In this review, we will be comparing ZX-12 Sub and ASW610, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Mission and Bowers Wilkins. 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 Mission ZX-12 Sub and B&W ASW610 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 Mission ZX-12 Suband B&W ASW610 have a single woofer setup however the Mission ZX-12 Sub's woofer is 12-inch whereas the B&W ASW610 features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
ZX-12 Sub has a frequency range of 35-120 Hz whereas ASW610 has a frequency range of 27-140 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 27Hz, the ASW610 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the ZX-12 Sub'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 Subwoofer class in our database.
Low Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Cabinet Type
The Mission ZX-12 Sub has a Bass Reflex type cabinet. Bass Reflex type subwoofers (aka Ported, Vented or Reflex Port) have enclosures that uses a port, hole or vent cut into the cabinet. Ported designs are generally more efficient than the Sealed designs. On the other hand the B&W ASW610 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 Mission ZX-12 Sub's and B&W ASW610's external dimensions. Mission ZX-12 Sub has external dimensions of 478.0 x 400.0 x 465.0mm (18-13/16 x 15-3/4 x 18-5/16inch) whereas B&W ASW610 has external dimensions of 321.0 x 312.0 x 394.0mm (12-5/8 x 12-1/4 x 15-1/2inch).
Mission ZX-12 Sub is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 88mm wider, 157mm taller and 71mm deeper than B&W ASW610.
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.
Mission ZX-12 Sub needs about 51% more floor or shelf area. Mission ZX-12 Sub is 71mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Mission ZX-12 Sub is 157mm 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 Mission ZX-12 Sub is approximately 1860.0cm2 / 288.3inch2 and base area of the B&W ASW610 is approximately 1229.3cm2 / 190.5inch2. The ZX-12 Sub requires 51% more surface area than the ASW610 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 Mission ZX-12 Sub weighs 23.00kg / 50.6lbs and the B&W ASW610 weighs 12.55kg / 27.6lbs. This makes the ZX-12 Sub 83% heavier than the ASW610.
Here is a comparison of how ZX-12 Sub and ASW610's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
35 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
140 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
321mm
vs
478mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1229cm2
vs
1860cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
899USD
vs
999USD
|
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.
Mission ZX-12 Sub needs about 51% more floor area. Mission ZX-12 Sub stands 71mm further into the room. Mission ZX-12 Sub is 157mm taller.
| General |
Mission ZX-12 Sub |
Bowers & Wilkins ASW610 |
| Brand |
Mission |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
300 watts |
200 watts |
| Frequency Response |
35-120 Hz |
27-140 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
300-watt RMS |
200-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
450-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper |
Paper/Aramid Fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
30 - 150 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
478.0mm (18.8") |
321.0mm (12.6") |
| Width |
400.0mm (15.7") |
312.0mm (12.3") |
| Depth |
465.0mm (18.3") |
394.0mm (15.5") |
| Weight |
23.00kg (50.6lbs) |
12.55kg (27.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
2 Years |
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 | B&W ASW610 goes deeper - 27Hz against 35Hz. A real difference, though most music has little content below 35Hz. |
| Amplifier power | A | Mission ZX-12 Sub has the bigger amplifier - 300W against 200W RMS, about 1.8dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | Mission ZX-12 Sub 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 | depends | Mission ZX-12 Sub is ported - a ported box gives more output low down for its size, at the cost of a steeper roll-off below tuning; B&W ASW610 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. |
| Cabinet size | depends | B&W ASW610 is about 56% 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 | B&W ASW610 costs less - $899 against $999, about 10% less. |
A Mission ZX-12 Sub B B&W ASW610
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: Mission ZX-12 Sub measures better, B&W ASW610 costs about 10% 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, Mission ZX-12 Sub will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, B&W ASW610 is usually the easier one to make sound right. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - B&W ASW610 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.