Bowers & Wilkins 686 S2 white (pack of 2)

Ideal as a bookshelf speaker or for wall-mounting, the 686 S2 is designed to adapt to any room size, and the sound will always be perfect. Its main mid/bass driver is a 5-inch model, which benefits from a new 25mm voice coil with improved efficiency. Its bass performance is also well-suited for placement near a wall.

Bass quality is essential but can be critical for small speakers. Not for the 686 S2. Mainly thanks to its front-firing Flowport vent, featuring small dimples like a golf ball around the opening for smooth, turbulence-free airflow, allowing for quality bass without risk of distortion. Finally, with its front-firing vent and narrower width, the 686S2 can be easily wall-mounted without compromising performance.

Like the rest of the range, and despite its smaller size, the 686 S2 is also equipped with a decoupled Double Dome aluminum tweeter for superior high-frequency rendering. The 686 S2 also features an integrated bracket for simplified wall-mounting. However, this small, versatile, consistently precise speaker will deliver high-quality sound wherever it is installed.

Decoupled Double Dome Tweeter

Tweeter diaphragms must be light and stiff to accurately reproduce the highest notes. Bowers & Wilkins Double Dome tweeters use an extremely thin, light aluminum dome surrounded by a thicker ring to prevent audible distortion. The tweeters in the 600 Series are also “decoupled” from the speaker cabinet to reduce vibrations.

Nautilus Tube Loading

Not all sound is necessarily good sound. Sound coming from the rear of the driver can bounce around inside the cabinet and degrade the good sound coming from the front. Nautilus tube loading is filled with absorbent material that minimizes unwanted sound.

FST

Our Kevlar “Fixed Suspension Transducer” diaphragms fit into a very thin foam surround. This “peripheral” suspension minimizes distortion by converting unwanted energy into heat rather than noise, providing the clearest possible midrange.

Anti-Resonance Plug

Unlike other dust caps, this mushroom-shaped element from the PM1, now implemented in the 600 Series, fits securely inside the voice coil, delivering superior performance through improved pistonic movement and reduced diaphragm breakup.

Flowport Vent

The dimples around the Flowport vents in the 600 Series minimize turbulence by creating tiny vortices over which air flows smoothly, like a golf ball. The bass is tight and smooth, even at high listening levels.

Crossover

The crossover directs the audio signal to the appropriate driver based on frequency. The simpler it is, the better. And the more capable the drivers, the simpler it needs to be. In the 600 Series, the high-pass section uses a single capacitor.

• 2-way bass-reflex enclosure
• Recommended amplifier power: 25 W – 100 W into 8 Ω
• Nominal impedance: 8 Ω (minimum 3 Ω)
• Speakers
  • 1 x 25 mm aluminum dome tweeter
  • 2 x 130 mm Kevlar cone midrange/woofers
• Technology
  • Kevlar cone
  • Filter adjustment
  • Nautilus tube
  • Flowport vent

Measurements

• Crossover frequencies: 400 Hz, 4 kHz
• Frequency range (-6 dB): 54 Hz and 50 kHz
• Frequency response: 62 Hz- 22 kHz ± 3 dB on reference axis
• Sensitivity: 85 dB SPL (2.83 V, 1 m)
• Dispersion: Within 2 dB of reference response
  • Horizontal: over 60° arc
  • Vertical: over 10° arc
• Harmonic distortion: 2nd and 3rd harmonics (90 dB, 1 m)
  • < 1% 140 Hz - 22 kHz
  • < 0.5% 180 Hz- 20 kHz

General

Optional stand (photo not contractual)

• Dimensions (WxHxD): 160 x 315 x 229 mm
• Weight: 4.6 kg