In this review, we will be comparing Varro DS1000-BG and ASW610, 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 Varro DS1000-BG and B&W ASW610 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.ELAC Varro DS1000-BG and B&W ASW610 have a totally different setup: the ELAC Varro DS1000-BG features 2 x 10-inch drivers whereas the ASW610 features 1 x 10-inch drivers.
Frequency Response
Varro DS1000-BG has a frequency range of 18-150 Hz whereas ASW610 has a frequency range of 27-140 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 18Hz, the Varro DS1000-BG can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the ASW610's min frequency of 27Hz.
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
Both ELAC Varro DS1000-BG and B&W ASW610 have Acoustic Suspension type cabinets. 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 Varro DS1000-BG's and B&W ASW610's external dimensions. ELAC Varro DS1000-BG has external dimensions of 372.0 x 431.0 x 372.0mm (14-5/8inch x 16-15/16inch x 14-5/8inch) whereas B&W ASW610 has external dimensions of 321.0 x 312.0 x 394.0mm (12-5/8 x 12-1/4 x 15-1/2inch).
B&W ASW610 is 119mm narrower and 51mm shorter than ELAC Varro DS1000-BG but it is also 22mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of ELAC Varro DS1000-BG and B&W ASW610 in scale.
Comparison image of ELAC Varro DS1000-BG and B&W ASW610 Size and External Dimensions
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 Varro DS1000-BG is approximately 1603.3cm2 / 248.5inch2 and base area of the B&W ASW610 is approximately 1229.3cm2 / 190.5inch2. The Varro DS1000-BG requires 30% more surface area than the ASW610 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 Varro DS1000-BG weighs 32.45kg / 71.4lbs and the B&W ASW610 weighs 12.55kg / 27.6lbs. This makes the Varro DS1000-BG 159% heavier than the ASW610.
Here is a comparison of how Varro DS1000-BG and ASW610'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 Varro DS1000-BG?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Varro DS1000-BG:
- 2 Grilles
- Power Cord
- 4 Spikes
What's in the Box of B&W ASW610?
Here are the items that come with the ASW610:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Lock-nuts
- Manual
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
 Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
18 Hz
vs
27 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
150 Hz
vs
140 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Ethernet Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
High quality streaming over Ethernet |
 Wireless Operation |
Optional
vs
No
|
Connect your subwoofer to your system wireless |
 Height |
321mm
vs
372mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1229cm2
vs
1603cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
899USD
vs
2499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
ELAC Varro DS1000-BG |
Bowers & Wilkins ASW610 |
| Brand |
ELAC |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
1000 watts |
200 watts |
| Frequency Response |
18-150 Hz |
27-140 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1000-watt RMS |
200-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
2000-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Paper/Aramid Fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
372.0mm (14.6") |
321.0mm (12.6") |
| Width |
431.0mm (17") |
312.0mm (12.3") |
| Depth |
372.0mm (14.6") |
394.0mm (15.5") |
| Weight |
32.45kg (71.4lbs) |
12.55kg (27.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Finish |
MDF |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
n/a |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| USB Port |
USB-A port for firmware updates |
n/a |
| Ethernet Port |
Yes |
n/a |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
1 year |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
1 year |
2 Years |
Two quite different sizes of subwoofer. Room volume decides this more than anything else on the page: a big driver in a small room is wasted, and a small one in a large room is worked to death.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | A | ELAC Varro DS1000-BG goes deeper - 18Hz against 27Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | A | ELAC Varro DS1000-BG has the bigger amplifier - 1000W against 200W RMS, about 7dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | ELAC Varro DS1000-BG moves more air: 2 x 10" against 10" is 2x the cone area, not the 1.41x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | evenly matched | Both are sealed designs, so they roll off in much the same way. |
| Wireless option | depends | Only ELAC Varro DS1000-BG 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 Varro DS1000-BG fires side and B&W ASW610 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 | B&W ASW610 is about 34% 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 ASW610 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 | B | B&W ASW610 costs less - $899 against $2,499, about 64% less. |
A ELAC Varro DS1000-BG B B&W ASW610
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: ELAC Varro DS1000-BG measures better, B&W ASW610 costs about 64% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two. 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 $899 each, two B&W ASW610 cost about $1,798 against $2,499 for one of the other, which is worth a thought. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - B&W ASW610 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.