Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature is a 2-way Passive Bass Reflex Bookshelf speaker by Bowers Wilkins. It was released in 2024. It features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer.
The Signature 705: a 165 mm Continuum bass/midrange under the decoupled carbon dome in its own housing on top of the cabinet.
The speaker has a frequency range of 50-28k Hz and a sensitivity of 88 dB. Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature has an MSRP of 5200$ per pair.
Room Size Suitability
The size of the room where you plan to use the Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature is a crucial factor in your decision. We have assessed its suitability for various room sizes based on its dimensions and maximum power output:
| Listening Environment* |
Suitability |
| Near-field | Average |
| Small Room | Good |
| Mid-size Room | Average |
| Large Room | Poor |
| Very Large Room | Bad |
(* 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.)
Bowers Wilkins's 700 S3 Signature Series of Loudspeakers
705 S3 Signature is a member of Bowers Wilkins's 700 S3 Signature series of Passive speakers. Below you can see the main specs of these speakers.
Bowers Wilkins 700 S3 Signature Series Speakers
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Frequency Response of the Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature Speaker
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature has a Frequency response range of 50-28k Hz at ±0.0dB and Power Range of 30-120 watts. With a minimum frequency of 50 Hz, 705 S3 Signature delivers moderate bass depth so depending on your use case, you might want to consider adding a subwoofer to your system.
Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available subwoofer options.
Here we have a comparison of how 705 S3 Signature's Low and High frequency values compare with the average, max and min Low and High frequency values in its class.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature
Among the speakers in our database with a max MSRP price of 10000$ (Pair), these are the 3 Passive Bookshelf speakers that have the deeper bass levels than the Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature's 50Hz:
Impedance and Sensitivity
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature's nominal impedance level is
8 ohms but can go down to as low as
3.7 ohms, and has a sensitivity of
88 dB.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature
8 Ohms is pretty much the standard nominal impedance amongst stereo speakers and amplifiers so Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature is not considered a difficult to drive speaker from nominal Impedance perspective.
Sensitivity
88dB of the Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature is an average sensitivity for stereo speaker so it is neither easy nor difficult to drive Sensitivity wise.
Minimum Impedance of the Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature
Even though the nominal impedance of the 705 S3 Signature is 8 ohms, the minimum impedance level of this speaker according to Bowers Wilkins is 3.7 ohms Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature so while choosing an amplifier, you should ideally check if the unit you are considering can provide this impedance level.
Check the amplifiers that are in a similar price range to the Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature:
Input Type
705 S3 Signature has Binding post type connectors and lets bi-amping/bi-wiring. Bi-wiring can enhance the overall transparency of your loudspeakers by using separate speaker wires for the low and high-frequency drivers from a single amplifier. Bi-amping, on the other hand, involves using separate amplifiers for the high and low-frequency drivers, potentially resulting in a greater dynamic range and reduced distortion.
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature External Dimensions and Weight
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature has external dimensions of (Height x Width x Depth) 16-1/4 x 7-9/16 x 11-11/16inch (413.0 x 192.0 x 297.0mm ).
Base Surface Area
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base area of Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature is approximately 570.2cm2 / 88.4inch2.
WeightThe Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature weighs 10.35kg / 22.8lbs per piece. Here is a comparison of how 705 S3 Signature's weight compares with the average, max and min weights in its class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature
Weight
Bookshelf Speakers under $10000
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature
Cabinet type and Materials
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature has a
Bass Reflex type cabinet. Bass Reflex type loudspeakers (aka Ported, Vented or Reflex Port) have enclosures that uses a port, hole or vent cut into the cabinet. Ported designs are generally more efficient than the Sealed designs.
Port Position
Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature is a rear-firing port speaker so you have to make sure you leave enough space between the back of the speaker and wall or bookshelf so that it has room to breathe.
Wall Mounting
705 S3 Signature doesn't sport any built-in mounting bracket, so you need an external structure to mount it on walls.
Does the Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature come with a Grille?
705 S3 Signature comes with grilles. The purpose of the grille is to protect the delicate driver elements from external impacts while still allowing the sound to pass as clearly as possible.
Recommended Accessories
Here is a list of accessories that we think you may need for the Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature.
- Speaker Cable and Connectors
- Vibration Isolators: IsoAcoustics isolators are our favorite isolators but you may find more affordable options too.
- Acoustic Panels and Treatments: Your room is as important as your stereo equipment so acoustic treatments goes a long way in improving the overall performance.
- Speaker Stands: Stands bring your bookshelf speakers to ideal height (rule of thumb is to have the tweeter level with your ear in your listening position), helps stability and acoustical isolation.
Official Product Page
Official manufacturer's product page for the Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature speaker can be found below:
Official Product Page for Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature
Warranty
5 Years of parts warranty and 5 Years of labor warranty is generally provided by the manufacturer.