Bowers & Wilkins - 700 Series 2-way Bookshelf Speaker w/6.5" midbass (pair) - Gloss Black

I listened to several bookshelf speakers, but opted for towers as they have superior sound. I was looking for rear speakers for the home theater. These we much more money than I wanted to spend on rears, as I thought rears wouldn’t add much to the listening experience. I was wrong to think that. They sound amazing in conjunction with my other 700 series speakers. In movies and music they don’t get lost but rather cleanly deliver the surround sounds the movie/music maker wanted you to hear. I no longer want to listen to music coming just from the front as I want to hear these great sounding bookshelf speakers.

My search for a pair of bookshelf speakers for music listening ends with these B&W 706 S2. I started with Sonus Faber Venere 2.0, then Monitor Audio Gold 100, KEF LS50, KEF R300, Quad Z2, Focal Aria 906, and ended up with these. Not sure why I took the long way but the fun is in the journey I suppose. There is something special about these speakers and I cannot pinpoint it. Maybe it's the sweet and extended highs? Or is it the defined and tight bass? Or perhaps the open and accurate sounding mids? At the end of the day, these speakers allow me to enjoy my music and not wonder what else I could have tried in this price range. I am powering these with my Yamaha A-S1100 integrated amplifier and they match up very well. I just love how airy the tweeters sound (which is a very important characteristic for me) and not a dull moment with them. Also, if you value transparency and clarity, these 706 S2 might be your best bet, No you don't get super extended bass or the warmest sound, but you do get clarity, accuracy, and excellent instrument separation. B&W sound might not be for everyone but these fit the bill and my expectation perfectly. As for the look and build, the quality is excellent and cannot ask for more at this price. Give it a knuckle knock test and you will see how solid the cabinets are. The gloss finish is very nice and evenly applied. I will be using these in my main music system and maybe, just maybe, one day I will go for their 800 series.

This speaker has a great mid to low sound. Middle of the line up for BW but drastically out preforms tue 606 speakers. Worth the $$

Typical Bowers and wilkins product. Great sound, appearance and quality.

Been a big fan of Bowers and Wilkins for years these replaced my old CM series and wow the difference is amazing. Great looking sound amazing!!

The B&W 706s2 loudspeakers are attractive and Clear sounding. I have them paired with a subwoofer to complete both my stereo music and the front stage of my surround sound system.

The B&W 700 series bookshelf speakers have blown me away. They replaced another set of high quality bookshelf speakers that were just a little small for the size of my room. While I was expecting improvement over my old speakers I was not expecting the level of sound clarity and power I have received from these speakers. I primarily use my 5.1 surround sound for watching movies, shows and gaming and these things rock when playing a 4k blue ray. I cannot recommend these enough if you are looking to upgrade.

I bought these speakers along with a set of SVS Ultra bookshelf speakers to compare them in my main listening room on my own equipment. I have them running bi-amped from a Marantz SR 7015 receiver. When I first listened to the B&Ws out of the box (I got them on a good open box deal), they sounded very clear and well-balanced, with excellent imaging, but didn’t necessarily “wow” me. But, with a speaker of this caliber, you need to burn it in for a while before you reach peak sound. Knowing that, I kept these over the Ultras, which sounded a good bit brighter to me (even harsh in some instances). Let me say without doubt I made the right choice. With more burn in time, the B&Ws have opened up beautifully, and definitely brought the WOW. The detail in these is amazing, as are soundstage and imaging. Instruments sound like they are being played in space as opposed to just a recording of them being played. Bass is very strong for the size of the speakers and mids and highs are crystal clear without being harsh. I read other reviews on these that said to be patient with them and you will be richly rewarded. This is totally true. I suspect the original purchaser listened to them for a short time and wasn’t impressed and returned them. Well, their loss has been my gain. This is my first set of B&Ws, and I now understand the aura surrounding this brand in audiophile circles. If you are thinking about these, have no fear, be patient with them, then sit back and reap the rewards.