In this review, we will be comparing Bravus III B215 Dual 15" Cinema Powered Subwoofer and DB2D, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Aperion and Bowers Wilkins. Being Powered subwoofers, they both have built-in amplifiers so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp to power them. Let's have a brief look at the main features of Aperion Bravus III B215 Dual 15" Cinema Powered Subwoofer and B&W DB2D first before getting into our more detailed comparison.
The sections below take each area in turn: driver and amplifier, frequency response, physical size and connectivity.
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Drivers
The efficiency of a subwoofer is directly proportional to the total radiating are squared hence the woofer quantity and diameter.Both Aperion Bravus III B215 Dual 15" Cinema Powered Subwooferand B&W DB2D have a double woofer setup however the Aperion Bravus III B215 Dual 15" Cinema Powered Subwoofer's woofer is 15-inch whereas the B&W DB2D features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Bravus III B215 Dual 15" Cinema Powered Subwoofer has a frequency range of 15-180 Hz whereas DB2D has a frequency range of 10-350 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 10Hz, the DB2D can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Bravus III B215 Dual 15" Cinema Powered Subwoofer's min frequency of 15Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Subwoofer class in our database.
Low Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Aperion Bravus III B215 Dual 15" Cinema Powered Subwoofer
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Aperion Bravus III B215 Dual 15" Cinema Powered Subwoofer
Cabinet Type
The Aperion Bravus III B215 Dual 15" Cinema Powered Subwoofer has a Bass Reflex type cabinet. Bass Reflex type subwoofers (aka Ported, Vented or Reflex Port) have enclosures that uses a port, hole or vent cut into the cabinet. Ported designs are generally more efficient than the Sealed designs. On the other hand the B&W DB2D have Acoustic Suspension type enclosure. Acoustic Suspension aka Sealed type subwoofers have enclosures that are sealed hence no ports or holes exists on the cabinet. Sealed designs helps to provide more accurate and tight bass responses compared to ported designs.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Aperion Bravus III B215 Dual 15" Cinema Powered Subwoofer's and B&W DB2D's external dimensions. Aperion Bravus III B215 Dual 15" Cinema Powered Subwoofer has external dimensions of 1099.8 x 530.9 x 500.4mm (43.3 x 20.9 x 19.7inch) whereas B&W DB2D has external dimensions of 386.0 x 431.0 x 410.0mm (15-3/16inch x 16-15/16inch x 16-1/8inch).
Aperion Bravus III B215 Dual 15" Cinema Powered Subwoofer is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 99.9mm wider, 713.8mm taller and 90.4mm deeper than B&W DB2D.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Aperion Bravus III B215 Dual 15" Cinema Powered Subwoofer is approximately 2656.6cm2 / 411.8inch2 and base area of the B&W DB2D is approximately 1767.1cm2 / 273.9inch2. The Bravus III B215 Dual 15" Cinema Powered Subwoofer requires 50% more surface area than the DB2D which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a subwoofer may become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often to find the optimal positioning, also known as 'Subwoofer Crawling'. The Aperion Bravus III B215 Dual 15" Cinema Powered Subwoofer weighs 83.91kg / 184.6lbs and the B&W DB2D weighs 36.09kg / 79.4lbs. This makes the Bravus III B215 Dual 15" Cinema Powered Subwoofer 133% heavier than the DB2D.
Here is a comparison of how Bravus III B215 Dual 15" Cinema Powered Subwoofer and DB2D's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
Aperion Bravus III B215 Dual 15" Cinema Powered Subwoofer
 Woofer Size |
15 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
10 Hz
vs
15 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
350k Hz
vs
180k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
386mm
vs
1099mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1767cm2
vs
2656cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
4499USD
vs
4999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Aperion Bravus III B215 Dual 15" Cinema Powered Subwoofer |
Bowers & Wilkins DB2D |
| Brand |
Aperion |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
1300 watts |
1000 watts |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
15-180 Hz |
10-350 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1300-watt RMS |
1000-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
15" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Aerofoil |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
40-160 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1099.8mm (43.3") |
386.0mm (15.2") |
| Width |
530.9mm (20.9") |
431.0mm (17") |
| Depth |
500.4mm (19.7") |
410.0mm (16.1") |
| Weight |
83.91kg (184.6lbs) |
36.09kg (79.4lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Gloss Black,Satin White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
2 Years |