Bowers & Wilkins - 700 Series 2-way Bookshelf Speaker w/ Tweeter on top, 6.5" midbass (pair) - Rosenut

I picked these bookshelves over the 702 S2 towers for its musicality, tonal balance and mid bass presence. My decision was based off a side by side comparison at the best buy Magnolia demo room. Both speakers were driven by Rotel 1592, fed by Tidal via the salesman’s iphone. The Best Buy branch also had Macintosh integrated amp but I didnt bother with it as I knew B&Ws are tested with Rotels during RnD. I would have tried with Classe Sigma 2200 if they had one. Upon hooking up to my humble rig (NAD 375 BEE DAC) I knew these 705 S2s are a keeper. They sound bigger than they look, beating most tower speakers in presence and imaging. For the record, i dont use subs in my 2 ch rig, just plain vanilla 2.0. 50+ hours of playtime later, the mids opened up even better, almost sounding like the 800 series. These continuum drivers inherited from the higher series really make a difference. They truly define that signature B&W sound - neutral, balanced, and life-like. Reviews dont give these 705 S2s justice. Go demo yourself. Don’t get intimidated by the price tag. The Magnolia reps may even give you disount for buying up front.

I wanted so badly to love these. Maybe so much that I set the bar way to high. I started with the 606 S2 and I loved it. Then I thought, if this is so nice, then why not step up to the 706 S2? I did just that and was immediately floored in the difference. Then that little voice inside me said psssst.....what about the 705 S2???? Best Buy had an open box set that was only $400 more than the the 706’s so I said what have I got to lose? Upon first testing of them I said hmmmm....is my wiring out of phase? No it wasn’t. i played a few more tracks but I didn’t get that initial tingle down my spine that I was hoping for. I toed them in a little, then a little more. I moved seats. I closed my blinds. I turned off my lights. (Not really, but I really tried everything) I listened to a wide range of music. I watched countless movie clips. Listening to Janis Joplin was truly a painful experience. It literally hurt. I read countless reviews about B&W having a certain sound that shall we say are sharp, harsh or sibilant. With the 606 and 706 I did not have any complaints what so ever. The 705’s though, to me, are very bright. Much much more so than the others. Then it hit me, the tweeters are at a different height now! It’s about 3 inches higher than the 706. So me being the genius I am, I grabbed a pillow to sit on to raise my ears lol. Still nothing. The low end also has a different sound. Maybe because the driver is in line with the port? It doesn’t have that punch that got with the 706. The 705’s seem to have more of a mid range sound. I am not a certified audiophile by any means. I do however have the experience of having heard many many different speakers. The 706’s are in the very high range of that list. The 705’s, definitely not. In case you are wondering, I am running these off of a NAD T758 V3i. I know it’s not a Rotel but it’s definitely no slouch for sure. I can’t really blame the receiver for the sound, especially when it has been what was powering the other B&Ws. I don’t think these are worth the extra money to be honest. I’m sure there’s people who would say differently. I’m sure there’s even one person reading saying “this guys out of his mind! He wouldn’t know good sound if it slapped him in the face!” I do love the way it looks though. It’s top notch in that department. Just wish I could have loved it more.

What an elegant looking and sounding speaker. Even without proper set up just for my initial sound test they were amazing. Being a current owner of the 606 series one I can tell you these are a humongous step up. The soundstage opens up to magical levels the 606 cannot replicate and the amount of detail is immaculate. I’ve never heard the 800 series and I’m sure that they are a step above this but I could probably say in confidence this probably gives you 85 to 90% of what the 800 series gives you. Truly amazing and highly recommended. Great for music and movies.

The speakers are wonderful, and a good value. But then anywhere else you can find a value and not Best Buy. I hesitate to call what I received as customer service. From start to finish the service sucked.

These speakers are amazing. These are worth every penny!!! Don't know what else to say

After several months of nearly daily use of these speakers, they have proven to be very satisfying on all types of music.

These were a great value before price increased to 3k. There are a lot of better speakers on the market once you get to the 3k price point.

I love these speakers. These are super high quality and done awesome!