In this review, we will be comparing Dynamo 1600X and Dynamo 800X, 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 800X 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 800X have a single woofer setup however the MartinLogan 1600X's woofer is 15-inch whereas the MartinLogan 800X features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Dynamo 1600X has a frequency range of 20-200 Hz whereas Dynamo 800X has a frequency range of 24-200 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 20Hz, the Dynamo 1600X can go slightly deeper then the Dynamo 800X's min frequency of 24Hz.
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 MartinLogan 800X 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 MartinLogan 800X'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 800X has external dimensions of 351.0 x 318.0 x 350.0mm (13-13/16 x 12-1/2 x 13-3/4inch).
MartinLogan 1600X is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 138mm wider, 159mm taller and 120mm deeper than MartinLogan 800X.
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 800X is approximately 1113.0cm2 / 172.5inch2. The Dynamo 1600X requires 93% more surface area than the Dynamo 800X 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 800X weighs 13.64kg / 30lbs. This makes the Dynamo 1600X 90% heavier than the Dynamo 800X.
Here is a comparison of how Dynamo 1600X and Dynamo 800X'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 800X?
Here are the items that come with the Dynamo 800X:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- User-feets Manual
 Woofer Size |
15 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
20 Hz
vs
24 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
351mm
vs
510mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1113cm2
vs
2143cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
900USD
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 93% more floor area. MartinLogan 1600X stands 120mm further into the room. MartinLogan 1600X is 159mm taller.
| General |
MartinLogan Dynamo 1600X |
MartinLogan Dynamo 800X |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
900 watts |
300 watts |
| Frequency Response |
20-200 Hz |
24-200 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
900-watt RMS |
300-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
15" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
front and bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
510.0mm (20.1") |
351.0mm (13.8") |
| Width |
456.0mm (18") |
318.0mm (12.5") |
| Depth |
470.0mm (18.5") |
350.0mm (13.8") |
| Weight |
25.91kg (57lbs) |
13.64kg (30lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Acoustic Suspension |
| 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 |
Siblings in MartinLogan's Dynamo range - same design thinking, different size. It comes down to your room and your budget.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | A | MartinLogan 1600X goes deeper - 20Hz against 24Hz. 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 300W RMS, about 4.8dB 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 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 (room correction and app control). |
| Speaker-level inputs | B | MartinLogan 800X 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. |
| Driver placement | depends | MartinLogan 1600X fires down and MartinLogan 800X fires front/down. 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 | MartinLogan 800X is about 64% 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 800X costs less - $900 against $2,000, about 55% less. |
A MartinLogan 1600X B MartinLogan 800X
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 800X costs about 55% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two. Check your amplifier first: if it has no subwoofer or preamp output, MartinLogan 800X is the only one of these two you can connect at all. 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 $900 each, two MartinLogan 800X cost about $1,800 against $2,000 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.