When it comes to HiFi speakers, one of the most prestigious brands will definitely be Bowers and Wilkins. It is a speaker brand that is always associated with premium sound quality and exceptional sonic performance. The Bowers and Wilkins 702 S2 is one of such high-quality speakers and deserves to partner with the best amplifiers that can truly drive them to their fullest potential.
If you are planning to get a worthy amplifier for your 702 S2 floor-standing speakers then look no further. We are going to list out the best amps which you can go for and pair them with Bowers and Wilkins 702 S2. Before we do, we must first find out more about these magnificent floor-standing speakers, their strengths, requirements, and sonic characteristics. By understanding them and gathering enough data, we will be able to find the best matching amplifier to power the B&W 702 S2 floorstanders.
Table of Contents
Sound Characteristics and Merits of Bowers and Wilkins 702 S2
They look absolutely gorgeous, and even on the side, with the Decoupled Carbon Dome tweeter sitting elegantly on top of the speaker cabinet, they are stylish looking. The 1 inch (25mm) high-frequency tweeter is so iconic, you will immediately recognize it as one of Bowers & Wilkins’ top-quality speakers. The elegance of the Bowers and Wilkins 702 S2 will fit in nicely in your home and grab the attention of your guests. The high-end speaker cabinet design would aesthetically match well with most amplifiers. Below the tweeter, you will see a 6 inch (150mm) Continuum cone FST midrange and three 6.5 inch (165mm) Aerofoil Profile bass drivers. Behind these floorstanders, you will find the B&W Flowports (bass ports). It is recommended to give the Bowers and Wilkins 702 S2 enough breathing room (min 0.5m away from walls), and they work best in a large-size room.
The frequency range of the Bowers and Wilkins 702 S2 is simply superb, it is between 28Hz and 33kHz (-6dB) and the frequency response is 46Hz-28kHz (±3dB). We are certainly expecting deep, clean, and powerful bass from them. The speaker sensitivity is 90dB which is good. The nominal impedance is 8 Ohms (min. 3.1 Ohms) and the recommended amplifier power is between 30-300 Watts. For sure, the Bowers and Wilkins 702 S2 needs a lot of high-quality power, and going for a preamp/power combo will be a good option. We will be leaving out adding a subwoofer into the mix, and so with this amount of information, we have already started to filter down the potential amplifier choices.
More Details of Bowers and Wilkins 702 S2 at Amazon
They are not joking about studio-quality sound, the Bowers and Wilkins 702 S2 is a very revealing pair of floor-standing speakers. Every detail of the music has been dug out and reproduce with such clarity, that even at moderate volumes, they are still audible. The sound reproduction is clean, pristine, and high resolution, even at high volumes, the treble isn’t strained. Bad recordings beware though, the Bowers and Wilkins 702 S2 don’t show mercy to them. These speakers bring the musicians to life on a wide and deep soundstage as each of them is well-defined and accurately positioned. The stereo imaging is incredibly sharp and the music presentation is so faithful to what the artists have intended.
The sense of realism is also partly due to the high-quality bass reproduction of the Bowers & Wilkins 702 S2 speakers. Very deep bass are been delivered with confidence and tightness, it doesn’t linger, it comes and goes as it should be. The richness and the accuracy of the bass also creates a sense of weight and presence of the instruments. The percussions are very detailed and natural sounding, the resonance of the drum makes it as if it is been played in front of you. The midrange also plays a major role in the overall sonic performance as well, delivering realistic and natural-sounding vocals/instruments with unbelievable clarity and transparency.
The Bowers and Wilkins 702 S2 timing is impeccable and engaging, with all the drivers working seamlessly together, along with the crystal clear clarity of the sound reproduction, you got yourself an exhilarating music listening experience. The studio-grade quality sound will no doubt work well in a home theater environment. There’s certainly no need for a subwoofer unless you are looking to get a high-quality professional subwoofer like Ken Kreisel. The Bowers and Wilkins 702 S2 is bright sounding but not anywhere near harsh or hard sounding. This floor-standing speaker scales well with power too. Now we have gathered all the necessary data, it is time to list out the best amps which you can go for and partner with the magnificent Bowers and Wilkins 702 S2 loudspeakers.
