In this review, we will be comparing Abyss 8 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 8 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 8and SVS SB-1000 Pro have a single woofer setup however the MartinLogan Abyss 8's woofer is 8-inch whereas the SVS SB-1000 Pro features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Abyss 8 has a frequency range of 23-200 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 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 SVS SB-1000 Pro's external dimensions. MartinLogan Abyss 8 has external dimensions of 342.9 x 357.2 x 395.3mm () 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 8 is 0.10000000000002mm shorter and 6.7mm less deeper than SVS SB-1000 Pro but it is also 26.2mm wider.
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.
Near-identical footprints.
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 SVS SB-1000 Pro is approximately 1330.6cm2 / 206.2inch2. The Abyss 8 requires 6% 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 8 weighs 21.18kg / 46.6lbs and the SVS SB-1000 Pro weighs 11.82kg / 26lbs. This makes the Abyss 8 79% heavier than the SB-1000 Pro.
Here is a comparison of how Abyss 8 and SB-1000 Pro's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Height |
342mm
vs
343mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
20 Hz
vs
23 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 |
 Base Surface Area |
1330cm2
vs
1412cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
600USD
vs
1400USD
|
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.
Near-identical footprints.
| General |
MartinLogan Abyss 8 |
SVS SB-1000 Pro |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
SVS |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
23-200 Hz |
20-270 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
500-watt RMS |
325-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
1000-watt RMS |
820-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Fiber-composite |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
342.9mm (13.5") |
343.0mm (13.5") |
| Width |
357.2mm (14.1") |
331.0mm (13") |
| Depth |
395.3mm (15.6") |
402.0mm (15.8") |
| Weight |
21.18kg (46.6lbs) |
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 | B | SVS SB-1000 Pro goes deeper - 20Hz against 23Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | A | MartinLogan Abyss 8 has the bigger amplifier - 500W against 325W RMS, about 1.9dB 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 8" is 2.25x the cone area, not the 1.5x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | MartinLogan Abyss 8 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. |
| 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 $1,400, about 57% less. |
A MartinLogan Abyss 8 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 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take MartinLogan Abyss 8 if one of the "depends" rows describes your room. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, MartinLogan Abyss 8 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 $1,400 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.