Bowers & Wilkins introduces new 700 series speakers

The new 700 Series from Bowers & Wilkins consists of eight floorstanding, bookshelf and center channel speakers that are the best sounding and most elegant in their class.

The 700 Series utilizes many of the most advanced technologies borrowed from our flagship 800 Diamond Series , trusted by many of the world’s most renowned recording studios. The new 700 Series brings studio-quality sound into the home, in elegant, high-quality models to suit any preference and to suit any interior.

The new 700 Series continues Bowers & Wilkins ‘ policy of incorporating concepts and technologies inherited from its flagship line. As a result of an extensive, three-year research program, almost every element of the new series has been transformed, from cabinet design, drivers and finishes, to key acoustic and mechanical improvements.

Beautiful design, premium details

The new 700 series continues to be Bowers & Wilkins ‘ most comprehensive lineup ever , with eight models including: three floorstanding speakers, three shelf-mounted speakers and two dedicated home theater center channels.

For the first time for the 700 Series, the new line features slimmer cabinets with a gently curved front bezel and speakers mounted in external “pods” that form a direct visual and technical parallel with the Diamond 800 Series line . This shape greatly reduces the influence of the front panel on sound quality by minimizing the effect of sound diffraction on the cabinet, and as a result, the new series is better than ever, acoustically literally “disappears”, so that you can focus only on the music, not on overtones of the speaker cabinet.

The new cabinet shapes are not only sleeker than before, they are also offered in a brand new finish in Mocha , a beautiful grained wood that perfectly complements the updated proportions and premium details of the new 700 Series speaker cabinets. Mocha joins to the previously offered Gloss Black (polished black) and Satin White (matte white) finishes, forming a three-piece range for most markets worldwide. A fourth Rosenut veneer finish will be offered exclusively in Asia and the Pacific.

Improved speakers, new acoustic shapes

Taking a significant step forward in acoustic performance, Bowers & Wilkins now offers its iconic tweeter technology in a massive one-piece cabinet in four models of the new 700 Series, representing half of the entire lineup. The 702 S3 and 703 S3 floorstanding speakers, as well as the 705 S3 bookshelf speaker and the HTM71 S3 center channel speaker now feature a top tweeter. This means that for the first time in the 700 Series, owners have the option of building a complete home theater system based on models with a top-mounted tweeter.

The shape of the tweeter-top has also been completely redesigned in the new line. The body of the new 700-series tweeter, as always made of a single block of aluminum, has been significantly lengthened, which reduces distortion and provides an even cleaner sound. This elongated shape is further enhanced by the introduction of a two-point vibration decoupler that better mechanically isolates the tweeter from the speaker cabinet, providing a freer and more open soundstage.

In addition to these mechanical improvements, the tweeter dome retains the characteristics of the Bowers & Wilkins (Carbon Dome) 47kHz first resonance, combined with improved ventilated voice coils and new magnets . The S3 , 704 S3 , and HTM72 S3 also benefit from all of these changes, along with a significantly longer load tube that, like the tweeter-on-top, works to reduce distortion and deliver a cleaner sound.

Bionic gimbal

Bowers & Wilkins has incorporated the revolutionary bionic surround, first introduced last year with the new 800 Series Diamond , to all 3-way loudspeakers in the new range . By replacing the usual bionic fabric suspension of the centering washer, which is used in almost all acoustic systems created over the past decades, it was possible to significantly reduce unwanted noise during the operation of the midrange driver. When used, along with all other patented Bowers & Wilkins midrange technologies including vibration decoupling for the entire midrange unit, aluminum driver chassis with tuned damper masses to reduce resonances, FST™ fixed cone surroundand, of course, the famous Continuum ™ material, the result is simply amazing midrange transparency. The woofer/midrange models 707 S3, 706 S3, 705 S3 and HTM72 S3 have also been upgraded with new magnet systems and improved chassis for cleaner sound.

At the same time, the bass driver cones feature Bowers & Wilkins ‘ latest generation of Aerofoil™ technology , based on a composite “sandwich” of carefully shaped variable profile materials for cleaner, lower distortion bass.

Optimization for better sound quality

To give these drivers the best platform to succeed, the new Series 700 introduces redesigned speaker terminals based on the Series 800, with stronger contacts and better suited for use with spade connectors. From these, the audio signals are fed to carefully redesigned crossovers, which continue to use Mundorf audiophile capacitors, as before , supplemented by a few bypass capacitors. The crossover’s heatsinks have also been upgraded to achieve an even cleaner sound.

All models in the line-up feature redesigned larger-diameter bass reflex ports that have greater bandwidth for larger, more spacious sound. The floor standing 702 S3 takes this approach one step further – and even closer than ever to the 800 Series Diamond configuration – by reorienting the down port with an air outlet on the built-in base. The result is a solid and powerful speaker system that is also easier than ever to place in your home.

Finally, all floor models are equipped with significantly improved spikes for fixing to the floor. The 704 S3 and 703 S3 stainless steel M6 studs come with built-in plinths, while the 702 S3 has heavy-duty M10 studs . Even the shelf models benefit from similar mechanical improvements, thanks to the FS-700 S3 floor stand , which has been visually upgraded to match the slimmer curved profile of the new cases. Thanks to the more rigid M6 studs , it also provides improved acoustic performance.

Commenting on the new 700 Series, Andy Kerr, director of marketing and communications for Bowers & Wilkins , said: “We are very proud of our new family. By incorporating some of the reference quality technologies from our top-of-the-line 800 Diamond Series into the latest generation of the 700 Series, we’ve made studio-quality sound more affordable than ever.”

Designed, built and finished to the highest standards you’ve come to expect from Bowers & Wilkins , and equipped with some of the world’s most advanced acoustic technology, this is simply the best 700 Series, offering an unrivaled combination of elegance and sound quality.

The new 700 Series will be available from September 21st.