In this review, we will be comparing Vestia No3 and 703 S3, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Focal and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Vestia No3 and B&W 703 S3 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Vestia No3 | B&W 703 S3 |
|---|
| Brand | Focal
France · founded 1979 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" inverted dome | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 6.5" Slatefiber | 2 x 6.5" Aerofoil |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-30k Hz | 46-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-300 watts | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 26.50kg / 58.3lbs | 28.81kg / 63.4lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 44-1/8" x 10-1/8" x 14-3/4"
1121.0 x 258.0 x 375.0mm | 44" x 7.6" x 13.9"
1117.0 x 192.0 x 353.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Focal Vestia No3 and B&W 703 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 Vestia No3 |
B&W 703 S3 |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
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 Vestia No3 and 703 S3 are 3-way speakers.
Focal Vestia No3B&W 703 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 Vestia No3 |
B&W 703 S3 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Vestia No3 features a 1" Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 280Hz and 3100Hz. On the other hand, the 703 S3 features a 1" Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Aerofoil Woofer.
Frequency Response
Vestia No3 has a frequency range of 42-30k Hz whereas 703 S3 has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the Vestia No3 can go slightly deeper then the 703 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
Vestia No3 and 703 S3 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Vestia No3 sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the 703 S3's is at 90 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Focal Vestia No3 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 703 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.
Vestia No3 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas 703 S3 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Vestia No3.
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.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Vestia No3 has a front firing port whereas 703 S3 has a rear firing ports. Focal Vestia No3's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to B&W 703 S3 with its rear-firing port.
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 Vestia No3's and B&W 703 S3's external dimensions. Focal Vestia No3 has external dimensions of 1121.0 x 258.0 x 375.0mm (44-1/8-inch x 10-1/8-inch x 14-3/4-inch) whereas B&W 703 S3 has external dimensions of 1117.0 x 192.0 x 353.0mm (44-inch x 7.6-inch x 13.9-inch).
Focal Vestia No3 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 66mm wider, 4mm taller and 22mm deeper than B&W 703 S3.
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 Vestia No3 is approximately 967.5cm2 / 150.0inch2 and base area of the B&W 703 S3 is approximately 677.8cm2 / 105.1inch2. The Vestia No3 requires 43% more surface area than the 703 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 Vestia No3 weighs 26.50kg / 58.3lbs and the B&W 703 S3 weighs 28.81kg / 63.4lbs. This makes the 703 S3 9% heavier than the Vestia No3.
Here is a comparison of how Vestia No3 and 703 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 B&W 703 S3?
Here are the items that come with the 703 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 |
300 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
42 Hz
vs
46 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Price per pair* |
3598USD
vs
5998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Minimum Impedance |
3.1 ohms
vs
2.9 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1117mm
vs
1121mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
677cm2
vs
967cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Focal Vestia No3 |
Bowers & Wilkins 703 S3 |
| Brand |
Focal |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-300 watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
2.9 ohms |
3.1 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
42-30k Hz |
46-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Slatefiber |
Aerofoil |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
inverted dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
280Hz and 3100Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
front |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1121.0mm (44.1") |
1117.0mm (44") |
| Width |
258.0mm (10.2") |
192.0mm (7.6") |
| Depth |
375.0mm (14.8") |
353.0mm (13.9") |
| Weight |
26.50kg (58.3lbs) |
28.81kg (63.4lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Black High Gloss, Dark Wood, Light Wood |
Gloss Black,Satin White,Mocha,Rosenut |
| 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 703 S3 costs roughly 1.7x what Focal Vestia No3 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 | A | Focal Vestia No3 digs deeper - 42Hz against 46Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Focal Vestia No3 is more sensitive (92dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | Focal Vestia No3 takes more power (300W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | B&W 703 S3 is easier to place; Focal Vestia No3 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | B&W 703 S3: bi-amping. B&W 703 S3 sits in a wider range (8 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Focal Vestia No3 is cheaper - $3,598 against $5,998, about 40% less; arguably a different class. |
A Focal Vestia No3 B B&W 703 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?
Focal Vestia No3 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take B&W 703 S3 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. Match it to your room: we rate Focal Vestia No3 the better fit for a very large room, and B&W 703 S3 for a mid-size room. In a large or open-plan room, Focal Vestia No3 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, B&W 703 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.