In this review, we will be comparing two different types of subwoofers by MartinLogan. MartinLogan Dynamo IW S is a In-wall speaker whereas the Dynamo 1600X is a Subwoofer speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features of MartinLogan Dynamo IW S and MartinLogan 1600X first before getting into our more detailed comparison.
MartinLogan Dynamo IW SMartinLogan 1600X
Woofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
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 Dynamo IW S and MartinLogan 1600X have a totally different setup: the MartinLogan Dynamo IW S features 2 x 8-inch drivers whereas the Dynamo 1600X features 1 x 15-inch drivers.
Frequency Response
Dynamo IW S has a frequency range of 35-190 Hz whereas Dynamo 1600X has a frequency range of 20-200 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 20Hz, the Dynamo 1600X can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Dynamo IW S's min frequency of 35Hz.
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 In-wall class in our database.
Low Frequency
In-wall Speakers
High Frequency
In-wall Speakers
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 IW S's and MartinLogan 1600X's external dimensions. MartinLogan Dynamo IW S has external dimensions of 490.5 x 277.8 x 114.3mm () whereas 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).
MartinLogan 1600X is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 178.2mm wider, 19.5mm taller and 355.7mm deeper than MartinLogan Dynamo IW S.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of MartinLogan Dynamo IW S and MartinLogan 1600X in scale.
Comparison image of MartinLogan Dynamo IW S and MartinLogan 1600X Size and External Dimensions