Speakers are made to be listened to, but often they are also the most visible element of a stereo or surround-sound system. As such, they can be statements of personal style and taste, especially when it comes to the finish. And while most speakers come either in some sort of wood finish, or either piano gloss black or piano gloss white, there exist more exciting options. For example, the new Bowers & Wilkins 702 and 705 signature speakers that are available in a Midnight Blue metallic finish.
This new finish is the second available for the 700 Series Signature line, the first being a Datuk Gloss wood finish. The new Midnight Blue option commands a $1001 premium in the 702 signature tower, while the cost of the Datuk and Midnight Blue 705 Signature is essentially the same (technically $1 more).
The specific paint used to achieve this finish is not an arbitrary choice. The iconic Bowers and Wilkins Nautilus speaker system also featured a finish in Metallic Midnight Blue. The midnight blue finish is accentuated by a bright metallic ring surrounding the midrange (702) or mid/bass (705) driver and silver finish grills.
Pricing is set at $7499 per pair for the 702 Signature towers and $3999 per pair for the 705 Signature bookshelf speakers. Whichever model you're interested in, availability is expected either late November or December 2021.
Click to see 702 Signature and 705 Signature speakers on the Bowers & Wilkins website.
Three-way vented-box
Tweeter-on-Top
3 x 6.5” Aerofoil Profile bass
1 x 6” Continuum FST midrange, decoupled
1 x 1” Carbon Dome tweeter in Solid Body Tweeter-on-Top
2-way vented-box
Tweeter-on-Top
1 x 6.5” Continuum bass/midrange
1 x 1” Carbon Dome tweeter in Solid Body Tweeter-on-Top
Info provided by Bowers and Wilkins
Carbon Dome Tweeter
Both 700 Series Signature models feature Bowers & Wilkins Carbon Dome tweeter technology. Designed to
bridge the performance gap between the Aluminium Double Dome used in the 600 Series and the Diamond
Dome used in the 800 Series Diamond, the Carbon Dome is composed of two sections.
The front portion is a 30-micron aluminum dome that has been stiffened by a PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition)
coating of carbon. The second section is a 300-micron carbon ring that has been profiled to match the form of
the main dome. This is then bonded to the inner face of the structure. The outcome is exceptional stiffness and
resistance to distortion without undue mass and a first break-up point of 47kHz.
As with all preceding Signature products, the 705 Signature and 702 Signature are Tweeter-On-Top
designs featuring, in this case, Solid Body Tweeter technology. This design is derived entirely from the
approach used in the 800 Series Diamond and has the same performance benefits.
As with the 700 Series speakers, instead of using a hollow zinc housing, the new Signature models use the same shape milled from a solid mass of aluminum to provide a stiffer and less resonant structure. Weighing over 1kg, it is
exceptionally inert, and benefits from the same decoupling mechanism and acoustically transparent grille
design as the 800 Series Diamond. This design also allows the use of the mass of the tweeter body as a
heatsink for the dome.
Continuum cone midrange drivers were first seen in the 800 Series Diamond. The Continuum cone’s
design is based on the concept of optimised and controlled flexibility. This helps the cone to avoid the
abrupt transition from pistonic to break-up mode behaviour that drastically impairs the openness and
neutrality of a conventional drive unit. Continuum is a woven composite that gives highly controlled break-
up, for a more transparent and detailed midrange.
702 Signature is equipped with a dedicated midrange FST drive unit using a FEA-optimised aluminium chass
with a very stiff form, decoupled from the cabinet and further enhanced with the addition of a tuned mass
damper on the front face of the chassis. This dampens any remaining resonance in the structure, resulting in a
cleaner midrange presentation.
The midrange decoupling system simplifies the design used in the 800 Series Diamond for a significant
improvement in midrange spaciousness across the board.
A new implementation of the Aerofoil cone used in the 800 Series Diamond is featured on the 702
Signature, using a composite structure of inner and outer skins filled with a lightweight core of EPS. The
result is a dramatic uplift in bass performance.
