Sonus Lumina III vs B&W 703 S2 Comparison

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Sonus Lumina III

Passive Floor-standing | 40-24k Hz

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B&W 703 S2

Passive Floor-standing | 46-28k Hz

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Sonus Lumina III

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B&W 703 S2

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Sonus Lumina III

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B&W 703 S2

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Sonus Lumina III vs B&W 703 S2 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing Lumina III and 703 S2, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Sonus Faber and Bowers Wilkins.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Sonus Lumina III and B&W 703 S2 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sonus Lumina III Key Specs

3-way Design

1.15" high definition DAD Tweeter

6" Midrange

2 x 6" paper cone Woofer

40-24k Hz Frequency Response

89 dB Sensitivity

Impedance: 4ohms

Power Range:50-250watts

Weight:15.90kg

Dimensions (H x W x D): 989.0" x 9" x 10.9"( 989.0 x 228.0 x 278.0mm )

B&W 703 S2 Key Specs

3-way Design

1" Tweeter

6" Midrange

2 x 6.5" Aerofoil Woofer

6" Midrange

46-28k Hz Frequency Response

89 dB Sensitivity

Impedance: 8ohms

Power Range:30-200watts

Weight:25.00kg

Dimensions (H x W x D): 1025.0" x 12-11/16" x 12.6"( 1025.0 x 200.0 x 321.0mm )

What size room are the Sonus Lumina III and B&W 703 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*	Sonus Lumina III	B&W 703 S2
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.)

In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Sonus Lumina III and B&W 703 S2 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.

**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Drivers

Both Lumina III and 703 S2 are 3-way speakers.

Driver	Sonus Lumina III	B&W 703 S2
Driver Setup	3-way	3-way
Tweeter	1.15-inch	1-inch
Midrange	1 x 6-inch	1 x 6-inch
Woofer	2 x 6-inch	2 x 6.5-inch

Lumina III features a 1.15" high definition DAD Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6" paper cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350 and 3500 Hz. On the other hand, the 703 S2 features a 1" Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Aerofoil Woofer .

Frequency Response

Lumina III has a frequency range of 40-24k Hz whereas 703 S2 has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the Lumina III can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 703 S2's min frequency of 46Hz.

Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.

Low Frequency

Floor-standing Speakers

Lumina III

703 S2

Min

Average

Max

High Frequency

Floor-standing Speakers

Sonus Lumina III

B&W 703 S2

Min

Average

Max

None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.

Impedance and Sensitivity

Lumina III is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the 703 S2 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 Lumina III can provide this impedance level.

On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 89 dBdB.

Sensitivity

Floor-standing Speakers

Lumina III

703 S2

Min

Average

Max

Power Range

Power range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.

Lumina III can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas 703 S2 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Lumina III.

Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.

Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring

Both Lumina III and 703 S2 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.

B&W 703 S2's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Lumina III has a bottom firing port whereas 703 S2 has a rear firing ports. Sonus Lumina III's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to B&W 703 S2 with its rear-firing port.

Physical Specs

Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Sonus Lumina III's and B&W 703 S2's external dimensions. Sonus Lumina III has external dimensions of 989.0 x 228.0 x 278.0mm ( 38.9 x 9 x 10.9inch) whereas B&W 703 S2 has external dimensions of 1025.0 x 200.0 x 321.0mm ( 40.4-inch x 12-11/16-inch x 12.6-inch) .

Sonus Lumina III is 36mm shorter and 43mm less deeper than B&W 703 S2 but it is also 28mm wider.

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 Sonus Lumina III is approximately 633.8cm² / 98.2inch² and base area of the B&W 703 S2 is approximately 642.0cm² / 99.5inch². The Lumina III requires 1% less surface area than the 703 S2 which gives it a small advantage 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 Sonus Lumina III weighs 15.90kg / 35lbs and the B&W 703 S2 weighs 25.00kg / 55lbs. This makes the 703 S2 57% heavier than the Lumina III.

Here is a comparison of how Lumina III and 703 S2's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.

Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers

Sonus Lumina III

B&W 703 S2

Min

Average

Max

What's in the Box of Sonus Lumina III?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of Lumina III:

Floorstanding loudspeaker

1 Manual

2 Jumpers

2 Grilles

2 Fabric dust guards

4 Spikes

4 Under spikes

4 Spikes locks

What's in the Box of B&W 703 S2?

Here are the items that come with the 703 S2:

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

Reasons to choose Sonus Faber Lumina III over Bowers & Wilkins 703 S2

Max Input Power	250 watts vs 200 watts	Handle more power from your amplifier
Low Frequency Response	40 Hz vs 46 Hz	Generates deeper bass
Height	989mm vs 1025mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Base Surface Area	633cm² vs 642cm²	Takes less floor space
Price per pair*	2199USD vs 5000USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

Reasons to choose Bowers & Wilkins 703 S2 over Sonus Faber Lumina III

Nominal Impedance	8 ohms vs 4 ohms	Less selective with amplifiers
Woofer Size	6.5 inches vs 6 inches	Larger woofer
High Frequency Response	28k Hz vs 24k Hz	Generates higher frequency

Sonus Lumina III vs B&W 703 S2 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Sonus Faber Lumina III	Bowers & Wilkins 703 S2
Brand	Sonus Faber	Bowers Wilkins
Speaker Type	Floor-standing speaker	Floor-standing speaker
Power Range	50-250 watts	30-200 watts
Sensitivity	89 dB	89 dB
Impedance	4 ohms	8 ohms
Impedance	n/a	3.1 ohms
Frequency Response	40-24k Hz	46-28k Hz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	2	2
Woofer Size	6"	6.5"
Woofer Composition	paper cone	Aerofoil
Woofer Surround Material	n/a	Rubber
Tweeter Size	1.15"	1"
Tweeter Type	high definition DAD	n/a
Aimable Tweeter	No	No
Midrange Driver	6"	6"
Crossover Frequency	350 and 3500 Hz	n/a
Firing Direction	bottom	rear
Physical Specs
Height	989.0mm (38.9")	1025.0mm (40.4")
Width	228.0mm (9")	200.0mm (7.9")
Depth	278.0mm (10.9")	321.0mm (12.6")
Weight	15.90kg (35lbs)	25.00kg (55lbs)
Enclosure	Bass Reflex	Bass Reflex
Finish	real multilayer wood	MDF/Lacquer
Available Colors	Black, Wenge, Walnut	Rosewood, Gloss Black, Satin White
Grille	Yes	Yes
Moisture Resistancy	No	No
Connections
Biamp Inputs	Yes	Yes
Other
Parts Warranty		5 Years
Labor Warranty		5 Years