In this review, we will be comparing Dynamo 400 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 400 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 400and MartinLogan 800X have a single woofer setup however the MartinLogan 400's woofer is 8-inch whereas the MartinLogan 800X features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Dynamo 400 has a frequency range of 30-200 Hz whereas Dynamo 800X has a frequency range of 24-200 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 24Hz, the Dynamo 800X 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 400 has a Bass reflex type cabinet. On the other hand the MartinLogan 800X have Acoustic Suspension type enclosure. 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 400's and MartinLogan 800X's external dimensions. 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) 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 400 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 21mm wider, 34mm taller and 38mm 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 400 is approximately 1315.3cm2 / 203.9inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan 800X is approximately 1113.0cm2 / 172.5inch2. The Dynamo 400 requires 18% 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 400 weighs 12.95kg / 28.5lbs and the MartinLogan 800X weighs 13.64kg / 30lbs. This makes the Dynamo 800X 5% heavier than the Dynamo 400.
Here is a comparison of how Dynamo 400 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 400?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Dynamo 400:
- Powered subwoofer
- 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
 Price per pair* |
500USD
vs
900USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
24 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Height |
351mm
vs
385mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1113cm2
vs
1315cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Wireless Operation |
Optional
vs
No
|
Connect your subwoofer to your system wireless |
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 400 needs about 18% more floor area. MartinLogan 400 stands 38mm further into the room. MartinLogan 400 is 34mm taller.
| General |
MartinLogan Dynamo 400 |
MartinLogan Dynamo 800X |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
75 watts |
300 watts |
| Frequency Response |
30-200 Hz |
24-200 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
75-watt RMS |
300-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
front and bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
385.0mm (15.2") |
351.0mm (13.8") |
| Width |
339.0mm (13.3") |
318.0mm (12.5") |
| Depth |
388.0mm (15.3") |
350.0mm (13.8") |
| Weight |
12.95kg (28.5lbs) |
13.64kg (30lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass reflex |
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 |
A ported subwoofer against a sealed 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 | B | MartinLogan 800X goes deeper - 24Hz against 30Hz. That gap covers the lowest notes of a five-string bass and a concert bass drum. |
| Amplifier power | B | MartinLogan 800X has the bigger amplifier - 300W against 75W RMS, about 6dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | MartinLogan 800X moves more air: 10" against 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 | depends | 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; MartinLogan 800X is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room. Neither is better in the abstract; ported tends to suit films and sealed tends to suit music, and both generalisations have exceptions. |
| Wireless option | depends | Only MartinLogan 800X 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 400 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 23% 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 | A | MartinLogan 400 costs less - $500 against $900, about 44% less. |
A MartinLogan 400 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 800X measures better, MartinLogan 400 costs about 44% 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 800X is usually the easier one to make sound right. 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 $500 each, two MartinLogan 400 cost about $1,000 against $900 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.