In this review, we will be comparing Dynamo Foundation 10 and SW-15, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from MartinLogan and Wharfedale. 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 Dynamo Foundation 10 and Wharfedale SW-15 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 Dynamo Foundation 10and Wharfedale SW-15 have a single woofer setup however the MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10's woofer is 10-inch whereas the Wharfedale SW-15 features a 15-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Dynamo Foundation 10 has a frequency range of 25-200 Hz whereas SW-15 has a frequency range of 30-120 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the Dynamo Foundation 10 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the SW-15'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
MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10
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 Dynamo Foundation 10's and Wharfedale SW-15's external dimensions. MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 has external dimensions of 328.6 x 314.3 x 369.9mm () whereas Wharfedale SW-15 has external dimensions of 570.0 x 493.0 x 615.0mm (22-7/16inch x 19-3/8inch x 24-3/16inch).
Wharfedale SW-15 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 178.7mm wider, 241.4mm taller and 245.1mm deeper than MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers 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 surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Wharfedale SW-15 needs about 161% more floor or shelf area. Wharfedale SW-15 is 245mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Wharfedale SW-15 is 241mm taller.
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 Dynamo Foundation 10 is approximately 1162.6cm2 / 180.2inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale SW-15 is approximately 3032.0cm2 / 470.0inch2. The Dynamo Foundation 10 requires 62% less surface area than the SW-15 which gives it a small advantage 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 Dynamo Foundation 10 weighs 10.80kg / 23.8lbs and the Wharfedale SW-15 weighs 31.57kg / 69.5lbs. This makes the SW-15 192% heavier than the Dynamo Foundation 10.
Here is a comparison of how Dynamo Foundation 10 and SW-15's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10
 Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
200 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
328mm
vs
570mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1162cm2
vs
3032cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
600USD
vs
1199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| Woofer Size |
15 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
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.
Wharfedale SW-15 needs about 161% more floor area. Wharfedale SW-15 stands 245mm further into the room. Wharfedale SW-15 is 241mm taller.
| General |
MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 |
Wharfedale SW-15 |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
25-200 Hz |
30-120 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
200-watt RMS |
400-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
400-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
15" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Paper |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
328.6mm (12.9") |
570.0mm (22.4") |
| Width |
314.3mm (12.4") |
493.0mm (19.4") |
| Depth |
369.9mm (14.6") |
615.0mm (24.2") |
| Weight |
10.80kg (23.8lbs) |
31.57kg (69.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Yrs w/ Registration |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Yrs w/ Registration |
3 Years |
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 Dynamo Foundation 10 goes deeper - 25Hz against 30Hz. That gap covers the lowest notes of a five-string bass and a concert bass drum. |
| Amplifier power | B | Wharfedale SW-15 has the bigger amplifier - 400W against 200W RMS, about 3dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | Wharfedale SW-15 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 | depends | MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room; Wharfedale SW-15 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. |
| Cabinet size | depends | MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 is about 78% 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 Dynamo Foundation 10 costs less - $600 against $1,199, about 50% less. |
A MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 B Wharfedale SW-15
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?
Wharfedale SW-15 is ahead, but on only 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 100% more. MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 is the sensible buy unless your room is large enough to need the extra. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, Wharfedale SW-15 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 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 $600 each, two MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 cost about $1,200 against $1,199 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.