Bowers & Wilkins 706 S3

Bowers & Wilkins 706 S3

The Bowers & Wilkins 706 S3 is a two-way stand-mount loudspeaker that sits at the top of the 700 Series, and it carries more than a little of the thinking that defines the 800 Series Diamond — the range used in Abbey Road Studios and some of the world's most demanding recording environments. Martins Hi-Fi is the second oldest Bowers & Wilkins dealer in the world, and the 706 S3 is one of the standout reasons we continue to recommend this brand without hesitation.

Decoupled Carbon Dome Tweeter

The 706 S3's 25mm Carbon Dome tweeter was purpose-designed for the 700 Series rather than adapted from elsewhere. Carbon raises the breakup threshold dramatically — the point at which the dome stops behaving as a rigid piston and introduces distortion — and decoupling it from the cabinet isolates it further from unwanted vibration. The result is high-frequency reproduction that stays composed and precise well beyond the range of human hearing, which matters because energy above audibility still colours what you can hear. Imaging accuracy and fine detail — the breath before a vocal, the decay of a piano note — are where this tweeter does its most audible work.

Continuum™ Cone Bass/Midrange

The 165mm Continuum cone bass/midrange driver is one of the technologies that trickled down from the 800 Series Diamond. Continuum is a woven composite material developed by Bowers & Wilkins specifically to avoid the abrupt changes in behaviour — known as breakup modes — that afflict conventional cone materials at certain frequencies. Where a standard cone can introduce a sudden colouration as it approaches its limits, the Continuum cone transitions smoothly, keeping voices and instruments clean and free of the slight hardness that less sophisticated materials can add. For a stand-mount speaker handling a wide frequency range from 50Hz to 28kHz, that evenness across the midrange is critical.

Flowport™

The 706 S3 uses a Flowport — a dimpled reflex port whose surface texture is designed to smooth airflow and reduce the chuffing noise that conventional ports can generate at higher volumes. A cleaner port means lower-frequency extension without the turbulence that compromises bass definition.

Cabinet Design

The curved cabinet baffle and individual drive unit pods take their cues directly from the 800 Series Diamond. Curved surfaces scatter diffraction rather than allowing it to build up around the drive units, and mounting each driver in its own pod means cabinet resonances from one unit cannot easily migrate to the other. The net effect is that what you hear comes from the drive units, not from the box around them.

Technical Specifications

Rosenut finish is available in APAC markets only. Grille colours: Black (with Gloss Black and Mocha); Grey (with Satin White only).

Who Is It For?

The 706 S3 suits listeners who want a genuinely accomplished stand-mount speaker and have the room and amplification to let it perform. With a sensitivity of 88dB and a recommended amplifier power of 30W–120W into 8Ω, it is not fussy about amplification, but it rewards quality — pair it with a capable integrated amplifier and it will tell you clearly what that amplifier is doing. It is not the right choice for very small rooms where a smaller two-way would be better served, nor for anyone committed to high-power valve amplifiers given the minimum impedance of 3.7Ω. For everyone else with a serious interest in what a stand-mount speaker can do, it is a compelling answer.

Buying from Martins Hi-Fi

Martins Hi-Fi has been in Norwich since 1968. Elizabeth Gould runs the business today, and we stock only brands we have heard properly and stand behind. The 706 S3 is available to audition at our Norwich showroom — bring your own music and hear what it does with recordings you know well. When you get in touch, you'll be speaking with Dave, Chris, and the rest of our team — experienced specialists who can advise on this product and your whole system.

Contact us at info@martinshifi.co.uk, call 01603 627010, or WhatsApp on 07554 687137. You can read more about how we work on our Why Martins Hi-Fi page. We are at 85–91 Ber Street, Norwich, NR1 3EY.

If you are building a system around the 706 S3, our Bowers & Wilkins ASW610 subwoofer pairs naturally with it for those who want more bass extension, and the Bowers & Wilkins DB2D is worth considering if a powered subwoofer with room correction is the direction you want to go.