In this review, we will be comparing AURA C and HTM71 S3, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Wharfedale and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale AURA C and B&W HTM71 S3 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Wharfedale AURA C Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.0625 x 3.5" AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter
- 2 x 6.5" Glass Fiber Matrix Woofer
- 48-22k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:25-200watts
- Weight:27.27kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 305.0" x 26-1/4" x 15-3/4"( 305.0 x 667.0 x 401.0mm )
B&W HTM71 S3 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Solid Body Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 4" Midrange
- 4 x 5" Aerofoil Profile Woofer
- 4" Midrange
- 50-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-200watts
- Weight:17.50kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 235.0" x 24-3/4" x 14"( 235.0 x 629.0 x 356.0mm )
What size room are the Wharfedale AURA C and B&W HTM71 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* |
Wharfedale AURA C |
B&W HTM71 S3 |
| 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Wharfedale AURA C and B&W HTM71 S3 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that AURA C is a 2-way design whereas the HTM71 S3 is a 3-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.
| Driver |
Wharfedale AURA C |
B&W HTM71 S3 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.0625 x 3.5-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
4 x 5-inch
|
AURA C features a 1.0625 x 3.5" AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Glass Fiber Matrix Woofer . On the other hand, the HTM71 S3 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Solid Body Soft-Dome Tweeter , a 4" Midrange and 4 x 5" Aerofoil Profile Woofer .
Frequency Response
AURA C has a frequency range of 48-22k Hz whereas HTM71 S3 has a frequency range of 50-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 48Hz, the AURA C can go slightly deeper then the HTM71 S3's min frequency of 50Hz.
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 Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
High Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
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
AURA C is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the HTM71 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 AURA C can provide this impedance level.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 89 dBdB.
Sensitivity
Center Channel Speakers
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.
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 AURA C and HTM71 S3 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Wharfedale AURA C's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
B&W HTM71 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
AURA C has a side firing port whereas HTM71 S3 has a rear firing ports.
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 Wharfedale AURA C's and B&W HTM71 S3's external dimensions. Wharfedale AURA C has external dimensions of 305.0 x 667.0 x 401.0mm ( 12inch x 26-1/4inch x 15-3/4inch ) whereas B&W HTM71 S3 has external dimensions of 235.0 x 629.0 x 356.0mm ( 9-1/4inch x 24-3/4inch x 14inch ) .
Wharfedale AURA C is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 38mm wider, 70mm taller and 45mm deeper than B&W HTM71 S3.
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 Wharfedale AURA C is approximately 2674.7cm2 / 414.6inch2 and base area of the B&W HTM71 S3 is approximately 2239.2cm2 / 347.1inch2. The AURA C requires 19% more surface area than the HTM71 S3 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.