386.0 x 521.0mm (50-3/8inch x 15-3/16inch x 20-1/2inch) whereas B&W 702 S3 has external dimensions of 1138.0 x 192.0 x 391.0mm (44.8-inch x 7.6-inch x 15.4-inch).
Focal Kanta No.3 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 194mm wider, 142mm taller and 130mm deeper than B&W 702 S3.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Focal Kanta No.3 and B&W 702 S3 in scale.
Comparison image of Focal Kanta No.3 and B&W 702 S3 Size and External Dimensions
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 Kanta No.3 is approximately 2011.1cm2 / 311.7inch2 and base area of the B&W 702 S3 is approximately 750.7cm2 / 116.4inch2. The Kanta No.3 requires 168% more surface area than the 702 S3 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 Kanta No.3 weighs 46.09kg / 101.4lbs and the B&W 702 S3 weighs 33.46kg / 73.6lbs. This makes the Kanta No.3 38% heavier than the 702 S3.
Here is a comparison of how Kanta No.3 and 702 S3's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Focal Kanta No.3?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Kanta No.3:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Large grille
- Small grille
- Outrigger feet
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Protective discs
- User Manual
What's in the Box of B&W 702 S3?
Here are the items that come with the 702 S3:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Plinth (base)
- 2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- Two-piece foam port plug
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Lock-nuts
- 4 Screws
- 4 Washers
- 4 Lock washers
- Hex-key
- Manual
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
33 Hz
vs
46 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Minimum Impedance |
3.1 ohms
vs
3.0 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1138mm
vs
1280mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
750cm2
vs
2011cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
6998USD
vs
10998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Focal Kanta No.3 |
Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 |
| Brand |
Focal |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-400 watts |
30-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.0 ohms |
3.1 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
33-40k Hz |
46-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Flax |
Aerofoil |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
250 Hz - 2500 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
Front |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1280.0mm (50.4") |
1138.0mm (44.8") |
| Width |
386.0mm (15.2") |
192.0mm (7.6") |
| Depth |
521.0mm (20.5") |
391.0mm (15.4") |
| Weight |
46.09kg (101.4lbs) |
33.46kg (73.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Multi-ply/Polymer/Veneer |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
High-Gloss Carrara White, High-Gloss Black/Deep Black, Matte Walnut/Dark Grey,Matte Walnut/Ivory |
Gloss Black,Satin White,Mocha,Rosenut |
| 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 |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Focal Kanta No.3 digs deeper - 33Hz against 46Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Focal Kanta No.3 is more sensitive (91dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | Focal Kanta No.3 takes more power (400W vs 300W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | B&W 702 S3 is easier to place; Focal Kanta No.3 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | B&W 702 S3: bi-amping. B&W 702 S3 sits in a wider range (8 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | B&W 702 S3 is cheaper - $6,998 against $10,998, about 36% less. |
A Focal Kanta No.3 B B&W 702 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: Focal Kanta No.3 measures better, B&W 702 S3 costs about about 57% 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 46Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper B&W 702 S3 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Focal Kanta No.3 the better fit for a very large room; 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.