B&W 707 Prestige Edition

I have always recognized that this British company has demonstrated a consistency in design and manufacturing that, over the decades, has kept it firmly on course toward the pinnacle of speaker sound reproduction.

A constant pursuit of transducer optimization—achieved through research into high-performance materials—combined with systematic attention to every aspect of design and cabinet construction, has over time led to continuous performance improvements, consistently characterized by an engaging sound, with very extended high and low frequency ranges—though some earlier models exhibited slight emphasis in these areas—and a solid, well-defined soundstage.

The sound of a B&W speaker has always been characterized by detail and extreme clarity, the result of low distortion achieved through high-performance drivers and a careful selection of crossover components.

How It’s Made

This small two-way speaker is available in a version called “Prestige,” which differs from the standard model in its strikingly attractive wood finish, called “Santos Gloss,” and higher-quality details such as the polished brass rear terminals, which are very sturdy and doubled to allow for bi-wiring or even bi-amping. Finally, a real wood finish, instead of the boring white or black lacquer finishes that have plagued us in recent years. The cabinet, therefore, looks very well-crafted, especially considering the retail price—well below 2,000 euros— with the typical dimensions of a compact two-way speaker that allow it to fit into virtually any setting, though I would certainly recommend using it in rooms no larger than 30–35 square meters, preferably placing the speakers on the stands provided in the B&W catalog, which are of excellent quality. So there are no particular improvements here, unlike the models designated by the company as“Signature,”which instead feature crossovers with higher-quality components and a tweeter positioned outside the cabinet. The build quality is certainly top-notch, especially considering that the Series 7 sits just below the more prestigious Series 8, which represents the very top of the B&W lineup. The speakers share many characteristics with those used in larger models; consequently, the tweeter features a carbon-coated dome—which, according to the manufacturer, is the best material in terms of linearity and resonance frequency—shifted well beyond the perceptible limit to around 33 kHz.

Obviously, the dome’s extreme lightness and rigidity allow the transducer, in theory, to produce a very fast and detailed sound—a fact confirmed by the listening test. The small 13-cm midwoofer, called “Continuum,” features a cone made of woven composite material, and has been a hallmark of B&W ever since its debut in the 800 Diamond Series, with the goal of minimizing acoustic wave diffraction on the panel as much as possible, while also ensuring greater rigidity and lightness compared to previous Kevlar drivers. Here, too, the goal is to achieve a more neutral sound, free from unwanted resonances. The bass response is obviously supported by the reflex port, implemented as usual in the configuration known as “Flowport,” with the surface of the port featuring small dimples similar to those on a golf ball, designed to limit airflow turbulence. I haven’t been able to find the technical specifications for the crossover, though to my ear, the crossover point seems to be set rather high, to preserve low distortion and power handling in the midrange.