In this review, we will be comparing Abyss 8 and Abyss 10, two Powered Subwoofer speakers by MartinLogan. 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 8 and MartinLogan Abyss 10 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 8and MartinLogan Abyss 10 have a single woofer setup however the MartinLogan Abyss 8's woofer is 8-inch whereas the MartinLogan Abyss 10 features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Abyss 8 has a frequency range of 23-200 Hz whereas Abyss 10 has a frequency range of 22-200 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 22Hz, the Abyss 10 can go slightly deeper then the Abyss 8's min frequency of 23Hz.
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 8's and MartinLogan Abyss 10's external dimensions. MartinLogan Abyss 8 has external dimensions of 342.9 x 357.2 x 395.3mm () whereas MartinLogan Abyss 10 has external dimensions of 392.1 x 406.4 x 438.2mm ().
MartinLogan Abyss 10 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 49.2mm wider, 49.2mm taller and 42.9mm deeper than MartinLogan Abyss 8.
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 26% more floor or shelf area. MartinLogan Abyss 10 is 43mm 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 8 is approximately 1412.0cm2 / 218.9inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan Abyss 10 is approximately 1780.8cm2 / 276.0inch2. The Abyss 8 requires 21% less surface area than the Abyss 10 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 MartinLogan Abyss 8 weighs 21.18kg / 46.6lbs and the MartinLogan Abyss 10 weighs 25.22kg / 55.5lbs. This makes the Abyss 10 19% heavier than the Abyss 8.
Here is a comparison of how Abyss 8 and Abyss 10's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Height |
342mm
vs
392mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1412cm2
vs
1780cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1400USD
vs
1900USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
22 Hz
vs
23 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
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 26% more floor area. MartinLogan Abyss 10 stands 43mm further into the room. MartinLogan Abyss 10 is 49mm taller.
| General |
MartinLogan Abyss 8 |
MartinLogan Abyss 10 |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
23-200 Hz |
22-200 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
500-watt RMS |
800-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
1000-watt RMS |
1600-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
|
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
342.9mm (13.5") |
392.1mm (15.4") |
| Width |
357.2mm (14.1") |
406.4mm (16") |
| Depth |
395.3mm (15.6") |
438.2mm (17.3") |
| Weight |
21.18kg (46.6lbs) |
25.22kg (55.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
|
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years w/ registration |
3 Years w/ registration |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years w/ registration |
3 Years w/ registration |
Siblings in MartinLogan's Abyss range - same design thinking, different size. It comes down to your room and your budget.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | evenly matched | Effectively the same reach (23Hz vs 22Hz). |
| Amplifier power | B | MartinLogan Abyss 10 has the bigger amplifier - 800W against 500W RMS, about 2dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | MartinLogan Abyss 10 moves more air: 10" against 8" is 1.56x the cone area, not the 1.25x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | evenly matched | Both are passive radiator designs, so they roll off in much the same way. |
| Cabinet size | depends | MartinLogan Abyss 8 is about 31% 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. |
| Price | A | MartinLogan Abyss 8 costs less - $1,400 against $1,900, about 26% less. |
A MartinLogan Abyss 8 B MartinLogan Abyss 10
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: MartinLogan Abyss 10 measures better, MartinLogan Abyss 8 costs about 26% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - MartinLogan Abyss 8 is the one that will actually go there, and a well-placed small subwoofer beats a badly-placed big one every time.
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.