In this review, we will be comparing CW10 and ASW608, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Monitor Audio 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 Monitor Audio CW10 and B&W ASW608 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 Monitor Audio CW10and B&W ASW608 have a single woofer setup however the Monitor Audio CW10's woofer is 10-inch whereas the B&W ASW608 features a 8-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
CW10 has a frequency range of 32-135 Hz whereas ASW608 has a frequency range of 32-140 Hz.
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
Both Monitor Audio CW10 and B&W ASW608 have Acoustic Suspension type cabinets. 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 Monitor Audio CW10's and B&W ASW608's external dimensions. Monitor Audio CW10 has external dimensions of 318.0 x 307.0 x 375.0mm (12-1/2 x 12-1/16 x 14-3/4inch) whereas B&W ASW608 has external dimensions of 272.0 x 261.0 x 350.0mm (10-11/16 x 10-1/4 x 13-3/4inch).
Monitor Audio CW10 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 46mm wider, 46mm taller and 25mm deeper than B&W ASW608.
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 Monitor Audio CW10 is approximately 1151.3cm2 / 178.5inch2 and base area of the B&W ASW608 is approximately 913.5cm2 / 141.6inch2. The CW10 requires 26% more surface area than the ASW608 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 Monitor Audio CW10 weighs 12.61kg / 27.7lbs and the B&W ASW608 weighs 8.86kg / 19.5lbs. This makes the CW10 42% heavier than the ASW608.
Here is a comparison of how CW10 and ASW608's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio CW10?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of CW10:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille (pre-installed)
- 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
- 6-feet AC power cord
- 10-feet Mono-minijack cable
- Owners Manual
- Warranty Card
- Safety Instructions
What's in the Box of B&W ASW608?
Here are the items that come with the ASW608:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Lock-nuts
- Manual
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
140 Hz
vs
135 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
272mm
vs
318mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
913cm2
vs
1151cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
599USD
vs
1325USD
|
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.
Monitor Audio CW10 needs about 26% more floor area. Monitor Audio CW10 stands 25mm further into the room. Monitor Audio CW10 is 46mm taller.
| General |
Monitor Audio CW10 |
Bowers & Wilkins ASW608 |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
400 watts |
200 watts |
| Frequency Response |
32-135 Hz |
32-140 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
400-watt RMS |
200-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM |
Paper/Aramid Fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
318.0mm (12.5") |
272.0mm (10.7") |
| Width |
307.0mm (12.1") |
261.0mm (10.3") |
| Depth |
375.0mm (14.8") |
350.0mm (13.8") |
| Weight |
12.61kg (27.7lbs) |
8.86kg (19.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
2 Years |
Different price classes - Monitor Audio CW10 costs roughly 2.2x what B&W ASW608 does. Before paying it, read the note below about two smaller subwoofers.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | evenly matched | Effectively the same reach (32Hz vs 32Hz). |
| Amplifier power | A | Monitor Audio CW10 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 | A | Monitor Audio CW10 moves more air: 10" against 8" is 1.56x the cone area, not the 1.25x 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. |
| Speaker-level inputs | B | B&W ASW608 takes a speaker-level connection as well as line level. That is what lets it work with an integrated amplifier or a vintage receiver that has no subwoofer output at all. |
| Cabinet size | depends | B&W ASW608 is about 32% 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. |
| Warranty | A | Monitor Audio CW10 carries 5 years on parts against 2 years. A subwoofer amplifier works harder than anything else in the system, so this is not a throwaway line. |
| Price | B | B&W ASW608 costs less - $599 against $1,325, about 55% less. |
A Monitor Audio CW10 B B&W ASW608
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: Monitor Audio CW10 measures better, B&W ASW608 costs about 55% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two. Check your amplifier first: if it has no subwoofer or preamp output, B&W ASW608 is the only one of these two you can connect at all. 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 $599 each, two B&W ASW608 cost about $1,198 against $1,325 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.