In this review, we will be comparing BalancedForce 210 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 BalancedForce 210 and B&W DB4S first before getting into our more detailed comparison.
In the following sections, we will get into details in order to better understand how the MartinLogan BalancedForce 210 and B&W DB4S compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these subwoofers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
The efficiency of a subwoofer is directly proportional to the total radiating are squared hence the woofer quantity and diameter.MartinLogan BalancedForce 210 and B&W DB4S have a totally different setup: the MartinLogan BalancedForce 210 features 2 x 10-inch drivers whereas the DB4S features 1 x 10-inch drivers.
Frequency Response
BalancedForce 210 has a frequency range of 20-120 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 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 DB4S 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
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 DB4S'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 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 BalancedForce 210 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 124mm wider, 110mm taller and 109mm deeper than B&W DB4S.
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 DB4S is approximately 1571.1cm2 / 243.5inch2. The BalancedForce 210 requires 68% 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 BalancedForce 210 weighs 43.64kg / 96lbs and the B&W DB4S weighs 26.05kg / 57.3lbs. This makes the BalancedForce 210 68% heavier than the DB4S.
Here is a comparison of how BalancedForce 210 and DB4S'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 subwooferTop-glass cover2 Grilles8-feet AC power cord4 Spike feet4 CollarsUSB thumbdriveUser-feets ManualOnline Registration Card
What's in the Box of B&W DB4S?
Here are the items that come with the DB4S:
Powered subwooferGrille6.5-feet AC power cord4 Decoupling feet4 Rubber feet4 Spike feet4 Lock-nutsCleaning clothQuickstart GuideBowers & Wilkins brochureWarranty InformationCleaning cloth instructions
 Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 Driver Setup |
1-way
vs
-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
| Low Frequency Response |
10 Hz
vs
20 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
350k Hz
vs
120k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Height |
375mm
vs
485mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1571cm2 (362x434mm)
vs
2639cm2 (486x543mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2199USD
vs
3499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
MartinLogan BalancedForce 210 |
Bowers & Wilkins DB4S |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
850 watts |
1000 watts |
| Frequency Response |
20-120 Hz |
10-350 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
850-watt RMS |
0-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
1700-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Aerofoil |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
485.0mm (19.1") |
375.0mm (14.8") |
| Width |
486.0mm (19.1") |
362.0mm (14.3") |
| Depth |
543.0mm (21.4") |
434.0mm (17.1") |
| Weight |
43.64kg (96lbs) |
26.05kg (57.3lbs) |
| 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 |