In this review, we will be comparing Sub 600P and DB4S, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Focal 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 Focal Sub 600P 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 Focal Sub 600Pand B&W DB4S have a single woofer setup however the Focal Sub 600P's woofer is 12-inch whereas the B&W DB4S features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Sub 600P has a frequency range of 28-270 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 Sub 600P's min frequency of 28Hz.
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 Focal Sub 600P and B&W DB4S 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 Focal Sub 600P's and B&W DB4S's external dimensions. Focal Sub 600P has external dimensions of 400.0 x 400.0 x 425.0mm (15-3/4 x 15-3/4 x 16-3/4inch) 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).
B&W DB4S is 38mm narrower and 25mm shorter than Focal Sub 600P but it is also 9mm deeper.
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.
Focal Sub 600P needs about 8% more floor or shelf area. Focal Sub 600P is 25mm 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 Focal Sub 600P is approximately 1700.0cm2 / 263.5inch2 and base area of the B&W DB4S is approximately 1571.1cm2 / 243.5inch2. The Sub 600P requires 8% more surface area than the DB4S 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 Focal Sub 600P weighs 21.00kg / 46.2lbs and the B&W DB4S weighs 26.05kg / 57.3lbs. This makes the DB4S 24% heavier than the Sub 600P.
Here is a comparison of how Sub 600P and DB4S's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Price per pair* |
1449USD
vs
2199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| Low Frequency Response |
10 Hz
vs
28 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
350 Hz
vs
270 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Height |
375mm
vs
400mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1571cm2
vs
1700cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
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.
Focal Sub 600P needs about 8% more floor area. Focal Sub 600P is 25mm taller.
| General |
Focal Sub 600P |
Bowers & Wilkins DB4S |
| Brand |
Focal |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
28-270 Hz |
10-350 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
300-watt RMS |
n/a |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
600-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
W sandwich |
Aerofoil |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
400.0mm (15.7") |
375.0mm (14.8") |
| Width |
400.0mm (15.7") |
362.0mm (14.3") |
| Depth |
425.0mm (16.7") |
434.0mm (17.1") |
| Weight |
21.00kg (46.2lbs) |
26.05kg (57.3lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
2 Years |
No single best subwoofer here. Your room, where the box can physically go, and whether this is mainly for films or mainly for music will settle it long before the specs do.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | B | B&W DB4S goes deeper - 10Hz against 28Hz. 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 300W RMS, about 5.2dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | Focal Sub 600P moves more air: 12" against 10" is 1.44x the cone area, not the 1.2x 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. |
| Price | A | Focal Sub 600P costs less - $1,449 against $2,199, about 34% less. |
A Focal Sub 600P 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?
B&W DB4S is ahead, but on only 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 52% more. Focal Sub 600P is the sensible buy unless your room is large enough to need the extra.
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.