In this review, we will be comparing Dynamo 1600X 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 1600X and B&W DB4S 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 1600Xand B&W DB4S have a single woofer setup however the MartinLogan 1600X's woofer is 15-inch whereas the B&W DB4S features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Dynamo 1600X has a frequency range of 20-200 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 Dynamo 1600X'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
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Cabinet Type
Both MartinLogan 1600X 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
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 1600X's and B&W DB4S's external dimensions. MartinLogan 1600X has external dimensions of 510.0 x 456.0 x 470.0mm (20-1/16 x 17-15/16 x 18-1/2inch) 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 1600X is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 94mm wider, 135mm taller and 36mm 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 1600X is approximately 2143.2cm2 / 332.2inch2 and base area of the B&W DB4S is approximately 1571.1cm2 / 243.5inch2. The Dynamo 1600X requires 36% 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 1600X weighs 25.91kg / 57lbs and the B&W DB4S weighs 26.05kg / 57.3lbs. This makes the DB4S 1% heavier than the Dynamo 1600X.
Here is a comparison of how Dynamo 1600X and DB4S's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
What's in the Box of MartinLogan 1600X?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Dynamo 1600X:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- User-feets Manual
What's in the Box of B&W DB4S?
Here are the items that come with the DB4S:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 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 |
15 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Price per pair* |
2000USD
vs
2199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Wireless Operation |
Optional
vs
No
|
Connect your subwoofer to your system wireless |
| Low Frequency Response |
10 Hz
vs
20 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
350 Hz
vs
200 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
375mm
vs
510mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1571cm2
vs
2143cm2
|
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 1600X needs about 36% more floor area. MartinLogan 1600X stands 36mm further into the room. MartinLogan 1600X is 135mm taller.
| General |
MartinLogan Dynamo 1600X |
Bowers & Wilkins DB4S |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
900 watts |
1000 watts |
| Frequency Response |
20-200 Hz |
10-350 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
900-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
15" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Aerofoil |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
510.0mm (20.1") |
375.0mm (14.8") |
| Width |
456.0mm (18") |
362.0mm (14.3") |
| Depth |
470.0mm (18.5") |
434.0mm (17.1") |
| Weight |
25.91kg (57lbs) |
26.05kg (57.3lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Available Colors |
Satin Black |
n/a |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Yrs w/ Registration |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Yrs w/ Registration |
2 Years |
Two quite different sizes of subwoofer. Room volume decides this more than anything else on the page: a big driver in a small room is wasted, and a small one in a large room is worked to death.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | B | B&W DB4S 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 (900W vs 1000W RMS) - under 1dB apart. |
| Driver area | A | MartinLogan 1600X moves more air: 15" against 10" 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 | evenly matched | Both are sealed designs, so they roll off in much the same way. |
| Setup and tuning | evenly matched | The same tuning tools on both (app control). |
| Wireless option | depends | Only MartinLogan 1600X offers a wireless link (as a paid option). It decides where the sub can go if you cannot run a cable, and is worth nothing if you can. |
| Driver placement | depends | MartinLogan 1600X fires down and B&W DB4S fires front. A down-firing driver is more forgiving of a grille-less look and of a hard floor; a front-firing one is the safer choice on a thick carpet or a suspended timber floor. |
| Cabinet size | depends | B&W DB4S is about 46% 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 1600X 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 | A | MartinLogan 1600X costs less - $2,000 against $2,199, about 9% less. |
A MartinLogan 1600X B B&W DB4S
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 1600X 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 DB4S 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.