Bowers & Wilkins 700 3 Series User manual

Manual
700 Series 3

bowerswilkins.com
Welcome and thank you for choosing Bowers & Wilkins.
Our founder, John Bowers, believed that imaginative design,
innovative engineering and advanced technology were keys that
could unlock the enjoyment of audio in the home. His belief is one
that we continue to share and inspires every product we design.
This is a high performance product that rewards thoughtful
installation, so we suggest that you take some time to read this
manual before you begin. Continue on page 3 

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Carton Contents
The table above illustrates the component parts that are packed
with the product. In the unlikely event that anything is missing
please contact the retailer from whom you purchased the
speakers.
The tweeter assembly on 702 S3, 703 S3, 705 S3 and HTM71
S3 loudspeakers is a decoupled component that is mechanically
isolated from the main part of the cabinet. As such, it may appear
to be loose when the product is rst removed from its packaging.
This is not a fault: it is an inherent feature of the design and
ensures optimum performance from your speaker.
Environmental Information
This product complies with international directives, including but
not limited to:
i. the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) in
electrical and electronic equipment,
ii. the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of
CHemicals (REACH)
iii. the disposal of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
(WEEE).
Consult your local waste disposal authority for guidance on how
properly to recycle or dispose of this product.
Grille Foam
Plug
Rubber Foot
(self-adhesive)
Rubber Foot
(screw-on)
Spike
Foot
Plinth Allen
Key
35mm
Screw
Plain
Washer
Shakeproof
Washer
Tommy
Bar
Spanner
702 S3 1 4 4 1 1 4 4 4 1 1
703 S3
704 S3 1 1 4 4 1 1 4 4 4
705 S3
706 S3
707 S3 2 2 8
HTM71 S3
HTM72 S3 1 1 4

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Speaker Installation
702 S3 / 703 S3 / 704 S3
702 S3, 703 S3 and 704 S3 are intended to be oor mounted
only. For proper stability, always install the provided plinth, then
ensure that the speakers stand rmly on the oor using the spike
or rubber feet supplied.
You may attach the plinth during the unpacking process, following
the illustrations above or the diagrams on the top ap of the
carton.
Warning
The plinth MUST always be used, with the rubber or spike feet
inserted into the plinth. DO NOT insert rubber or spike feet
directly into the cabinet.
Note: Rubber feet installation is nearly identical to spike feet
installation. The tommy bar and spanner are only included
and used with the 702 S3 model during spike / rubber feet
installation.
702 S3 703 S3 / 704 S3
2. Positioning 702 S3 703 S3 / 704 S3

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705 S3 / 706 S3 / 707 S3
The 705 S3, 706 S3 and 707 S3 are primarily designed to be
mounted on a dedicated oor stand (FS-700 S3), but may be
placed on a shelf if preferred. However, it should be noted that
this offers less exibility to optimise the speaker’s performance.
If shelf placement must be used, we recommend using the foam
plugs (supplied) to optimise port performance (see Section 4:
Fine-Tuning).
In both installation cases, the speakers’ tweeters should be
approximately at ear height at your usual listening position.
Note: If using a shelf, ensure that it is strong enough to
properly support the weight and fit the four self-adhesive
rubber feet to the underside of the speaker.
Important Safety Notice
Sharp spikes, do not touch.
The spike feet are designed to pierce carpet and rest on the
oor surface. Initially, screw the lock nuts onto the spikes just
far enough to leave the nuts oating just above the carpet when
the spikes are resting on the oor beneath. Then, screw the
spikes fully into the threaded inserts in the plinth. If the cabinet
rocks when placed on the oor, unscrew the two spikes that do
not touch the oor until the cabinet rests rmly without rocking.
Finally, lock the nuts against the base by using the supplied
spanner to gently tighten the nut whilst using the supplied tommy
bar to stop the spike foot rotating. It may be more convenient to
t and adjust the spike feet after speaker positioning has been
optimised.
If there is no carpet and you wish to avoid scratching the oor
surface, use either a protective metal disc (a coin perhaps)
between the spike and the oor, or use the supplied rubber feet.
Fit the rubber feet and level the cabinet in the same manner as
with the spike feet.
<15mm
<29mm
<30mm
<31mm
702 S3 703 S3 / 704 S3

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Speaker Positioning
In either stereo or home theatre installations, try to ensure that the
immediate surroundings of each speaker are similar in acoustic
character. For example, if one speaker is adjacent to bare walls
while the other is adjacent to soft furnishings and curtains, both
the overall sound quality and the stereo image are likely to be
compromised.
Conventional Stereo Systems
To begin with, the speakers should be positioned between 1.5m
and 3m apart at two corners of an equilateral triangle completed
by the listening area at the third corner. The speakers should be
placed at least 0.5m away from the back and any side walls (as
per the illustration above).
HTM71 S3 / HTM72 S3
If using a projection television with an acoustically transparent
screen, position the speaker behind the centre of the screen.
Otherwise, position it either directly below or above the screen
using either a oor stand, furniture unit or wall shelf, ensuring the
speaker is as close to ear height as possible. If the speaker is
to be placed either on a shelf or in a rack shared with other AV
equipment, x the four self-adhesive rubber feet to the base of
the speaker. They provide a degree of vibration isolation.
>0.5m >0.5m
1.5m - 3m

