In this review, we will be comparing Dynamo 1600X and Dynamo 400, 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 1600X and MartinLogan 400 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 MartinLogan 400 have a single woofer setup however the MartinLogan 1600X's woofer is 15-inch whereas the MartinLogan 400 features a 8-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Dynamo 1600X has a frequency range of 20-200 Hz whereas Dynamo 400 has a frequency range of 30-200 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 20Hz, the Dynamo 1600X can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Dynamo 400's min frequency of 30Hz.
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
The MartinLogan 1600X has a Acoustic Suspension type cabinet. 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. On the other hand the MartinLogan 400 have Bass reflex type enclosure.
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 MartinLogan 400'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 MartinLogan 400 has external dimensions of 385.0 x 339.0 x 388.0mm (15-1/8 x 13-5/16 x 15-1/4inch).
MartinLogan 1600X is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 117mm wider, 125mm taller and 82mm deeper than MartinLogan 400.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of MartinLogan 1600X and MartinLogan 400 in scale.
Comparison image of MartinLogan 1600X and MartinLogan 400 Size and External Dimensions
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 MartinLogan 400 is approximately 1315.3cm2 / 203.9inch2. The Dynamo 1600X requires 63% more surface area than the Dynamo 400 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 MartinLogan 400 weighs 12.95kg / 28.5lbs. This makes the Dynamo 1600X 100% heavier than the Dynamo 400.
Here is a comparison of how Dynamo 1600X and Dynamo 400'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 MartinLogan 400?
Here are the items that come with the Dynamo 400:
- Powered subwoofer
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- User-feets Manual
 Woofer Size |
15 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
20 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Wireless Operation |
Optional
vs
No
|
Connect your subwoofer to your system wireless |
 Height |
385mm
vs
510mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1315cm2
vs
2143cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
500USD
vs
2000USD
|
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.
MartinLogan 1600X needs about 63% more floor area. MartinLogan 1600X stands 82mm further into the room. MartinLogan 1600X is 125mm taller.
| General |
MartinLogan Dynamo 1600X |
MartinLogan Dynamo 400 |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
900 watts |
75 watts |
| Frequency Response |
20-200 Hz |
30-200 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
900-watt RMS |
75-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
15" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
510.0mm (20.1") |
385.0mm (15.2") |
| Width |
456.0mm (18") |
339.0mm (13.3") |
| Depth |
470.0mm (18.5") |
388.0mm (15.3") |
| Weight |
25.91kg (57lbs) |
12.95kg (28.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass reflex |
| Available Colors |
Satin Black |
Satin Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Yrs w/ Registration |
3 Yrs w/ Registration |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Yrs w/ Registration |
3 Yrs w/ Registration |
A sealed subwoofer against a ported 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 | A | MartinLogan 1600X goes deeper - 20Hz against 30Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | A | MartinLogan 1600X has the bigger amplifier - 900W against 75W RMS, about 10.8dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | MartinLogan 1600X moves more air: 15" against 8" is 3.52x the cone area, not the 1.88x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | MartinLogan 1600X is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room; MartinLogan 400 is ported - a ported box gives more output low down for its size, at the cost of a steeper roll-off below tuning. Neither is better in the abstract; ported tends to suit films and sealed tends to suit music, and both generalisations have exceptions. |
| Speaker-level inputs | B | MartinLogan 400 takes a speaker-level connection as well as line level. That is what lets it work with an integrated amplifier or a vintage receiver that has no subwoofer output at all. |
| 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. |
| Cabinet size | depends | MartinLogan 400 is about 54% 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 | B | MartinLogan 400 costs less - $500 against $2,000, about 75% less. |
A MartinLogan 1600X B MartinLogan 400
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 1600X measures better, MartinLogan 400 costs about 75% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, MartinLogan 400 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, MartinLogan 1600X is usually the easier one to make sound right. Check your amplifier first: if it has no subwoofer or preamp output, MartinLogan 400 is the only one of these two you can connect at all.
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.