In this review, we will be comparing BalancedForce 210 and DB3D, 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 BalancedForce 210 and B&W DB3D 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 BalancedForce 210and B&W DB3D have a double woofer setup however the MartinLogan BalancedForce 210's woofer is 10-inch whereas the B&W DB3D features a 8-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
BalancedForce 210 has a frequency range of 20-120 Hz whereas DB3D has a frequency range of 10-350Hz. With a minimum frequency of 10Hz, the DB3D can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the BalancedForce 210's min frequency of 20Hz.
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
MartinLogan BalancedForce 210
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
MartinLogan BalancedForce 210
Cabinet Type
Both MartinLogan BalancedForce 210 and B&W DB3D have Acoustic Suspension type cabinets. Acoustic Suspension aka Sealed type subwoofers have enclosures that are sealed hence no ports or holes exists on the cabinet. Sealed designs helps to provide more accurate and tight bass responses compared to ported 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 MartinLogan BalancedForce 210's and B&W DB3D's external dimensions. MartinLogan BalancedForce 210 has external dimensions of 485.0 x 486.0 x 543.0mm (19-1/16inch x 19-1/8inch x 21-3/8inch) whereas B&W DB3D has external dimensions of 368.3 x 341.3 x 347.7mm ().
MartinLogan BalancedForce 210 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 144.7mm wider, 116.7mm taller and 195.3mm deeper than B&W DB3D.
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 BalancedForce 210 is approximately 2639.0cm2 / 409.0inch2 and base area of the B&W DB3D is approximately 1186.7cm2 / 183.9inch2. The BalancedForce 210 requires 122% more surface area than the DB3D 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 BalancedForce 210 weighs 43.64kg / 96lbs and the B&W DB3D weighs 25.05kg / 55.1lbs. This makes the BalancedForce 210 74% heavier than the DB3D.
Here is a comparison of how BalancedForce 210 and DB3D's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
MartinLogan BalancedForce 210
What's in the Box of MartinLogan BalancedForce 210?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of BalancedForce 210:
- Powered subwoofer
- Top-glass cover
- 2 Grilles
- 8-feet AC power cord
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Collars
- USB thumbdrive
- User-feets Manual
- Online Registration Card
What's in the Box of B&W DB3D?
Here are the items that come with the DB3D:
- Powered subwoofer
- 2 Grilles
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- 4 Decoupling feet
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Lock-nuts
- Cleaning cloth
- Quickstart Guide
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
- Cleaning cloth instructions
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
10 Hz
vs
20 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
350 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Height |
368mm
vs
485mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1186cm2
vs
2639cm2
|
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 BalancedForce 210 needs about 122% more floor area. MartinLogan BalancedForce 210 stands 195mm further into the room. MartinLogan BalancedForce 210 is 117mm taller.
| General |
MartinLogan BalancedForce 210 |
Bowers & Wilkins DB3D |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
850 watts |
1000 watts |
| Frequency Response |
20-120 Hz |
10-350Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
850-watt RMS |
1000-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
1700-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
|
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
485.0mm (19.1") |
368.3mm (14.5") |
| Width |
486.0mm (19.1") |
341.3mm (13.4") |
| Depth |
543.0mm (21.4") |
347.7mm (13.7") |
| Weight |
43.64kg (96lbs) |
25.05kg (55.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black, Black Ash |
n/a |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years w/ Registration |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years w/ Registration |
2 Years |
No single best subwoofer here. Your room, where the box can physically go, and whether this is mainly for films or mainly for music will settle it long before the specs do.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | B | B&W DB3D goes deeper - 10Hz against 20Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | evenly matched | Much the same amplifier (850W vs 1000W RMS) - under 1dB apart. |
| Driver area | A | MartinLogan BalancedForce 210 moves more air: 2 x 10" against 2 x 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 sealed designs, so they roll off in much the same way. |
| Cabinet size | depends | B&W DB3D is about 66% 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 | A | MartinLogan BalancedForce 210 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 | evenly matched | Priced within a few per cent of each other. |
A MartinLogan BalancedForce 210 B B&W DB3D
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?
MartinLogan BalancedForce 210 has the edge on paper, though not by much. The "depends" rows are more likely to decide this than the score is. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - B&W DB3D 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.