A Unique Signature-Series Speaker That's Sure to Surpass Your Expectations
Designed with audio purists in mind, the 702 S3 Signature was crafted with the same unstinting care and precision that distinguishes all Bowers & Wilkins category-defining speakers. The results, however, are unique and will surpass your expectations.
Building on the solid foundations of some of Bowers & Wilkins' most advanced technologies, The 702 S3 Signature was optimized to reflect the latest developments in audio excellence. The smallest details can make the biggest difference, and these are the elements Bowers & Wilkins paid close attention to while fine-tuning each aspect for reference-level performance.
As the flagship speaker in the 700 Series, the 702 S3 Signature is a three-way floorstanding loudspeaker using a fully decoupled 6" midrange drive unit featuring the Continuum Cone, FST technology, and Biomimetic Suspension. It's partnered with a 1" Carbon Dome tweeter housed in a Solid Body Tweeter-on-Top configuration plus three 6.5" Aerofoil Profile bass drive units. The Signature upgrades to the 'standard' 702 S3 are significant.
Carefully Engineered Performance Upgrades
The 702 S3 Signature employs a series of carefully engineered audio upgrades designed to deliver a significant step up in performance from a model that already delivered exemplary sound.
These begin with the introduction of a new, more open tweeter grille mesh developed for the 800 Series Signature loudspeakers. Additionally, new Mundorf EVO Silver Gold Oil capacitor with Angelique wire lead-outs for high frequencies were utilized along with new Mundorf EVO Silver Gold Oil capacitor with Angelique wire lead-outs for midrange frequencies, along with new Bevenbi MPAZ-E polypropylene capacitors with zinc foil, also for the mid frequencies.
New air-core inductors for low frequency drive units were used, plus upgraded poles on mid-frequency and low-frequency motor systems with larger venting and lower inductance. Bypass capacitors were reconfigured and located in series with each other on each board, while new brass speaker terminal posts offer a cleaner signal path.
As with all Signature technologies, none of these components will be made available for 'retro-fit' to current products or added as a change to existing 700 Series S3 products. These upgrades are limited to Signature speakers.
Dazzling Exclusive Finishes
In addition to providing a no-compromise approach to sound quality, Bowers & Wilkins went all out with the rich appearance of the 702 S3 Signature. It is available in either a lustrous Midnight Blue Metallic paint or Datuk Gloss veneer, with multiple coats of paint or lacquer to deliver a supremely rich and desirable finish. Metal component parts, such as the tweeter body, are finished in Satin Black.
The drive unit pods and tweeter grilles are trimmed with a gold color diamond cut trim bezel. The tweeter grilles adopt the same advanced design and hole pattern found on the recently introduced 801 and 805 D4 Signature models for that added touch of excellence.
Each speaker features a Signature logo above its speaker terminal plate designed to highlight its exclusivity.
Biomimetic Suspension
Sometimes, making a big difference takes unconventional thinking. Drawn from the revolutionary Bowers & Wilkins 800 Series Diamond speakers, Biomimetic Suspension revolutionizes midrange performance by greatly reducing the unwanted air pressure and coloration that a traditional fabric spider can generate. The result? Midrange transparency you wouldn't believe.
Solid Body Tweeter Housing
The 700 S3 Series features the latest generation of Bowers & Wilkins iconic Solid Body Tweeter-on-Top housing. Its new, more elongated form incorporates a longer tube-loading system to produce an even more free and open sound with high frequencies. The carefully decoupled housing is milled from a single solid block of aluminum to better resist resonance.
The solid body tweeters are a high-performance design feature found previously only on the 800 Series Diamond. Designers often argue that a product's functional and aesthetic qualities are closely related. Bowers & Wilkins couldn't agree more. The solid body tweeter is engineered first and foremost for acoustic performance. But in its minimal simplicity, it's also undeniably beautiful. It's a philosophy that runs deep in the DNA of the 700 Series – a speaker range that's music to your ears and very easy on your eyes.
Carbon Dome™ Tweeter
Carbon Dome tweeters are purpose-built for the 700 Series. Delivering a dramatic improvement on the aluminum double dome tweeter, they raise the breakup threshold to 47kHz, for pinpoint imaging accuracy and detail.
Continuum™ Cone Midrange Driver
Every three-way loudspeaker in the new 700 S3 Series has a dedicated midrange cone using four key Bowers & Wilkins technologies: the Continuum cone, FST™, Biomimetic Suspension, and midrange decoupling, the latter ensuring minimal interference from the operation of the loudspeaker's bass drivers.
Thanks to its composite construction, the Continuum™ cone avoids the abrupt transitions in behavior that can impair the performance of a conventional drive unit. The result is a more open, neutral performance that delivers voices and instruments with precision and transparency.
First introduced with the 800 Series Diamond, the Continuum cone represents the biggest upgrade in midrange performance since Kevlar®. Its woven coated material provides highly controlled break-up. The midrange drivers in the floorstanders also feature a decoupled design, adapted from a similar system in the 800 Series Diamond. Decoupling reduces cabinet coloration, and further improves midrange clarity.
The floorstanding loudspeakers in the series employ a new FEA-optimized aluminum chassis for the midrange drivers. This new design is stiffer than the zinc chassis of the CM Series, for improved control and cleaner midrange presentation.
Aerofoil™ Profile Cone Woofer
Developed using advanced computer modelling techniques, the Aerofoil™ Profile bass cone has variable thickness, providing stiffness and rigidity where it's needed most. The result: deep and dynamic bass. The variable thickness design draws from the bass cones in 800 Series Diamond speakers.
Signature Series Heritage
Launched in 1991, the original Silver Signature marked two momentous occasions in the history of Bowers & Wilkins. First, it celebrated the 25th anniversary of the 1966 foundation of our company. Second, it was released as a posthumous tribute to our founder, John Bowers, who had passed away in 1987.
The Silver Signature was a fully optimized and no-expense-spared loudspeaker based on established Bowers & Wilkins thinking. The Signature concept did not introduce new technologies, such as new designs of drive units. Instead, it made the very most of existing components and processes. A great deal of attention was paid to crossover design, signal pathway, and cabinet finish.
Upon its release, the Silver Signature was a Tweeter-on-Top two-way loudspeaker similar in size to Matrix 805. However, its extreme, performance- orientated design meant it cost over four times more than an equivalent pair of Matrix 805s. Retail price was not the key deciding factor. Silver Signature was the ultimate purist choice.
Bowers & Wilkins followed the Silver Signature with the Signature 30, an elegant floorstander. In 2001, the company introduced the Signature 805 and Signature 800 and in 2006 added the Signature Diamond, complete with its all-marble Tweeter-on-Top housing and Diamond Dome diaphragm, as a celebration of its 40th anniversary. In 2020, Bowers 7 Wilkins released its first 700 Series Signature models, the 705 Signature and the 702 Signature.
Don't miss out on your chance to acquire the 702 S3 Signature and join an exclusive group of audiophiles who are satisfied with nothing less than ultimate performance.
