In this review, we will be comparing AURA CS and HTM71 S2, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Wharfedale and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale AURA CS and BW HTM71 S2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale AURA CS | BW HTM71 S2 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.0625 x 3.5" AMT (Ribbon) | 1" Decoupled Carbon Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5" Glass Fiber Matrix | 2 x 6.5" Aerofoil Profile |
|---|
| Frequency response | 56-22k Hz | 50-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-150 watts | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 18.64kg / 41lbs | 18.05kg / 39.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 9-15/16" x 24-1/4" x 13-7/8"
253.0 x 616.0 x 353.0mm | 8-15/16" x 23-1/4" x 11-7/8"
228.0 x 591.0 x 302.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale AURA CS and BW HTM71 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* |
Wharfedale AURA CS |
BW HTM71 S2 |
| 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that AURA CS is a 2-way design whereas the HTM71 S2 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.
Wharfedale AURA CSBW HTM71 S2
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Wharfedale AURA CS |
BW HTM71 S2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.0625 x 3.5-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
AURA CS features a 1.0625 x 3.5" AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter and 2 x 5" Glass Fiber Matrix Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2.4kHz. On the other hand, the HTM71 S2 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Aerofoil Profile Woofer.
Frequency Response
AURA CS has a frequency range of 56-22k Hz whereas HTM71 S2 has a frequency range of 50-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the HTM71 S2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the AURA CS's min frequency of 56Hz.
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
AURA CS is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the HTM71 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 AURA CS 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
HTM71 S2 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas AURA CS has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the HTM71 S2.
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 AURA CS and HTM71 S2 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
AURA CS has a side firing port whereas HTM71 S2 has a rear firing ports.
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 Wharfedale AURA CS's and BW HTM71 S2's external dimensions. Wharfedale AURA CS has external dimensions of 253.0 x 616.0 x 353.0mm (24-1/4) whereas BW HTM71 S2 has external dimensions of 228.0 x 591.0 x 302.0mm (8-15/16 x 23-1/4 x 11-7/8inch).
Wharfedale AURA CS is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 25mm wider, 25mm taller and 51mm deeper than BW HTM71 S2.
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 CS is approximately 2174.5cm2 / 337.0inch2 and base area of the BW HTM71 S2 is approximately 1784.8cm2 / 276.6inch2. The AURA CS requires 22% more surface area than the HTM71 S2 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 Wharfedale AURA CS weighs 18.64kg / 41lbs and the BW HTM71 S2 weighs 18.05kg / 39.7lbs. This makes the AURA CS 3% heavier than the HTM71 S2.
Here is a comparison of how AURA CS and HTM71 S2's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
What's in the Box of Wharfedale AURA CS?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of AURA CS:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- Base
- 2 Jumper wires
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Pair of white gloves
- User Manual
What's in the Box of BW HTM71 S2?
Here are the items that come with the HTM71 S2:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Two-piece foam port plugs
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- 4 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- Manual
- Bowers Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
 Minimum Impedance |
3.8 ohms
vs
3.0 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Price per pair* |
1499USD
vs
1999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
50 Hz
vs
56 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
228mm
vs
253mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1784cm2
vs
2174cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Wharfedale AURA CS |
Bowers & Wilkins HTM71 S2 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
25-150 watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.8 ohms |
3.0 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
56-22k Hz |
50-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Glass Fiber Matrix |
Aerofoil Profile |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.0625 x 3.5" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
AMT (Ribbon) |
Decoupled Carbon Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
4" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2.4kHz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
side |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
253.0mm (10") |
228.0mm (9") |
| Width |
616.0mm (24.3") |
591.0mm (23.3") |
| Depth |
353.0mm (13.9") |
302.0mm (11.9") |
| Weight |
18.64kg (41lbs) |
18.05kg (39.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Multi-layer wood |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Piano Black,Piano Walnut,White Gloss |
Gloss Black, Satin White, Rosenut |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: Wharfedale AURA CS is the newer design, against a 2017 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | BW HTM71 S2 digs deeper - 50Hz against 56Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | BW HTM71 S2 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | B | BW HTM71 S2 takes more power (200W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | BW HTM71 S2 is easier to place; Wharfedale AURA CS is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Wharfedale AURA CS: bi-amping; BW HTM71 S2: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Wharfedale AURA CS is cheaper - $1,499 against $1,999, about 25% less. |
A Wharfedale AURA CS B BW HTM71 S2
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?
The usual trade-off: BW HTM71 S2 measures better, Wharfedale AURA CS costs about about 33% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 56Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Wharfedale AURA CS much easier to justify. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, BW HTM71 S2 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.