In this review, we will be comparing A3m LCR and HTM71 S3 Signature, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Perlisten and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Perlisten A3m LCR and Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S3 Signature first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Perlisten A3m LCR | Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S3 Signature |
|---|
| Brand | Perlisten
United States · founded 2016 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | 1" Decoupled Carbon Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | — | 2 x 5" Aerofoil |
|---|
| Frequency response | 41-30k Hz | 50-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87.4 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50 – 250W watts | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | — | 18.50kg / 40.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 26.57" x 11.02" x 13.78"
674.9 x 279.9 x 350.0mm | 9-3/16" x 24-3/4" x 12-1/2"
233.0 x 628.0 x 318.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Perlisten A3m LCR and Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S3 Signature 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* |
Perlisten A3m LCR |
Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S3 Signature |
| Near-field |
Good |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
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 A3m LCR and HTM71 S3 Signature are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Perlisten A3m LCR |
Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S3 Signature |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
x -inch
|
2 x 5-inch
|
A3m LCR features a " Tweeter and x " Woofer. On the other hand, the HTM71 S3 Signature features a 1" Carbon Decoupled Carbon Dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 2 x 5" Aerofoil Woofer.
Frequency Response
A3m LCR has a frequency range of 41-30k Hz whereas HTM71 S3 Signature has a frequency range of 50-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 41Hz, the A3m LCR can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the HTM71 S3 Signature's min frequency of 50Hz.
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
A3m LCR is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the HTM71 S3 Signature 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 A3m LCR can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. A3m LCR sensitivity is rated at 87.4 dB and the HTM71 S3 Signature's is rated at 89 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S3 Signature a more sensitive speaker compared to Perlisten A3m LCR, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
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.
A3m LCR can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas HTM71 S3 Signature has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the A3m LCR.
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.
Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S3 Signature
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
HTM71 S3 Signature features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. A3m LCR has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
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 Perlisten A3m LCR's and Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S3 Signature's external dimensions. Perlisten A3m LCR has external dimensions of 674.9 x 279.9 x 350.0mm (26.57 x 11.02 x 13.78inch) whereas Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S3 Signature has external dimensions of 233.0 x 628.0 x 318.0mm (9-3/16 x 24-3/4 x 12-1/2inch).
Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S3 Signature is 441.9mm shorter and 32mm less deeper than Perlisten A3m LCR but it is also 348.1mm wider.
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.
Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S3 Signature needs about 104% more floor or shelf area. Perlisten A3m LCR is 32mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Perlisten A3m LCR is 442mm taller.
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 Perlisten A3m LCR is approximately 979.7cm2 / 151.9inch2 and base area of the Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S3 Signature is approximately 1997.0cm2 / 309.5inch2. The A3m LCR requires 51% less surface area than the HTM71 S3 Signature which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.