Bowers & Wilkins CCM 7.3 S2 In-Ceiling Speaker

Bowers & Wilkins CCM 7.3 S2 In-Ceiling Speaker – Reference 700 Series Sound From the Ceiling

The Bowers & Wilkins CCM 7.3 S2 is a three-way in-ceiling speaker from the Custom Installation 700 Series, built for home theatres and music systems where the loudspeaker has to disappear into the architecture without giving up genuine hi-fi performance. Instead of the simple two-way layout used by most ceiling speakers, it carries a dedicated Carbon Dome tweeter, a separate Continuum cone midrange driver and twin Aerofoil Profile bass drivers, all set into an angled baffle inside an integrated back box. That driver complement comes straight from Bowers & Wilkins’ 700 Series cabinet loudspeakers, and it is what separates the CCM 7.3 S2 from ordinary flush-mount speakers: vocals, bass and treble each get their own purpose-built driver.

Key features

• Three-way in-ceiling design with an integrated back box
• 25 mm Carbon Dome tweeter for clean, extended high frequencies
• 100 mm Continuum cone FST midrange driver dedicated to vocals and instruments
• Two 130 mm Aerofoil Profile bass drivers for controlled low-frequency output
• Angled baffle aims the sound towards the listening area rather than straight down
• 90 dB sensitivity, with a recommended amplifier power of 25 W to 200 W into 8 ohms
• Paintable magnetic grille for a discreet, flush finish

Design and installation

The CCM 7.3 S2 is a substantial piece of engineering for a ceiling speaker. Its critically formed baffle is made from glass-reinforced ABS, and the complete unit measures 355 mm square with a mounting depth of 194.5 mm behind the ceiling surface, fitting a 332 mm square cut-out. The integrated back box is a major part of the design: it gives the drivers a defined, consistent enclosure regardless of the ceiling cavity behind them, protects the internals from dust and insulation, and reduces sound leaking into the room above. At 9 kg it needs a properly planned installation, so joist positions, cavity depth and cable runs should all be confirmed before the ceiling is cut.

Sound performance

Dividing the work three ways pays off in clarity. The 100 mm Continuum FST midrange handles the frequency band where voices and most instruments live, free from the demands of bass production, while the twin 130 mm Aerofoil Profile drivers share the low-frequency load between them. The Carbon Dome tweeter extends the response to a rated 55 Hz to 28 kHz within 3 dB, with a frequency range of 52 Hz to 33 kHz at -6 dB. Because the baffle is angled, the sound is projected towards the seats instead of firing directly at the floor, which keeps dialogue intelligible and stereo imaging coherent when the speakers are used overhead or as front channels in a discreet cinema layout.

Amplification and system building

This is a passive speaker, so it needs an external amplifier or AV receiver channel rated between 25 W and 200 W into 8 ohms on unclipped programme. Nominal impedance is 8 ohms with a 3.1 ohm minimum, a comfortable load for good-quality amplification. In a home theatre the CCM 7.3 S2 can cover front, surround or height duties where in-wall or cabinet speakers are not practical, and it is voiced to partner other Bowers & Wilkins 700 Series and custom-install models. For music, a pair delivers genuine stereo performance in rooms where floor space or interior design rules out conventional speakers.

Where it works best

The CCM 7.3 S2 suits dedicated cinema rooms using ceiling-mounted channels, living rooms that need invisible speakers without a performance compromise, and whole-home music zones built around quality amplification. It is a specialist custom-install product: plan it with the room, the amplification and the rest of the speaker package as one system, and it will reward you with sound that most visitors will not believe is coming from the ceiling.

If your project calls for reference-level in-ceiling sound with real three-way driver technology and a properly engineered back box, the CCM 7.3 S2 is the ceiling speaker in the Bowers & Wilkins range designed to answer it.