In this review, we will be comparing Abyss 10 and DB4S, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from MartinLogan 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 MartinLogan Abyss 10 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.MartinLogan Abyss 10and B&W DB4S have the same driver set up: Both subwoofers have 1 x 10" drivers.
Frequency Response
Abyss 10 has a frequency range of 22-200 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 Abyss 10's min frequency of 22Hz.
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
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 MartinLogan Abyss 10's and B&W DB4S's external dimensions. MartinLogan Abyss 10 has external dimensions of 392.1 x 406.4 x 438.2mm () 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).
MartinLogan Abyss 10 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 44.4mm wider, 17.1mm taller and 4.2mm deeper than B&W DB4S.
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.
MartinLogan Abyss 10 needs about 13% more floor or shelf area. MartinLogan Abyss 10 is 17mm 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 MartinLogan Abyss 10 is approximately 1780.8cm2 / 276.0inch2 and base area of the B&W DB4S is approximately 1571.1cm2 / 243.5inch2. The Abyss 10 requires 13% 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 MartinLogan Abyss 10 weighs 25.22kg / 55.5lbs and the B&W DB4S weighs 26.05kg / 57.3lbs. This makes the DB4S 3% heavier than the Abyss 10.
Here is a comparison of how Abyss 10 and DB4S's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Price per pair* |
1900USD
vs
2199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Low Frequency Response |
10 Hz
vs
22 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
350 Hz
vs
200 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Height |
375mm
vs
392mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1571cm2
vs
1780cm2
|
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.
MartinLogan Abyss 10 needs about 13% more floor area. MartinLogan Abyss 10 is 17mm taller.
| General |
MartinLogan Abyss 10 |
Bowers & Wilkins DB4S |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
22-200 Hz |
10-350 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
800-watt RMS |
n/a |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
1600-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
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 |
392.1mm (15.4") |
375.0mm (14.8") |
| Width |
406.4mm (16") |
362.0mm (14.3") |
| Depth |
438.2mm (17.3") |
434.0mm (17.1") |
| Weight |
25.22kg (55.5lbs) |
26.05kg (57.3lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years w/ registration |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years w/ registration |
2 Years |
A passive radiator 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 DB4S goes deeper - 10Hz against 22Hz. 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 800W RMS, about 1dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | evenly matched | Near-identical radiating area (10" against 10"). |
| Enclosure | depends | MartinLogan Abyss 10 is passive radiator - a passive radiator behaves like a port without the pipe noise, and suits a slim cabinet; B&W DB4S 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. |
| Warranty | A | MartinLogan Abyss 10 carries 3 years on parts against 2 years. A subwoofer amplifier works harder than anything else in the system, so this is not a throwaway line. |
| Price | A | MartinLogan Abyss 10 costs less - $1,900 against $2,199, about 14% less. |
A MartinLogan Abyss 10 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?
The usual trade-off: B&W DB4S measures better, MartinLogan Abyss 10 costs about 14% 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, MartinLogan Abyss 10 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, B&W DB4S is usually the easier one to make sound right.
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.