British audio specialists Bowers & Wilkins has announced the introduction of the 702 and 705 Signature loudspeakers.
It’s not often that B&W bestows Signature status on its loudspeakers, but with the standmount 705 Signature (£2699) and floorstanding 702 Signature (£4499), it has done just that.
Like previous Signature models, the 705 and 702 Signature have received a number of upgrades including a lavish cabinet finish and improved acoustic performance.
The Signature 702
The new 705 Signature is a two-way standmount packing a 165mm Continuum Dome mid/bass driver, and 25mm Carbon Dome tweeter in Solid Body tweeter-on-top configuration. The 702 Signature floorstander is a three-way speaker, with 3 x 165mm Aerofoil Profile bass drivers, a 150mm decoupled Continuum FST unit as well as a 25mm Carbon Dome tweeter.
Both gain a new Datuk Gloss ebony-coloured veneer, with materials supplied from sustainable sources (Italian wood company Alpi). No two models will be the same – each has different grain pattern – and on top of the work carried out by Alpi, B&W has applied nine coats of finish for a lustrous look.
Both Signature speakers feature bright metal trim rings around the mid/bass and midrange cones, as well as bright, silver-finished tweeter grilles. Attached to the back of each model is a plate with the words Signature etched in.
But what about the internals? Improvements made include upgraded crossover designs and larger heat sinks. B&W claims these improvements increase the resolution, openness and spatial retrieval the speakers can offer.
Both models feature B&W’s Carbon Dome tweeter technology. The Carbon Dome is made up of two sections: the front portion consists of a 30-micron aluminium dome stiffened by a PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) carbon coating. The second features a 300-micron carbon ring, which has been bonded to the inner face of the speaker’s structure. The result is a stiffness and resistance to distortion.
Thanks to a dedicated midrange FST drive unit, any remaining resonance has been dampened for a cleaner midrange presentation.According B&W, decoupling the speaker has led to a significant improvement in terms of the spaciousness of the sound. Bass on the 702 Signature is said to have been beefed up, with a new implementation of the 800 Series Diamond Aerofoil cone.
Both the 702 and 705 Signature are available to purchase this month (June), priced at £4499 and £2699 respectively.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
