The 702 Signature takes its cleverness and uses it to deliver emotional content rather than laboratory brownie points

The Bowers & Wilkins 702 Signature is not just a great looking speaker with a deluxe finish, it’s a refinement of what was already a damn fine speaker that takes performance to the next level. There may be competitors that deliver an equally impressive combination of performance and looks for the price, but I’ve yet to hear them.

The Bowers & Wilkins 705 Signature is the product of a mature and experienced company that understands the musical imperatives of overall balance and listenability. A compact loudspeaker that can shrug off the bonds of its modest proportions and become something much grander is a rarity, but the B&W most assuredly does these things. In sum, the 705 Signature is what I’d describe as a true musical sophisticate—a natty dresser and a formidable addition to any listening room.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed having the Bowers & Wilkins 705 Signature in my system. Surprised, because the speaker's measured performance implies a somewhat "tailored" sonic character. The 705 Signature's treble balance will work best with components that are themselves not forward-sounding. However, in my system, this elegant loudspeaker stepped out of the way of the music in a very satisfying manner. Strongly recommended

Yes, the sound of the 702 Sigs has been both refined and, I suspect, given a slightly more commercial edge. This isn't the purest-sounding design around, but it's both hugely enjoyable and musically very rewarding. They are very room-friendly and easy enough to match, provided you give them some amp power to work with, and the tried-and-tested in-house drivers work well in this swish new cabinet.

Your decision will probably be B&W or the other choices, or between the Signature and standard models. However, in terms of what’s available in the $5,000 – $7,000 range that we’ve had the pleasure to audition, the Bowers & Wilkins 702 Signature is a solid player in terms of sound quality, engineering prowess, and aesthetic appeal. Not to mention, as one of the world’s largest speaker manufacturers, you can be sure of a great sales, service, and support network to go with your purchase.

I was already impressed with the performance of the B&W 702 S2 model when I first reviewed it. Now, the B&W 702 Signature edition takes that performance up to near 800 series levels. The addition of the gorgeous Datuk Gloss finish and other accompanying aesthetic improvements could easily cause someone to mistake it for a speaker costing two or even three times as much as it does.

The B&W speakers are ones that embrace you with warm sound, generous bass and more insight and nuances than the speaker it is based on, 702 S2. The Signature version’s upgraded cabinet design is beautiful, you can hear more of the music’s nerve and soul here, and with the right amplifier it takes a step towards the performance of B & W’s more expensive 800 series. There are not many speakers in the same price range, which are as usable and as nicely dressed as the 702 S2 Signature. Few match it on the sound, which is perfect for almost anything you want to play.