Introduced in September 2022, the Bowers & Wilkins 700 S3 series currently includes three floorstanding speakers (702 S3; 703 S3; 704 S3), three bookshelf speakers (705 S5; 706 S3; 707 S3) and two center channel models (HTM71 S3; HTM72 S3). Today, it’s expanding upwards, gaining Signature models, but as with the 800 series recently, where only the large 801 D4 floorstanding and 805 D4 bookshelf were entitled to this Signature treatment out of the seven 800 Diamond models, only three 700 models climb into this category.
Presented in a beautiful midnight blue like the 800 Signature models, the 700 Signature is also available in a classy wood cabinet. Among the floorstanders, only the largest 702 S3 becomes a Signature. This three-way speaker features improved motors on the midrange and bass drivers, better capacitors and terminals, and a more open tweeter grille, like the one developed for the 800 Signature series. The price has risen from $6,999 to $9,000 per pair, an increase of 29%.
Among the compact models, it’s obviously the largest that gets the Signature version, i.e. the 705 S3, which also sees improvements to the bass-midrange drivers, terminal blocks (four if you want to bi-wire!), capacitors and tweeter grilles. The largest center speaker, the HTM71 S3, undergoes exactly the same treatment in its Signature version. In terms of price, the 705 S3 is up from $3,399 to $4,500, and the HTM71 S3 from $2,499 to $3,300; an increase of 32%. It remains to be seen whether quality will evolve as much.
