In this review, we will be comparing BASIK SUB and ASW608, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from DALI 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 DALI BASIK SUB and B&W ASW608 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.
Drivers
The efficiency of a subwoofer is directly proportional to the total radiating are squared hence the woofer quantity and diameter.DALI BASIK SUBand B&W ASW608 have the same driver set up: Both subwoofers have 1 x 8" drivers.
Frequency Response
BASIK SUB has a frequency range of 33-200 Hz whereas ASW608 has a frequency range of 32-140 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the ASW608 can go slightly deeper then the BASIK SUB's min frequency of 33Hz.
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
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Cabinet Type
The DALI BASIK SUB 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 ASW608 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 DALI BASIK SUB's and B&W ASW608's external dimensions. DALI BASIK SUB has external dimensions of 319.0 x 295.0 x 310.0mm () whereas B&W ASW608 has external dimensions of 272.0 x 261.0 x 350.0mm (10-11/16 x 10-1/4 x 13-3/4inch).
B&W ASW608 is 34mm narrower and 47mm shorter than DALI BASIK SUB but it is also 40mm deeper.
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 DALI BASIK SUB is approximately 914.5cm2 / 141.7inch2 and base area of the B&W ASW608 is approximately 913.5cm2 / 141.6inch2. The BASIK SUB requires 0% more surface area than the ASW608 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 DALI BASIK SUB weighs 9.75kg / 21.5lbs and the B&W ASW608 weighs 8.86kg / 19.5lbs. This makes the BASIK SUB 10% heavier than the ASW608.
Here is a comparison of how BASIK SUB and ASW608's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 High Frequency Response |
200 Hz
vs
140 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Driver Setup |
1-way
vs
-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
33 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
272mm
vs
319mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
913cm2
vs
914cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
599USD
vs
800USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
Size, drawn to scale
Both subwoofers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same floor and pushed back to the same wall, so the bigger one visibly takes more of the room.
Near-identical footprints. B&W ASW608 stands 40mm further into the room. DALI BASIK SUB is 47mm taller.
| General |
DALI BASIK SUB |
Bowers & Wilkins ASW608 |
| Brand |
DALI |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
170 watts |
200 watts |
| Frequency Response |
33-200 Hz |
32-140 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
170-watt RMS |
200-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
220-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper, long stroke |
Paper/Aramid Fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
319.0mm (12.6") |
272.0mm (10.7") |
| Width |
295.0mm (11.6") |
261.0mm (10.3") |
| Depth |
310.0mm (12.2") |
350.0mm (13.8") |
| Weight |
9.75kg (21.5lbs) |
8.86kg (19.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
2 Years |
A ported subwoofer against a sealed one. That is the most consequential line on this page: it decides how the bass rolls off, how it behaves in a small room, and how much output you get for the size of the box.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | evenly matched | Effectively the same reach (33Hz vs 32Hz). |
| Amplifier power | evenly matched | Much the same amplifier (170W vs 200W RMS) - under 1dB apart. |
| Driver area | evenly matched | Near-identical radiating area (8" against 8"). |
| Enclosure | depends | DALI BASIK SUB is ported - a ported box gives more output low down for its size, at the cost of a steeper roll-off below tuning; B&W ASW608 is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room. Neither is better in the abstract; ported tends to suit films and sealed tends to suit music, and both generalisations have exceptions. |
| Driver placement | depends | DALI BASIK SUB fires down and B&W ASW608 fires front. A down-firing driver is more forgiving of a grille-less look and of a hard floor; a front-firing one is the safer choice on a thick carpet or a suspended timber floor. |
| Price | B | B&W ASW608 costs less - $599 against $800, about 25% less. |
A DALI BASIK SUB B B&W ASW608
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both subwoofers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let your room size and where the box can actually stand settle it. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, DALI BASIK SUB will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, B&W ASW608 is usually the easier one to make sound right.
One thing outweighs everything above: where the subwoofer stands. Room modes can add or remove 10dB or more at a given seat, which is far larger than any difference on this page. Before spending more, try the sub in two or three positions - the crawl test, where you put it in the listening seat and crawl the room to find where the bass sounds best, costs nothing and usually beats an upgrade.