Bowers & Wilkins HTM72 S3 is a 2-way Passive Ported Center Channel speaker by Bowers Wilkins. Center channel speaker is an important component of a home theater system set-up as it delivers the listener significant part of the on-screen dialogue from your television. It features a 1" Decoupled Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Continuum cone Woofer. The speaker has a frequency range of 70-28k Hz and a sensitivity of 87 dB. B&W HTM72 S3 has an MSRP of 1499$.
What size of room is the B&W HTM72 S3 speaker good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use the B&W HTM72 S3 is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated its suitability to various sizes of environments considering its size and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Suitability |
| Near-field | Poor |
| Small Room | Average |
| Mid-size Room | Good |
| Large Room | Average |
| Very Large Room | 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.)
Bowers Wilkins replaced the older HTM72 S2 with this model. Follow the link to read our detailed comparison of these models:
Compare B&W HTM72 S3 vs BW HTM72 S2
What are the speakers in Bowers Wilkins's 700 S3 Series?
HTM72 S3 is a member of Bowers Wilkins's 700 S3 series of Passive speakers. Below you can see the main specs of these speakers.
Bowers Wilkins 700 S3 Series Speakers
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What is the Frequency Response of the B&W HTM72 S3 speaker?
B&W HTM72 S3 has a Frequency response range of 70-28k Hz at ±3dB and Power Range of 30-120 watts.
Here we have a comparison of how HTM72 S3's Low and High frequency values compare with the average, max and min Low and High frequency values in its class.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
High Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
What are the Impedance and Sensitivity of the B&W HTM72 S3? Is it an easy-to-drive speaker?
B&W HTM72 S3's nominal impedance level is
8 ohms but can go down to as low as
3 ohms, and has a sensitivity of
87 dB.
Sensitivity
Center Channel Speakers
8 Ohms is pretty much the standard nominal impedance amongst stereo speakers and amplifiers so Bowers & Wilkins HTM72 S3 is not considered a difficult to drive speaker from nominal Impedance perspective.
Sensitivity
With a sensitivity level of only 87 dB, Bowers & Wilkins HTM72 S3 is a difficult to drive speaker from Sensitivity perspective, make sure to choose an amplifier with a high output if you like listening to your music at high volume levels. You may especially have a hard time using Tube amplifiers which are traditionally very low power compared to Class A/B or Class D speakers.
Minimum Impedance of B&W HTM72 S3
Even though the nominal impedance of the HTM72 S3 is 8 ohms, the minimum impedance level of this speaker according to Bowers Wilkins is 3 ohms Bowers & Wilkins HTM72 S3 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 B&W HTM72 S3:
Input Type
HTM72 S3 has Binding post type connectors and lets bi-amping/bi-wiring. Bi-wiring can provide improvements in the overall transparency of your loudspeakers by running separate speaker wires to the low & high frequency drivers from a single amplifier. Bi-amping allows the use of separate amplifiers for the high & low frequency drivers of your loudspeaker which may result in greater dynamic range & lower distortion.
B&W HTM72 S3 Back View
B&W HTM72 S3 External Dimensions and Weight
B&W HTM72 S3 has external dimensions of (Height x Width x Depth) 6-1/2inch x 18-13/16inch x 11-15/16inch (166.0 x 478.0 x 304.0mm ).
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 B&W HTM72 S3 is approximately 1453.1cm2 / 225.2inch2.
WeightThe B&W HTM72 S3 weighs 9.70kg / 21.3lbs per piece. Here is a comparison of how HTM72 S3's weight compares with the average, max and min weights in its class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
Weight
Center Channel Speakers under $1500
Cabinet type and Materials
B&W HTM72 S3 has a
Ported type cabinet.
Speaker Feet
B&W HTM72 S3 comes with
4 Self-adhesive rubber feet which you can use to secure your loudspeaker on the surface that you are putting on. It is always recommended to use some kind of feet under all types of speakers. Besides limiting the movement of the speakers, it also compensates for non-flat surfaces and limits the contact surface area of the speaker. Rubber based feet also help isolating the vibrations within certain frequency ranges.
Port Position
B&W HTM72 S3 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. HTM72 S3 comes with
Two-piece foam port plug so if you don't have any choice but place the speakers too close to the walls or other surfaces, you can use these plugs in order to avoid boomy or too much bass.
Available colors
B&W HTM72 S3 is available in Gloss Black.
Does the B&W HTM72 S3 come with a Grille?
HTM72 S3 comes with magnetic 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. Since the included grille of the HTM72 S3 is magnetic type, it is very easy to put it on and off.
B&W HTM72 S3 with Grille
What's in the Box of B&W HTM72 S3?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of HTM72 S3:
Center-channel loudspeakerGrilleTwo-piece foam port plug4 Self-adhesive rubber feet4 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)ManualBowers & Wilkins brochureWarranty InformationOnline Registration Card
User's Manual
For more information about how to setup, use and maintain the Bowers & Wilkins HTM72 S3, use the direct link below to download the official manual document:
Download User Manual for B&W HTM72 S3
Official Brochure
Here is a link to download the official brochure for the Bowers & Wilkins HTM72 S3 speaker:
Official Brochure for B&W HTM72 S3
Official Product Page
Official manufacturer's product page for the Bowers & Wilkins HTM72 S3 speaker can be found below:
Official Product Page for B&W HTM72 S3
Warranty
5 Years of parts warranty and 5 Years of labor warranty is generally provided by the manufacturer.