In this review, we will be comparing Abyss 10 and SB-1000 Pro, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from MartinLogan and SVS. 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 SVS SB-1000 Pro 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 MartinLogan Abyss 10and SVS SB-1000 Pro have a single woofer setup however the MartinLogan Abyss 10's woofer is 10-inch whereas the SVS SB-1000 Pro features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Abyss 10 has a frequency range of 22-200 Hz whereas SB-1000 Pro has a frequency range of 20-270 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 20Hz, the SB-1000 Pro can go slightly deeper then 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 SVS SB-1000 Pro's external dimensions. MartinLogan Abyss 10 has external dimensions of 392.1 x 406.4 x 438.2mm () whereas SVS SB-1000 Pro has external dimensions of 343.0 x 331.0 x 402.0mm (13-1/2inch x 13inch x 15-13/16inch).
MartinLogan Abyss 10 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 75.4mm wider, 49.1mm taller and 36.2mm deeper than SVS SB-1000 Pro.
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 34% more floor or shelf area. MartinLogan Abyss 10 is 36mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. MartinLogan Abyss 10 is 49mm 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 SVS SB-1000 Pro is approximately 1330.6cm2 / 206.2inch2. The Abyss 10 requires 34% more surface area than the SB-1000 Pro 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 SVS SB-1000 Pro weighs 11.82kg / 26lbs. This makes the Abyss 10 113% heavier than the SB-1000 Pro.
Here is a comparison of how Abyss 10 and SB-1000 Pro'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 |
| Low Frequency Response |
20 Hz
vs
22 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
270 Hz
vs
200 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Height |
343mm
vs
392mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1330cm2
vs
1780cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
600USD
vs
1900USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
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 34% more floor area. MartinLogan Abyss 10 stands 36mm further into the room. MartinLogan Abyss 10 is 49mm taller.
| General |
MartinLogan Abyss 10 |
SVS SB-1000 Pro |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
SVS |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
22-200 Hz |
20-270 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
800-watt RMS |
325-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
1600-watt RMS |
820-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Fiber-composite |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
392.1mm (15.4") |
343.0mm (13.5") |
| Width |
406.4mm (16") |
331.0mm (13") |
| Depth |
438.2mm (17.3") |
402.0mm (15.8") |
| Weight |
25.22kg (55.5lbs) |
11.82kg (26lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Acoustic Suspension |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Black,White |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years w/ registration |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years w/ registration |
5 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 | evenly matched | Effectively the same reach (22Hz vs 20Hz). |
| Amplifier power | A | MartinLogan Abyss 10 has the bigger amplifier - 800W against 325W RMS, about 3.9dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | SVS SB-1000 Pro 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 | depends | MartinLogan Abyss 10 is passive radiator - a passive radiator behaves like a port without the pipe noise, and suits a slim cabinet; SVS SB-1000 Pro 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. |
| Cabinet size | depends | SVS SB-1000 Pro is about 35% 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 | SVS SB-1000 Pro carries 5 years on parts against 3 years. A subwoofer amplifier works harder than anything else in the system, so this is not a throwaway line. |
| Price | B | SVS SB-1000 Pro costs less - $600 against $1,900, about 68% less. |
A MartinLogan Abyss 10 B SVS SB-1000 Pro
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?
SVS SB-1000 Pro has the edge on paper, though not by much. The "depends" rows are more likely to decide this than the score is. 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, SVS SB-1000 Pro is usually the easier one to make sound right. 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 $600 each, two SVS SB-1000 Pro cost about $1,200 against $1,900 for one of the other, which is worth a thought.
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.