In this review, we will be comparing Dynamo Foundation 12 and Dynamo Foundation 10, 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 Dynamo Foundation 12 and MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 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 12and MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 have a single woofer setup however the MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 12's woofer is 12-inch whereas the MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Dynamo Foundation 12 has a frequency range of 24-200 Hz whereas Dynamo Foundation 10 has a frequency range of 25-200 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 24Hz, the Dynamo Foundation 12 can go slightly deeper then the Dynamo Foundation 10's min frequency of 25Hz.
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 12
MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 12
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 12's and MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10's external dimensions. MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 12 has external dimensions of 404.8 x 357.2 x 408.0mm () whereas MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 has external dimensions of 328.6 x 314.3 x 369.9mm ().
MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 12 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 42.9mm wider, 76.2mm taller and 38.1mm 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.
MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 12 needs about 25% more floor or shelf area. MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 12 is 38mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 12 is 76mm 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 12 is approximately 1457.4cm2 / 225.9inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 is approximately 1162.6cm2 / 180.2inch2. The Dynamo Foundation 12 requires 25% more surface area than the Dynamo Foundation 10 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 Dynamo Foundation 12 weighs 13.20kg / 29lbs and the MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 weighs 10.80kg / 23.8lbs. This makes the Dynamo Foundation 12 22% heavier than the Dynamo Foundation 10.
Here is a comparison of how Dynamo Foundation 12 and Dynamo Foundation 10's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 12
MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
24 Hz
vs
25 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
328mm
vs
404mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1162cm2
vs
1457cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
600USD
vs
800USD
|
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 Dynamo Foundation 12 needs about 25% more floor area. MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 12 stands 38mm further into the room. MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 12 is 76mm taller.
| General |
MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 12 |
MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 |
| Brand |
MartinLogan |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
24-200 Hz |
25-200 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
350-watt RMS |
200-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
700-watt RMS |
400-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
|
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
404.8mm (15.9") |
328.6mm (12.9") |
| Width |
357.2mm (14.1") |
314.3mm (12.4") |
| Depth |
408.0mm (16.1") |
369.9mm (14.6") |
| Weight |
13.20kg (29lbs) |
10.80kg (23.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
|
| 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 Foundation range - same design thinking, different size. It comes down to your room and your budget.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | evenly matched | Effectively the same reach (24Hz vs 25Hz). |
| Amplifier power | A | MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 12 has the bigger amplifier - 350W against 200W RMS, about 2.4dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 12 moves more air: 12" against 10" is 1.44x the cone area, not the 1.2x 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. |
| Cabinet size | depends | MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 is about 35% 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 Dynamo Foundation 10 costs less - $600 against $800, about 25% less. |
A MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 12 B MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10
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 Dynamo Foundation 12 measures better, MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 costs about 25% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 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.