Bowers & Wilkins have just launched their new 700 Series loudspeakers, which, they say, develops the ethos of the CM Series that the 700 series replaces, plus adds technology from the 800 Series Diamond and new, bespoke acoustic innovations.

The series sees the implementation of technology first seen in the high-end 800 Series Diamond alongside bespoke technology newly developed for the 700 series. Technologies that have ‘trickled down’ from the 800 Series Diamond include the Continuum midrange driver which now features on every model in this new range.

The new 700 Series also benefits from a bespoke version of the Aerofoil profile bass driver plus improved tweeter-on-top housings on the two flagship models that are crafted from solid billets of aluminium. Both were first seen on the 800 Series Diamond. New technologies come first and foremost in the shape of Carbon Braced tweeters which B&W say is their best performing ‘non-Diamond’ tweeter that they have ever produced.

The new 700 Series comprises eight models, two with Tweeter-on-Top technology including the flagship 702 S2 (pictured above). The range includes three floorstanding models, three standmount speakers and two dedicated centre channels for surround sound and home theatre use. All models are available in a choice of Gloss Black, Satin White and Rosenut finishes. The launch also sees the announcement of a new subwoofer. The fourth model in the new DB Series, the DB4S is a single-driver subwoofer that shares drive unit technology, amplification and preamp section with the dual-driver DB2D, but in a single driver format. It has a single 10in Carbon Aerofoil drive unit in a forward-firing configuration plus 1000w of amplification and a digital preamp section with Dynamic EQ, Room EQ and an App-based configuration system. It is available in colours to match the 700 Series.

The Technology

Carbon Dome Tweeter

The new 700 Series introduces an entirely new Bowers & Wilkins tweeter technology: the Carbon Dome. A tweeter that bridges the performance gap between the Aluminium Double Dome used in the 600 Series and the Diamond Dome used in the 800 Series Diamond. The Carbon Dome is composed of two sections. The front portion is a 30 micron aluminium dome that has been stiffened by a PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) coating of carbon. The second section is a 300-micron Carbon Ring that has been profiled to match the form of the main dome. This is then bonded to the inner face of the structure. The outcome is exceptional stiffness and resistance to distortion without undue mass and a first break-up point of 47kHz.

Solid Body Tweeters

The 705 S2 and 702 S2 Tweeter-On-Top designs feature Solid Body Tweeter technology. This design is derived entirely from the approach used in the 800 Series Diamond and has the same performance benefits. Instead of using a hollow zinc housing, the 705 S2 and 702 S2 use a shape milled from a solid mass of aluminium to provide a stiffer and less resonant structure, it weighs over 1kg. This design allows the use of the mass of the tweeter body as a heatsink, and means it can benefit from the same decoupling mechanism and acoustically transparent grille design as the 800 Series Diamond.

Continuum cone

Each model in the new 700 Series features the Continuum cone midrange drivers first seen in the 800 Series Diamond. The Continuum cone’s design is based on the concept of optimised and controlled flexibility. This helps it avoid the abrupt transition from pistonic to break-up mode. Like Kevlar, it is a woven composite.

Midrange chassis

The new 700 Series has three floorstanding loudspeakers in the range, all equipped with dedicated midrange drive units. These midrange units use a new Finite Element Analysis-optimised aluminium chassis that is stiffer than the zinc chassis of the outgoing CM Series. This optimised form is further enhanced with the addition of a tuned mass damper on the front face of the chassis.

Midrange decoupling

A new midrange decoupling system simplifies the design used in the 800 Series Diamond, and replaces the drawbar design previously employed in CM10 S2.

New Aerofoil cone

A new implementation of the Aerofoil cone used in the 800 Series Diamond has been developed for the 700 Series. The new design uses paper rather than carbon fibre skins, and the sandwich filling material is now EPS, not syntactic foam as used in 800 Series Diamond and DB Series subwoofer.

702 S2
£3299

Floor stander

3-way vented-box

Tweeter on Top

3 x 165mm Aerofoil Profile bass

1 x 150mm Continuum FST midrange, decoupled

1 x 25mm Carbon Dome tweeter in Solid Body Tweeter-on-top

705 S2 (pictured above)

£1799

Stand-mount

2-way vented-box

Tweeter on top

1 x 165mm Continuum bass/midrange

1 x 25mm Carbon Dome tweeter in Solid Body Tweeter-on-top

703 S2
£2399

Floor stander

3-way vented-box

2 x 165mm Aerofoil Profile bass

1 x 150mm Continuum FST midrange, decoupled

1 x 25mm Carbon Dome tweeter

704 S2
£1999

Floor stander

3-way vented-box

2 x 130mm Aerofoil Profile bass

1 x 130mm Continuum FST midrange, decoupled

1 x 25mm Carbon Dome tweeter

706 S2
£1099

Stand-mount

2-way vented-box

1 x 165mm Continuum bass/midrange

1 x 25mm Carbon Dome tweeter

707 S2
£799

Stand-mount

2-way vented box

1 x 130mm Continuum bass/mid

1 x 25mm Carbon Dome tweeter

HTM72 S2
£599

2-way vented-box

2 x 130mm Continuum bass/mid

1 x 25mm Carbon Dome tweeter

HTM71 S2
£899

3-way vented-box

2 x 165mm Aerofoil Profile bass

1 x 100mm Continuum FST midrange

1 x 25mm Carbon Dome tweeter

FS-700 S2
£399

Speaker stand for use with 707 S2, 706 S2 and 705 S2, available in Black or Silver finishes.

DB4S

£1350

Single 10in forward-firing drive unit

Carbon Aerofoil cone

1000w Hypex amplifier

DB-D digital pre-amp technology plus App control