British loudspeaker manufacturer, Bowers & Wilkins have launched the latest generation of their successful 700 series, now called the 700 S3. The range comprises three floorstanders, three stand mounted speakers, two centre channels and a matching subwoofer.

The former CM range joined the 700 Series some time ago but every time a replacement or upgrade was launched the results were absolutely spectacular. It’s safe to say that we can’t wait to hear the next instalment when they arrive.

B&W 706 S3 in gloss black and 707 S3 in mocha

But for the time being, here at Audio T Swindon we have two of the stand mounted speakers of the new 700 S3 range, the 707 S3 and the 706 S3….

Blown away by walking into our demonstration room

I was about to walk into our demonstration room because I heard some good music playing in there. The music wasn’t overly loud, more at a reasonable volume level but something got my feet tapping (you know what I mean). What happened to me can only be described as one of these jaw-dropping moments when I opened the door and realised that it was a pair of B&W 707 S3, connected to a Rega system (Rega Aethos, Rega Saturn MK3 and a Rega Planar 6). Wow, it sounded big, and the bass was tight but not overblown and the midrange and treble blended in nicely. It just makes you want to sit down and listen to more music,

B&W 706 S3 and 707 S3 now ready for demonstration

B&W 707 S3 - A devil in disguise

The B&W 707 S3 are the smallest pair of new 700 S3 series. They are available in gloss black, satin white and a new finish, mocha. The 707 S3 feel very solid with each of them weighing over 6kg. This is due to the quality cabinet, the internal bracing that reduces unwanted vibrations and of course the high-quality drive units.

This speaker is like a devil in disguise, and it will stand its ground without problems if you play some tight bass through them. At the same time the bass doesn’t dominate the midrange or treble. What leaves us speechless is how room filling they sound for their size. A great song that I love to demonstrate speakers with is Homeless from Paul Simon’s album, Graceland. It’s this big and spacious sound that gives us goosebumps all the way.

As this is a standmount speaker, we found it works best on a solid stand to bring the tweeter up to ear level. The FS-700 S3 stands featured in one of the photos above, are the perfect companion and can also be filled with sand or an inert filler for a better performance.

Bowers & Wilkins 706 S3 - “Truly amazing with punch and finesse”…

The Bowers & Wilkins 706 S3 are the next model above the 707 S3. They are larger in size and that is exactly how they sound. A larger cabinet and a higher sensitivity, two reasons why the 706 S3 are ideal for people who like the 707 S3 but want more of that big, lush sound.

There are many good guidelines as to how to buy a pair of loudspeakers. Our best advice is to give us some time, bring some CDs or records and book a demonstration here with us. Here at Audio T Swindon, our two different sized demonstration rooms will help you find the speaker that works for you.

For more information please feel free to call us on 01793 538222 or send an email to swindon@audio-t.co.uk.