In this review, we will be comparing DWM and Subsonic, two Passive Subwoofer speakers from Magnepan and Wilson Audio. Let's have a brief look at the main features of Magnepan DWM and Wilson Audio Subsonic 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.Magnepan DWM and Wilson Audio Subsonic have a totally different setup: the Magnepan DWM features x -inch drivers whereas the Subsonic features 3 x 12-inch drivers.
Frequency Response
DWM has a frequency range of 40-200 Hz whereas Subsonic has a frequency range of 10-150 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 10Hz, the Subsonic can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the DWM's min frequency of 40Hz.
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
Impedance and Sensitivity
DWM and Subsonic have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. DWM sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and Subsonic's is at 87 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Wilson Audio Subsonic a more sensitive speaker compared to Magnepan DWM, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Subwoofer Speakers
Cabinet Type
The Magnepan DWM has a Dipole type cabinet. On the other hand the Wilson Audio Subsonic have Bass Reflex type enclosure. 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.
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 Magnepan DWM's and Wilson Audio Subsonic's external dimensions. Magnepan DWM has external dimensions of 489.0 x 571.5 x 31.8mm (19.25 x 22.5 x 1.25inch) whereas Wilson Audio Subsonic has external dimensions of 1653.0 x 459.0 x 691.0mm (65-1/16 x 18-1/16 x 27-3/16inch).
Magnepan DWM is 1164mm shorter and 659.2mm less deeper than Wilson Audio Subsonic but it is also 112.5mm wider.
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 Magnepan DWM is approximately 181.7cm2 / 28.2inch2 and base area of the Wilson Audio Subsonic is approximately 3171.7cm2 / 491.6inch2. The DWM requires 94% less surface area than the Subsonic which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.