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Home Theatre Systems
If the speakers are to be used for the front channels in a home
theatre system, they should be placed closer together than for
2-channel audio, because the surround channels tend to widen
the image. Positioning the speakers within approximately 0.5m
of the sides of the screen will also help keep the sound image
in scale with the visual image. As with conventional stereo
positioning, the speakers should ideally be at least 0.5m away
from any side walls.
Stray Magnetic Fields
The speaker drive units create stray magnetic elds that extend
beyond the boundaries of the cabinet. We recommend you keep
magnetically sensitive articles (CRT television and computer
screens, computer discs, audio and video tapes, swipe cards and
the like) at least 0.5m from the speaker. LCD, OLED and plasma
screens are not affected by magnetic elds.
>0.5m
110° - 130°
~40°
5 Channels 7 Channels
0.5m - 1m 0.5m - 1m

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Important Safety Notice
All connections should be made with the audio
equipment switched off. When using audio equipment
in normal operation, touching uninsulated speaker
terminals or wiring may result in an unpleasant sensation. The
700 S3 speaker terminals accept a variety of cable terminations:
4mm banana plugs, 6mm and 8mm (1/4 in and 5/16 in) spades,
or bare wires up to 4mm (5/32 in) diameter.
Important Safety Notice
In certain countries, notably those in Europe, the use
of 4mm banana plugs is considered a potential safety
hazard, because they may be inserted into the holes
of unshuttered mains supply sockets. In order to comply with
European CENELEC safety regulations, the 4mm holes in the
ends of the terminals are blocked by plastic pins. If you are using
the products in any country where these conditions apply, you
should ensure that any banana plugs cannot be used in an unsafe
manner by children or other uninformed persons. The plastic pins
can be removed if you wish to use banana plugs.
Ask your dealer for advice when selecting speaker cable. Keep
its total impedance below the maximum recommended in the
speaker specication and use a low inductance cable to avoid
attenuation of high frequencies.
There are two linked pairs of terminals on the back of the
speaker. For conventional connection (above left), the terminal
links should remain in place (as delivered) and just one pair of
terminals connected to the amplier. For bi-wire connections
or bi-amplication (above right), the terminal links should be
removed and each pair of terminals connected to the amplier or
ampliers independently. Bi-wiring can improve the resolution of
low-level detail.
Ensure that the positive terminals on the speaker (with red ring)
are connected to the positive output terminal on the amplier
and the negative terminals on the speaker (with black ring) are
always connected to the negative output terminal on the amplier.
Incorrect connection will not result in damage but will cause poor
stereo imaging and loss of bass. Always screw the terminal caps
down fully to prevent rattles.
3. Connections
-LF -HF +LF +HF
-LF -HF +LF +HF
Conventional Connection Bi-Wired Connection

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If no alternatives exist, you can adjust your loudspeakers’ low-
frequency performance using the supplied foam plugs. The plugs
are a two-piece part, allowing for a degree of ne-tuning using
either the outer, larger-diameter piece in isolation or the two parts
together. Using solely the outer, larger-diameter foam piece will
deliver less bass attenuation than the complete plug assembly.
If the central image lacks focus, try moving the speakers closer
together or angle them inward so that they point at a location
just in front of the listening position. If the sound is too bright,
increasing the amount of soft furnishing in the room (heavier
curtains for example) may help balance the sound. Conversely,
reducing the amount of soft furnishing may help brighten a dull
sound.
For the most discerning listening, remove the grilles by gripping
around their edges and gently pulling them away from the
cabinet.
Before ne-tuning, make sure that all the connections in the
installation are correct and secure.
Moving the speakers further from the walls will generally reduce
the volume of bass. Space behind the speakers will also help
to create an aural impression of depth. Conversely, moving the
speakers closer to the walls will increase the volume of bass.
If you want to reduce the volume of bass without moving the
speakers further from the wall, t the foam plugs or, for less
severe bass reduction, the foam rings in the port tubes (above).
If the bass seems uneven with frequency this will most probably
be due to resonance modes in the listening room. Even small
changes in the position of the speakers or the listening position
can have a profound effect on how these resonances affect the
sound. Try moving the listening position or locating the speakers
along a different wall. The presence and position of large pieces
of furniture can also inuence resonance modes.
4. Fine-Tuning

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The cabinet surfaces will usually only require dusting. We
recommend you use a soft microbre cloth. If you wish to use
an aerosol or other cleaner, apply the cleaner onto the cloth, not
directly onto the product, and test a small area rst, as some
cleaning products may damage some of the surfaces. Avoid
products that are abrasive, or contain acid, alkali or
anti-bacterial agents. Do not use cleaning agents on the drive
units. Avoid touching the drive units as damage may result.
Whenever Bowers & Wilkins speakers are nished in real wood,
the nest veneers are selected and treated with an ultra-violet
resistant lacquer to minimise changes in colour over time.
Nevertheless, like all natural materials, the veneer will respond to
its environment and a degree of colour change is to be expected.
Colour differences may be rectied by exposing all the veneer
surfaces equally and evenly to sunlight until the colour is uniform.
This process can take several days or even weeks, but may be
accelerated by careful use of an ultra-violet lamp. Wood veneered
surfaces should also be kept away from direct sources of heat
such as radiators and warm air vents in order to minimise the
possibility of the wood veneer cracking.
The tweeter housing has a textured nish that may collect
supercial marks when handled. It can be cleaned by wiping a
soft microbre cloth around the housing, in line with the surface
texture.
The performance of the speaker will change subtly during the
initial listening period. If the speaker has been stored in a cold
environment, the damping compounds and suspension materials
of the drive units will take some time to recover their correct
mechanical properties. The drive unit suspensions will also loosen
up during the rst hours of use. The time taken for the speaker to
achieve its intended performance will vary depending on previous
storage conditions and how it is used. As a guide, allow up to
a week for the temperature effects to stabilise and 15 hours of
average use for the mechanical parts to attain their intended
design characteristics.
5. Running In 6. Aftercare