In this review, we will be comparing SUB3070 and SuperCube 4000, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from ELAC and Definitive Technology. 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 SUB3070 and DT SuperCube 4000 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 SUB3070and DT SuperCube 4000 have a single woofer setup however the ELAC SUB3070's woofer is 12-inch whereas the DT SuperCube 4000 features a 8-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
SUB3070 has a frequency range of 18-180 Hz whereas SuperCube 4000 has a frequency range of 16-200 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 16Hz, the SuperCube 4000 can go slightly deeper then the SUB3070's min frequency of 18Hz.
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 SUB3070 has a Acoustic Suspension type cabinet. 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. On the other hand the DT SuperCube 4000 have Passive Radiator type enclosure. Passive Radiator type subwoofers sports a non-powered cone that moves in response to the main woofer to move air out in order to generate stronger bass in a smaller body compared to ported or sealed 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 SUB3070's and DT SuperCube 4000's external dimensions. ELAC SUB3070 has external dimensions of 435.0 x 520.0 x 477.0mm (17-1/8 x 20-7/16 x 18-3/4inch) whereas DT SuperCube 4000 has external dimensions of 302.0 x 281.0 x 318.0mm (11-7/8 x 11-1/16 x 12-1/2inch).
ELAC SUB3070 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 239mm wider, 133mm taller and 159mm deeper than DT SuperCube 4000.
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.
ELAC SUB3070 needs about 178% more floor or shelf area. ELAC SUB3070 is 159mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. ELAC SUB3070 is 133mm 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 SUB3070 is approximately 2480.4cm2 / 384.5inch2 and base area of the DT SuperCube 4000 is approximately 893.6cm2 / 138.5inch2. The SUB3070 requires 178% more surface area than the SuperCube 4000 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 ELAC SUB3070 weighs 35.00kg / 77lbs and the DT SuperCube 4000 weighs 11.36kg / 25lbs. This makes the SUB3070 208% heavier than the SuperCube 4000.
Here is a comparison of how SUB3070 and SuperCube 4000'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 SUB3070?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of SUB3070:
- Powered subwoofer
- AC power cord
- 2 Steel bottom plates
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Locking-knobs
- 4 Protective discs
- Operating Instructions
What's in the Box of DT SuperCube 4000?
Here are the items that come with the SuperCube 4000:
- 8-inch Powered subwoofer
- 7-feet AC power cord
- Remote control (CR2025 battery installed)
- 4 Threaded rubber-feet
- 4 Spike feet (hex-nut attached)
- Owners Manual
- SC4000 Booklet
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Wireless Operation |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connect your subwoofer to your system wireless |
| Low Frequency Response |
16 Hz
vs
18 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
200 Hz
vs
180 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
302mm
vs
435mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
893cm2
vs
2480cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
799USD
vs
999USD
|
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.
ELAC SUB3070 needs about 178% more floor area. ELAC SUB3070 stands 159mm further into the room. ELAC SUB3070 is 133mm taller.
| General |
ELAC SUB3070 |
Definitive Technology SuperCube 4000 |
| Brand |
ELAC |
Definitive Technology |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
1200 watts |
1200 watts |
| Frequency Response |
18-180 Hz |
16-200 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1200-watt RMS |
1200-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
|
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
40-150 Hz and 40-150 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
side |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
435.0mm (17.1") |
302.0mm (11.9") |
| Width |
520.0mm (20.5") |
281.0mm (11.1") |
| Depth |
477.0mm (18.8") |
318.0mm (12.5") |
| Weight |
35.00kg (77lbs) |
11.36kg (25lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Passive Radiator |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
1 Year |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
1 Year |
3 Years |
A sealed subwoofer against a passive radiator 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 (18Hz vs 16Hz). |
| Amplifier power | evenly matched | Much the same amplifier (1200W vs 1200W RMS) - under 1dB apart. |
| Driver area | A | ELAC SUB3070 moves more air: 12" against 8" is 2.25x the cone area, not the 1.5x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | ELAC SUB3070 is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room; DT SuperCube 4000 is passive radiator - a passive radiator behaves like a port without the pipe noise, and suits a slim cabinet. Neither is better in the abstract; ported tends to suit films and sealed tends to suit music, and both generalisations have exceptions. |
| Wireless option | depends | Only ELAC SUB3070 offers a wireless link. It decides where the sub can go if you cannot run a cable, and is worth nothing if you can. |
| Driver placement | depends | ELAC SUB3070 fires side and DT SuperCube 4000 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 | DT SuperCube 4000 is about 75% 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 | DT SuperCube 4000 carries 3 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 | B | DT SuperCube 4000 costs less - $799 against $999, about 20% less. |
A ELAC SUB3070 B DT SuperCube 4000
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, DT SuperCube 4000 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, ELAC SUB3070 is usually the easier one to make sound right. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - DT SuperCube 4000 is the one that will actually go there, and a well-placed small subwoofer beats a badly-placed big one every time.
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.