The Signature standmount revises its Continuum motor and parts of the signal path.
The 705 S3 Signature retains Tweeter-on-Top and adds engineering changes.
The pair of Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3 Signature speakers combines a 25 mm Carbon Dome with a 165 mm Continuum bass/midrange driver. Against the regular 705 S3, its cone motor is upgraded, capacitors are improved, terminals are revised and the tweeter mesh is more open. Unlike the 702 S3 Signature tower, this remains a compact two-way: there is no separate FST midrange or extra Aerofoil woofer.
Key features
- Two ways: 25 mm Carbon Dome in Solid Body Tweeter-on-Top and a 165 mm Continuum bass/midrange
- Upgraded bass/midrange motor, improved capacitors, revised terminals and a more open tweeter mesh
- Response 50 Hz-28 kHz (±3 dB), sensitivity 88 dB; 8-ohm impedance (3.7-ohm minimum)
- Recommended amplifier 30-120 W; Flowport-vented cabinet
- 345 × 192 × 297 mm cabinet; 413 mm high with tweeter; 10.35 kg each
A focused revision
The tweeter stays in its Solid Body housing above the cabinet, and Flowport tunes the vented enclosure. Here the motor changes concern the single unit responsible for bass and midrange; the 702 Signature also modifies the motors of its three bass drivers. Crossover parts and terminals change without altering driver diameters. The familiar exterior thus houses different components and a revised dome guard.
Positioning on stands
The cabinet is 345 mm high and the tweeter brings overall height to 413 mm. Depth increases from 297 to 337 mm including grille and terminals. Dedicated stands are sold separately. Each speaker weighs 10.35 kg, compared with 9.58 kg for the regular version: allow a stable platform, clearance above the tweeter and room for cables behind.
Response at ±3 dB is 50 Hz-28 kHz and sensitivity 88 dB, figures shared with the 705 S3. The recommended 30-120 W amplifier range into 8 ohms and 3.7-ohm impedance minimum remain. These figures guide matching, while the Signature distinction lies in the motor, crossover components, connections and mesh. For a three-way floorstander in the same edition, consider the 702 S3 Signature. The enclosure depth with grille and terminals is unchanged at 337 mm, so the revised engineering does not call for a deeper stand platform than the regular model. Allow for the top tweeter and rear wiring in either case.
