In this review, we will be comparing Dynamo 600X 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 600X 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.MartinLogan 600Xand MartinLogan 800X have the same driver set up: Both subwoofers have 1 x 10" drivers.
Frequency Response
Dynamo 600X has a frequency range of 27-200 Hz whereas Dynamo 800X has a frequency range of 24-200 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 24Hz, the Dynamo 800X can go slightly deeper then the Dynamo 600X's min frequency of 27Hz.
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 600X 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 600X's and MartinLogan 800X's external dimensions. MartinLogan 600X has external dimensions of 415.0 x 369.0 x 420.0mm (16-5/16 x 14-1/2 x 16-1/2inch) 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 600X is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 51mm wider, 64mm taller and 70mm 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 600X is approximately 1549.8cm2 / 240.2inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan 800X is approximately 1113.0cm2 / 172.5inch2. The Dynamo 600X requires 39% 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 600X weighs 15.91kg / 35lbs and the MartinLogan 800X weighs 13.64kg / 30lbs. This makes the Dynamo 600X 17% heavier than the Dynamo 800X.
Here is a comparison of how Dynamo 600X 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 600X?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Dynamo 600X:
- 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* |
700USD
vs
900USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Low Frequency Response |
24 Hz
vs
27 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
351mm
vs
415mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1113cm2
vs
1549cm2
|
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 600X needs about 39% more floor area. MartinLogan 600X stands 70mm further into the room. MartinLogan 600X is 64mm taller.
| General |
MartinLogan Dynamo 600X |
MartinLogan Dynamo 800X |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
120 watts |
300 watts |
| Frequency Response |
27-200 Hz |
24-200 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
120-watt RMS |
300-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
front and bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
415.0mm (16.3") |
351.0mm (13.8") |
| Width |
369.0mm (14.5") |
318.0mm (12.5") |
| Depth |
420.0mm (16.5") |
350.0mm (13.8") |
| Weight |
15.91kg (35lbs) |
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 27Hz. A real difference, though most music has little content below 27Hz. |
| Amplifier power | B | MartinLogan 800X has the bigger amplifier - 300W against 120W RMS, about 4dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | evenly matched | Near-identical radiating area (10" against 10"). |
| Enclosure | depends | MartinLogan 600X 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. |
| Setup and tuning | evenly matched | The same tuning tools on both (room correction and app control). |
| Driver placement | depends | MartinLogan 600X 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 39% 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 600X costs less - $700 against $900, about 22% less. |
A MartinLogan 600X 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 600X costs about 22% 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 600X 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. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - MartinLogan 800X 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.