In this review, we will be comparing Muro SUB2010 and DB4S, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from ELAC 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 ELAC Muro SUB2010 and B&W DB4S 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.Both ELAC Muro SUB2010and B&W DB4S have a single woofer setup however the ELAC Muro SUB2010's woofer is 8-inch whereas the B&W DB4S features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Muro SUB2010 has a frequency range of 38-150 Hz whereas DB4S has a frequency range of 10-350 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 10Hz, the DB4S can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Muro SUB2010's min frequency of 38Hz.
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 ELAC Muro SUB2010 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 DB4S 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 ELAC Muro SUB2010's and B&W DB4S's external dimensions. ELAC Muro SUB2010 has external dimensions of 388.0 x 135.0 x 405.0mm (15-1/4 x 5-5/16 x 15-15/16inch) whereas B&W DB4S has external dimensions of 375.0 x 362.0 x 434.0mm (14-3/4 x 14-1/4 x 17-1/16inch).
ELAC Muro SUB2010 is 227mm narrower and 29mm less deeper than B&W DB4S but it is also 13mm taller.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers 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 surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
B&W DB4S needs about 187% more floor or shelf area. B&W DB4S is 29mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. ELAC Muro SUB2010 is 13mm taller.
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 ELAC Muro SUB2010 is approximately 546.8cm2 / 84.8inch2 and base area of the B&W DB4S is approximately 1571.1cm2 / 243.5inch2. The Muro SUB2010 requires 65% less surface area than the DB4S which gives it a small advantage 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 ELAC Muro SUB2010 weighs 7.82kg / 17.2lbs and the B&W DB4S weighs 26.05kg / 57.3lbs. This makes the DB4S 233% heavier than the Muro SUB2010.
Here is a comparison of how Muro SUB2010 and DB4S's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
What's in the Box of ELAC Muro SUB2010?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Muro SUB2010:
- Powered subwoofer
- 6-feet AC power cord
- 4 Cone feet
- 2 Brackets
- 2 Machine screws
- 2 Wood screws
- 2 Washers
- 2 Wall anchors
- Operating Instructions
What's in the Box of B&W DB4S?
Here are the items that come with the DB4S:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- 4 Decoupling feet
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Lock-nuts
- Cleaning cloth
- Quickstart Guide
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
- Cleaning cloth instructions
 Base Surface Area |
546cm2
vs
1571cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
770USD
vs
2199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Wireless Operation |
Optional
vs
No
|
Connect your subwoofer to your system wireless |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
10 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
350 Hz
vs
150 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
375mm
vs
388mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
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.
B&W DB4S needs about 187% more floor area. B&W DB4S stands 29mm further into the room. ELAC Muro SUB2010 is 13mm taller.
| General |
ELAC Muro SUB2010 |
Bowers & Wilkins DB4S |
| Brand |
ELAC |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
125 watts |
1000 watts |
| Frequency Response |
38-150 Hz |
10-350 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
125-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Aerofoil |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
side or bottom |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
388.0mm (15.3") |
375.0mm (14.8") |
| Width |
135.0mm (5.3") |
362.0mm (14.3") |
| Depth |
405.0mm (15.9") |
434.0mm (17.1") |
| Weight |
7.82kg (17.2lbs) |
26.05kg (57.3lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
1 Year |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
1 Year |
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 | B | B&W DB4S goes deeper - 10Hz against 38Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | B | B&W DB4S has the bigger amplifier - 1000W against 125W RMS, about 9dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | B&W DB4S moves more air: 10" against 8" is 1.56x the cone area, not the 1.25x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | ELAC Muro SUB2010 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 DB4S 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. |
| Setup and tuning | evenly matched | The same tuning tools on both (app control). |
| Wireless option | depends | Only ELAC Muro SUB2010 offers a wireless link (as a paid option). It decides where the sub can go if you cannot run a cable, and is worth nothing if you can. |
| Driver placement | depends | ELAC Muro SUB2010 fires side or down and B&W DB4S 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. |
| Cabinet size | depends | ELAC Muro SUB2010 is about 64% smaller by volume. In a subwoofer that is a real trade rather than a preference: box volume is how you get output low down without a bigger amplifier. |
| Warranty | B | B&W DB4S carries 2 years on parts against 1 years. A subwoofer amplifier works harder than anything else in the system, so this is not a throwaway line. |
| Price | A | ELAC Muro SUB2010 costs less - $770 against $2,199, about 65% less. |
A ELAC Muro SUB2010 B B&W DB4S
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?
The usual trade-off: B&W DB4S measures better, ELAC Muro SUB2010 costs about 65% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, ELAC Muro SUB2010 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, B&W DB4S is usually the easier one to make sound right. Two small subwoofers beat one big one in most rooms - a pair evens out the room modes in a way no single box can, whatever its specs. At $770 each, two ELAC Muro SUB2010 cost about $1,540 against $2,199 for one of the other, which is worth a thought.
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.