B&W 704 review

Gerry Adams is known for being a silhouette, Lemmy for his warts and Jordan for her… er… anyway, they’re all trademarks of sorts and speaker manufacturer B&W has one of its own. Since 1975 and the launch of the DM6, the Kevlar cone has been a distinguishing feature of its midrange and mid/bass drivers.

Remarkable clarity

One noticeable feature of the 704s is the one-piece front baffle that curves away at the top. B&W perches the 25mm alloy-dome tweeter on the sloping edge – as opposed to integrating it into the baffle – so it can be time-aligned with the other drive units. Below the tweeter, you’ll find that famous yellow Kevlar cone mid/bass unit and the woven paper/Kevlar bass driver.

What immediately hits you about the 704s is the remarkable openness and clarity with which tracks are delivered. You can pick out every note and chord change on the acoustic guitar without even trying. Low frequencies boast similar levels of detail as well as punch and control to help guide tracks along. At £1400 the B&Ws offer detail and clarity that is unrivalled at this price.