Bowers and Wilkins 702 S2 Specifications
- Speaker Type: 3-way vented-box system
- Drive Units: 1 inch (25mm) Decoupled Carbon Dome tweeter, 6 inch (150mm) Continuum cone FST midrange, and three 6.5 inch (165mm) Aerofoil Profile bass drivers
- Frequency Response (±3dB): 46Hz-28kHz
- Frequency Range (-6dB): 28Hz-33kHz
- Recommended amplifier power: 30-300 Watts
- Nominal Impedance: 8 Ohms (min 3.1 Ohms)
- Sensitivity (2.83V/1m): 90dB
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 994mm x 200mm x 337mm | 39″ x 7.9″ x 13.3″
- Weight: 29.5kg (65lbs)
Best Amps to match with Bowers and Wilkins 702 S2
The Hegel H390 is one of the best amps to go with your Bowers and Wilkins 702 S2, the H390 has garnered so much praise and awards that makes them a very worthy partner. The Dual Mono amp technology is one of the feature sets itself apart from other integrated amplifiers at their price range. This feature alone already lowers the total distortion and provides a higher dynamic range. The Hegel H390 high-quality power fuels your Bowers and Wilkins 702 S2 to reproduce high-resolution beautiful sounding music, that is both rich and filled with details. The soundstage is vast and deep, with ultra-realistic performances happening right in front of you. You should definitely have an audition with the Hegel H390 along with your B&W 702 S2 speakers.
The Classe Sigma 2200i is a very powerful amplifier that can drive your Bowers and Wilkins 702 S2 with ease, you will be getting 200 Watts into 8 Ohms and 400 Watts into 4 Ohms with both channels driven. The inviting crisp highs of Classe Sigma 2200i and the warm-sounding nature make it easier to listen to them for hours on end. It is a very revealing amplifier as well but never sounded clinical which is great. The clarity and dynamics are exceptional, the Classe Sigma 2200i will fit well with your Bowers and Wilkins 702 S2 as both complement each other without compromising the sound quality. The Sigma 2200i has loads of features such as Digital Signal Processing, DLNA, and AirPlay streaming, etc.
For HiFi separates, you might want to check out Rotel as their amplifiers are usually well-matched with Bowers & Wilkins speakers. For preamplifiers, the Rotel RC-1590MKII is an amazing choice, with its ultra-low distortion to provide you with the quietest of background and natural sound clarity. This reference preamp has a built-in premium DAC, Moving Magnet Phono input, aptX, and many more. For power amplifiers, the Rotel RB-1590 is a matching choice with the RC-1590MKII and powerful enough to drive your Bowers and Wilkins 702 S2 to their fullest potential. With this preamp and power amp combo, along with your 702 S2 speakers, they can handle most music genres without breaking a sweat.
The Yamaha A-S3200 is one of the best amplifiers that you can partner with your Bowers and Wilkins 702 S2 floor-standing speakers. It is a musical amp that focuses on reproducing faithful music presentation as close to the intention of the artists and does it beautifully. With the transparent sound reproduction and the insight that the Yamaha A-S3200 brings to the table combining with the sonic prowess of Bowers and Wilkins 702 S2, you got yourself a studio-quality home audio system that unravels every detail of your favorite tunes. The sonic characteristics really match well with the 702 S2 floorstanders, and you should hear them out, see if you like how they deliver your music.
More Information at Amazon – Yamaha A-S3200BL Integrated Amplifier
The Musical Fidelity preamp and power amp combination will be a terrific option for your Bowers and Wilkins 702 S2 speakers. For the preamplifier section, you can go for Musical Fidelity M6S PRE, the Pure Class A design that delivers smooth and clean sound quality with precision and impeccable timing. It has plenty of details and does packs a punch when it is required to, all it needs now is a matching power amplifier. And for that, you can go for the Musical Fidelity M6S PRX power amplifier which has garnered lots of accolades. It uses a dual-mono design to provide clean power to your speakers. The M6S PRX has other technology such as CRPS that delivers an extremely quiet background and precision imaging.
More Details at Amazon – Musical Fidelity M6s PRE
For home theater setup, we will suggest either going for Marantz or Yamaha AV receivers, both are a tad more musical sounding when compared to other brands. Marantz has one of the best room correction technology, Audyssey, which really helps a lot when trying to calibrate your speakers to sound their best in most listening rooms. The Yamaha sonic signature is well-matched with your Bowers and Wilkins 702 S2 speakers. You will probably need additional power amplifiers to drive the 702 S2 as the AV receivers may not have enough power output. You can go with the mentioned power amplifiers above. If your budget is tight and price-vs-performance is more important, you might want to take a look at Emotiva power amplifiers.
More Details at Amazon – Yamaha CX-A5200 AVENTAGE 11.2-Ch AV Preamplifier
More Details at Amazon – Yamaha AVENTAGE 11-Channel Power Amplifier
To Sum It Up
It is recommended to audition the listed amplifiers or AV receivers before making a decision. They are all worth your time and effort to hear them out. If possible you should do a side-by-side comparison and find out which amplifier sounds best with your Bowers and Wilkins 702 S2 floor-standing speakers. If you are looking for other brands and models, the list here can be used as references when searching for amplifiers on your own.
