The Bowers & Wilkins 686 S2 ranks #36 out of 122 total Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers for sound quality. See all Passive Home rankings for every top pick.
Brand: Bowers & Wilkins
Prices on this page were last checked October 5, 2026 at 10:21 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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#36 Bowers & Wilkins 686 S2: $550 per pair Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the Bowers & Wilkins 607 S3, ranked lower, estimated 3.6/5.
Pros: A compact two-way with a 5” mid/bass driver and 1” tweeter. The only Spinorama data shows consistent directivity (2.94dB directivity index deviation) and a listening window within 2.8dB from 300Hz to 5kHz, for a preference score of 4.18 that reaches 6.84 with an ideal subwoofer. Measured bass extension of 74.4Hz (-3dB).
Cons: That data is low quality, digitized from a third-party chart. Bass rolls off at 74.4Hz (-3dB) and sensitivity is a modest 85dB. Bowers & Wilkins replaced the 600 series twice since; the current compact model is the 607 S3. Discontinued.
How it compares: Just above it: Q Acoustics 3030c - $269 more, 1.5Hz higher bass extension (-3dB). Just below it: Wharfedale EVO 4.1 - $250 more, 2Hz higher bass extension (-3dB).
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | about 51.1Hz (measured, third-party data via spinorama.org) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 74.4Hz (measured, third-party data via spinorama.org) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 12.4”H x 6.3”W x 9”D (315 x 160 x 229 mm) |
| Drivers | 1” decoupled double dome tweeter, 5” (130mm) mid/bass driver |
| Frequency Response | 62Hz-22kHz ±3dB (manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (manufacturer specified) |
| Sensitivity | 85dB (manufacturer specified) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.18 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.84 |
| Weight | 10.1 lbs (4.6 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
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