In this review, we will be comparing R2c and HTM72 S2, two Passive Center Channel speakers from KEF and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF R2c and BW HTM72 S2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF R2c | BW HTM72 S2 |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 12th Generation Uni-Q | — |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Decoupled Carbon Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" Hybrid Aluminum | 2 x 5" Continuum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 74-28k Hz | 70-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-200 watts | 30-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 16.90kg / 37.2lbs | 9.14kg / 20.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 6-15/16" x 21-11/16" x 12-7/16"
177.0 x 551.0 x 316.0mm | 6-5/8" x 18-15/16" x 10-15/16"
169.0 x 482.0 x 278.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KEF R2c 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* |
KEF R2c |
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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that R2c is a 3-way design whereas the HTM72 S2 is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
KEF R2cBW HTM72 S2
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
KEF R2c |
BW HTM72 S2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 5-inch
|
R2c features a 1" aluminum Dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 2 x 5.25" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 400Hz and 2900Hz. On the other hand, the HTM72 S2 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Continuum Woofer.
Frequency Response
R2c has a frequency range of 74-28k Hz whereas HTM72 S2 has a frequency range of 70-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 70Hz, the HTM72 S2 can go slightly deeper then the R2c's min frequency of 74Hz.
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
R2c 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.
R2c can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas HTM72 S2 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 80 watts less than the R2c.
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 R2c and HTM72 S2 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
KEF R2c's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both R2c 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 KEF R2c's and BW HTM72 S2's external dimensions. KEF R2c has external dimensions of 177.0 x 551.0 x 316.0mm (6-15/16 x 21-11/16 x 12-7/16inch) 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).
KEF R2c is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 69mm wider, 8mm taller and 38mm deeper than BW HTM72 S2.
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.
KEF R2c needs about 30% more floor or shelf area. KEF R2c is 38mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall.
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 KEF R2c is approximately 1741.2cm2 / 269.9inch2 and base area of the BW HTM72 S2 is approximately 1340.0cm2 / 207.7inch2. The R2c requires 30% 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 KEF R2c weighs 16.90kg / 37.2lbs and the BW HTM72 S2 weighs 9.14kg / 20.1lbs. This makes the R2c 85% heavier than the HTM72 S2.
Here is a comparison of how R2c 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 KEF R2c?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R2c:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- User Manual
- Warranty Information
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
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
5.25 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Minimum Impedance |
4.3 ohms
vs
3.2 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
|
Low Frequency Response |
70 Hz
vs
74 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
169mm
vs
177mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1340cm2
vs
1741cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1199USD
vs
1300USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KEF R2c |
Bowers & Wilkins HTM72 S2 |
| Brand |
KEF |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
15-200 watts |
30-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
4.3 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
74-28k Hz |
70-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Hybrid Aluminum |
Continuum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Decoupled Carbon Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
400Hz and 2900Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
177.0mm (7") |
169.0mm (6.7") |
| Width |
551.0mm (21.7") |
482.0mm (19") |
| Depth |
316.0mm (12.4") |
278.0mm (10.9") |
| Weight |
16.90kg (37.2lbs) |
9.14kg (20.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut |
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 |
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 | B | BW HTM72 S2 digs deeper - 70Hz against 74Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 87dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | A | KEF R2c takes more power (200W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | BW HTM72 S2 is easier to place; KEF R2c is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Sealed vs Ported. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it. |
| Expandability | depends | KEF R2c: bi-amping; BW HTM72 S2: bi-amping. BW HTM72 S2 sits in a wider range (8 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($1,300 vs $1,199 a pair). |
A KEF R2c 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.