In this review, we will be comparing R5 Meta and 704 S3, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KEF and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF R5 Meta and B&W 704 S3 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF R5 Meta | B&W 704 S3 |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 12th Generation Uni-Q | — |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Vented dome | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" Hybrid Aluminum | 2 x 5" Aerofoil |
|---|
| Frequency response | 52-28k Hz | 46-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-200 watts | 30-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 24.55kg / 54lbs | 20.53kg / 45.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 42-1/4" x 10-3/4" x 13-1/2"
1074.0 x 274.0 x 343.0mm | 38" x 6.5" x 11.8"
964.0 x 165.0 x 300.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KEF R5 Meta and B&W 704 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* |
KEF R5 Meta |
B&W 704 S3 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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 R5 Meta and 704 S3 are 3-way speakers.
KEF R5 MetaB&W 704 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 |
KEF R5 Meta |
B&W 704 S3 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 5-inch
|
R5 Meta features a 1" Aluminum with MAT absorber Vented dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 2 x 5.25" Hybrid Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 400Hz and 2700Hz. On the other hand, the 704 S3 features a 1" Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 2 x 5" Aerofoil Woofer.
Frequency Response
R5 Meta has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz whereas 704 S3 has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 46Hz, the 704 S3 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R5 Meta's min frequency of 52Hz.
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
R5 Meta is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the 704 S3 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the R5 Meta can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. R5 Meta sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the 704 S3's is rated at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the B&W 704 S3 a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF R5 Meta, 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.
R5 Meta can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas 704 S3 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the R5 Meta.
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 R5 Meta and 704 S3 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
KEF R5 Meta's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
B&W 704 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both R5 Meta and 704 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 KEF R5 Meta's and B&W 704 S3's external dimensions. KEF R5 Meta has external dimensions of 1074.0 x 274.0 x 343.0mm (42-1/4-inch x 10-3/4-inch x 13-1/2-inch) whereas B&W 704 S3 has external dimensions of 964.0 x 165.0 x 300.0mm (38-inch x 6.5-inch x 11.8-inch).
KEF R5 Meta is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 109mm wider, 110mm taller and 43mm deeper than B&W 704 S3.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF R5 Meta and B&W 704 S3 in scale.
Comparison image of KEF R5 Meta and B&W 704 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 KEF R5 Meta is approximately 939.8cm2 / 145.7inch2 and base area of the B&W 704 S3 is approximately 495.0cm2 / 76.7inch2. The R5 Meta requires 90% more surface area than the 704 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 KEF R5 Meta weighs 24.55kg / 54lbs and the B&W 704 S3 weighs 20.53kg / 45.2lbs. This makes the R5 Meta 20% heavier than the 704 S3.
Here is a comparison of how R5 Meta and 704 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 KEF R5 Meta?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R5 Meta:
- R5 Meta
- Microfiber grille
- Plinth and spike accessories
- Port bungs
- User manual and warranty information
What's in the Box of B&W 704 S3?
Here are the items that come with the 704 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 |
200 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Minimum Impedance |
3.2 ohms
vs
3.1 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
5.25 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
46 Hz
vs
52 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
964mm
vs
1074mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
495cm2
vs
939cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
KEF R5 Meta |
Bowers & Wilkins 704 S3 |
| Brand |
KEF |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
15-200 watts |
30-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
3.1 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
52-28k Hz |
46-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Hybrid Aluminum |
Aerofoil |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Vented dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
400Hz and 2700Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1074.0mm (42.3") |
964.0mm (38") |
| Width |
274.0mm (10.8") |
165.0mm (6.5") |
| Depth |
343.0mm (13.5") |
300.0mm (11.8") |
| Weight |
24.55kg (54lbs) |
20.53kg (45.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Black Gloss, White Gloss, Walnut |
Gloss Black,Satin White,Mocha,Rosenut |
| Grille |
n/a |
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 | B&W 704 S3 digs deeper - 46Hz against 52Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | B&W 704 S3 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | KEF R5 Meta takes more power (200W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | B&W 704 S3 is easier to place; KEF R5 Meta is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | KEF R5 Meta: bi-amping; B&W 704 S3: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($3,998 vs $3,998 a pair). |
A KEF R5 Meta B B&W 704 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 704 S3 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 52Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate KEF R5 Meta the better fit for a very large room, and B&W 704 S3 for a mid-size room.
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.