In this review, we will be comparing Radius 380 and DB4S, 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 Radius 380 and B&W DB4S 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 Radius 380and B&W DB4S have a single woofer setup however the Monitor Audio Radius 380's woofer is 8-inch whereas the B&W DB4S features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Radius 380 has a frequency range of 30-120 Hz whereas DB4S has a frequency range of 10-350 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 10Hz, the DB4S can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Radius 380'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
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Cabinet Type
The Monitor Audio Radius 380 has a Passive Radiator type cabinet. Passive Radiator type subwoofers sports a non-powered cone that moves in response to the main woofer to move air out in order to generate stronger bass in a smaller body compared to ported or sealed designs. On the other hand the B&W DB4S 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 Monitor Audio Radius 380's and B&W DB4S's external dimensions. Monitor Audio Radius 380 has external dimensions of 308.0 x 291.0 x 345.0mm (12-1/8 x 11-7/16 x 13-9/16inch) whereas B&W DB4S has external dimensions of 375.0 x 362.0 x 434.0mm (14-3/4 x 14-1/4 x 17-1/16inch).
B&W DB4S is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 71mm wider, 67mm taller and 89mm deeper than Monitor Audio Radius 380.
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 Radius 380 is approximately 1004.0cm2 / 155.6inch2 and base area of the B&W DB4S is approximately 1571.1cm2 / 243.5inch2. The Radius 380 requires 36% less surface area than the DB4S 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 Monitor Audio Radius 380 weighs 10.18kg / 22.4lbs and the B&W DB4S weighs 26.05kg / 57.3lbs. This makes the DB4S 156% heavier than the Radius 380.
Here is a comparison of how Radius 380 and DB4S'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 Radius 380?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Radius 380:
- Powered sub
- 6-feet AC power cord
- 10.75-feet Mono minijack cable
- Owners Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
What's in the Box of B&W DB4S?
Here are the items that come with the DB4S:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- 4 Decoupling feet
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Lock-nuts
- Cleaning cloth
- Quickstart Guide
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
- Cleaning cloth instructions
 Height |
308mm
vs
375mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1004cm2
vs
1571cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
875USD
vs
2199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
10 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
350 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
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.
B&W DB4S needs about 56% more floor area. B&W DB4S stands 89mm further into the room. B&W DB4S is 67mm taller.
| General |
Monitor Audio Radius 380 |
Bowers & Wilkins DB4S |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
200 watts |
1000 watts |
| Frequency Response |
30-120 Hz |
10-350 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
200-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM |
Aerofoil |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
side |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
308.0mm (12.1") |
375.0mm (14.8") |
| Width |
291.0mm (11.5") |
362.0mm (14.3") |
| Depth |
345.0mm (13.6") |
434.0mm (17.1") |
| Weight |
10.18kg (22.4lbs) |
26.05kg (57.3lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 Years |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
2 Years |
2 Years |
A passive radiator 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 DB4S goes deeper - 10Hz against 30Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | B | B&W DB4S has the bigger amplifier - 1000W against 200W RMS, about 7dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | B&W DB4S 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 | depends | Monitor Audio Radius 380 is passive radiator - a passive radiator behaves like a port without the pipe noise, and suits a slim cabinet; B&W DB4S 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. |
| Driver placement | depends | Monitor Audio Radius 380 fires side and B&W DB4S fires front. A down-firing driver is more forgiving of a grille-less look and of a hard floor; a front-firing one is the safer choice on a thick carpet or a suspended timber floor. |
| Cabinet size | depends | Monitor Audio Radius 380 is about 48% 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 | Monitor Audio Radius 380 costs less - $875 against $2,199, about 60% less. |
A Monitor Audio Radius 380 B B&W DB4S
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: B&W DB4S measures better, Monitor Audio Radius 380 costs about 60% 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, Monitor Audio Radius 380 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, B&W DB4S 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 $875 each, two Monitor Audio Radius 380 cost about $1,750 against $2,199 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.