In this review, we will be comparing S 808 SUB and ASW608, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Jamo 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 Jamo S 808 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.Jamo S 808 SUBand B&W ASW608 have the same driver set up: Both subwoofers have 1 x 8" drivers.
Frequency Response
S 808 SUB has a frequency range of 39-180 Hz whereas ASW608 has a frequency range of 32-140 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the ASW608 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the S 808 SUB's min frequency of 39Hz.
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 Jamo S 808 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 Jamo S 808 SUB's and B&W ASW608's external dimensions. Jamo S 808 SUB has external dimensions of 459.0 x 178.0 x 356.0mm (18-1/16 x 7 x 14inch) 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 187mm shorter and 6mm less deeper than Jamo S 808 SUB but it is also 83mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Jamo S 808 SUB and B&W ASW608 in scale.
Comparison image of Jamo S 808 SUB and B&W ASW608 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 Jamo S 808 SUB is approximately 633.7cm2 / 98.2inch2 and base area of the B&W ASW608 is approximately 913.5cm2 / 141.6inch2. The S 808 SUB requires 31% less surface area than the ASW608 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 Jamo S 808 SUB weighs 8.64kg / 19lbs and the B&W ASW608 weighs 8.86kg / 19.5lbs. This makes the ASW608 3% heavier than the S 808 SUB.
Here is a comparison of how S 808 SUB and ASW608's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
What's in the Box of Jamo S 808 SUB?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of S 808 SUB:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 5-feet AC power cord
- 6.5-feet Mono-RCA cable
- 4 Rubber feet
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
What's in the Box of B&W ASW608?
Here are the items that come with the ASW608:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Lock-nuts
- Manual
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
 High Frequency Response |
180 Hz
vs
140 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
633cm2
vs
913cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
149USD
vs
599USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
39 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
272mm
vs
459mm
|
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 ASW608 needs about 44% more floor area. Jamo S 808 SUB is 187mm taller.
| General |
Jamo S 808 SUB |
Bowers & Wilkins ASW608 |
| Brand |
Jamo |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
50 watts |
200 watts |
| Frequency Response |
39-180 Hz |
32-140 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
50-watt RMS |
200-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
100-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polyfiber |
Paper/Aramid Fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
Side |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
459.0mm (18.1") |
272.0mm (10.7") |
| Width |
178.0mm (7") |
261.0mm (10.3") |
| Depth |
356.0mm (14") |
350.0mm (13.8") |
| Weight |
8.64kg (19lbs) |
8.86kg (19.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 Years |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
2 Years |
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 ASW608 goes deeper - 32Hz against 39Hz. A real difference, though most music has little content below 39Hz. |
| Amplifier power | B | B&W ASW608 has the bigger amplifier - 200W against 50W RMS, about 6dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | evenly matched | Near-identical radiating area (8" against 8"). |
| Enclosure | depends | Jamo S 808 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. |
| Speaker-level inputs | B | B&W ASW608 takes a speaker-level connection as well as line level. That is what lets it work with an integrated amplifier or a vintage receiver that has no subwoofer output at all. |
| Driver placement | depends | Jamo S 808 SUB fires side 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 | A | Jamo S 808 SUB costs less - $149 against $599, about 75% less. |
A Jamo S 808 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?
The usual trade-off: B&W ASW608 measures better, Jamo S 808 SUB costs about 75% 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, Jamo S 808 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. Check your amplifier first: if it has no subwoofer or preamp output, B&W ASW608 is the only one of these two you can connect at all.
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.