In this review, we will be comparing S7t and 702 S3, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Perlisten and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Perlisten S7t and B&W 702 S3 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Perlisten S7t | B&W 702 S3 |
|---|
| Brand | Perlisten
United States · founded 2016 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | — | 3 x 6.5" Aerofoil |
|---|
| Frequency response | 22-37k Hz | 46-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92.2 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 100 - 600W RMS watts | 30-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 55.70kg / 122.5lbs | 33.46kg / 73.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 50.98" x 9.45" x 15.75"
1294.9 x 240.0 x 400.1mm | 44.8" x 7.6" x 15.4"
1138.0 x 192.0 x 391.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Perlisten S7t 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* |
Perlisten S7t |
B&W 702 S3 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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 S7t and 702 S3 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Perlisten S7t |
B&W 702 S3 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
x -inch
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
S7t features a " Tweeter and x " Woofer. On the other hand, the 702 S3 features a 1" Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Aerofoil Woofer.
Frequency Response
S7t has a frequency range of 22-37k Hz whereas 702 S3 has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 22Hz, the S7t 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
S7t is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the 702 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 S7t can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. S7t sensitivity is rated at 92.2 dB and the 702 S3's is rated at 90 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Perlisten S7t 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.
S7t can handle a max power of 600 watts RMS, whereas 702 S3 has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 300 watts less than the S7t.
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. S7t 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
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 S7t's and B&W 702 S3's external dimensions. Perlisten S7t has external dimensions of 1294.9 x 240.0 x 400.1mm (50.98 x 9.45 x 15.75inch) 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).
Perlisten S7t is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 48mm wider, 156.9mm taller and 9.1mm deeper than B&W 702 S3.
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.
Perlisten S7t needs about 28% more floor or shelf area. Perlisten S7t is 157mm 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 S7t is approximately 960.2cm2 / 148.8inch2 and base area of the B&W 702 S3 is approximately 750.7cm2 / 116.4inch2. The S7t requires 28% 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 Perlisten S7t weighs 55.70kg / 122.5lbs and the B&W 702 S3 weighs 33.46kg / 73.6lbs. This makes the S7t 66% heavier than the 702 S3.
Here is a comparison of how S7t 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 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 |
600 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Minimum Impedance |
3.2 ohms
vs
3.1 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
22 Hz
vs
46 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
37k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
1138mm
vs
1294mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
750cm2
vs
960cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
6998USD
vs
19190USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Perlisten S7t |
Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 |
| Brand |
Perlisten |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
100 - 600W RMS watts |
30-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92.2 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
3.1 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
22-37k Hz |
46-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
3 |
| Woofer Size |
" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Aerofoil |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
6" |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1294.9mm (51") |
1138.0mm (44.8") |
| Width |
240.0mm (9.4") |
192.0mm (7.6") |
| Depth |
400.1mm (15.8") |
391.0mm (15.4") |
| Weight |
55.70kg (122.5lbs) |
33.46kg (73.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Gloss Black,Satin White,Mocha,Rosenut |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Perlisten S7t costs roughly 2.7x what B&W 702 S3 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 | Perlisten S7t digs deeper - 22Hz against 46Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Perlisten S7t is more sensitive (92dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | B&W 702 S3 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | Perlisten S7t takes more power (600W vs 300W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | B&W 702 S3 is easier to place; Perlisten S7t is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | B&W 702 S3: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | B&W 702 S3 is cheaper - $6,998 against $19,190, about 64% less; arguably a different class. |
A Perlisten S7t 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?
Perlisten S7t is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 2.7x the price. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - B&W 702 S3 looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Perlisten S7t appeals to you. 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. In a large or open-plan room, Perlisten S7t has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, B&W 702 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.