In this review, we will be comparing Silver W-12 and ASW610, 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 Silver W-12 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 Monitor Audio Silver W-12and B&W ASW610 have a single woofer setup however the Monitor Audio Silver W-12's woofer is 12-inch whereas the B&W ASW610 features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Silver W-12 has a frequency range of 20-120 Hz whereas ASW610 has a frequency range of 27-140 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 20Hz, the Silver W-12 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the ASW610's min frequency of 27Hz.
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
Monitor Audio Silver W-12
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver W-12
Cabinet Type
Both Monitor Audio Silver W-12 and B&W ASW610 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 Silver W-12's and B&W ASW610's external dimensions. Monitor Audio Silver W-12 has external dimensions of 355.0 x 342.0 x 445.0mm (13-15/16 x 13-7/16 x 17-1/2inch) 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).
Monitor Audio Silver W-12 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 30mm wider, 34mm taller and 51mm deeper than B&W ASW610.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Monitor Audio Silver W-12 and B&W ASW610 in scale.
Comparison image of Monitor Audio Silver W-12 and B&W ASW610 Size and External Dimensions
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 Silver W-12 is approximately 1521.9cm2 / 235.9inch2 and base area of the B&W ASW610 is approximately 1229.3cm2 / 190.5inch2. The Silver W-12 requires 24% 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 Monitor Audio Silver W-12 weighs 20.14kg / 44.3lbs and the B&W ASW610 weighs 12.55kg / 27.6lbs. This makes the Silver W-12 60% heavier than the ASW610.
Here is a comparison of how Silver W-12 and ASW610's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver W-12
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Silver W-12?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Silver W-12:
- Powered sub
- 6-feet AC power cord
- Grille
- Auto setup mic (w/ attached 19.5-feet cable)
- 10.75-feet Mono minijack cable
- 4 Feet
- Owners Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
What's in the Box of B&W ASW610?
Here are the items that come with the ASW610:
- 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 |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
20 Hz
vs
27 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
140 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
321mm
vs
355mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1229cm2
vs
1521cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
899USD
vs
2100USD
|
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 Silver W-12 needs about 24% more floor area. Monitor Audio Silver W-12 stands 51mm further into the room. Monitor Audio Silver W-12 is 34mm taller.
| General |
Monitor Audio Silver W-12 |
Bowers & Wilkins ASW610 |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
500 watts |
200 watts |
| Frequency Response |
20-120 Hz |
27-140 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
500-watt RMS |
200-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
10" |
| 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 |
355.0mm (14") |
321.0mm (12.6") |
| Width |
342.0mm (13.5") |
312.0mm (12.3") |
| Depth |
445.0mm (17.5") |
394.0mm (15.5") |
| Weight |
20.14kg (44.3lbs) |
12.55kg (27.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 Years |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
2 Years |
2 Years |
Different price classes - Monitor Audio Silver W-12 costs roughly 2.3x what B&W ASW610 does. Before paying it, read the note below about two smaller subwoofers.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | A | Monitor Audio Silver W-12 goes deeper - 20Hz against 27Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | A | Monitor Audio Silver W-12 has the bigger amplifier - 500W against 200W RMS, about 4dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | Monitor Audio Silver W-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. |
| Speaker-level inputs | B | B&W ASW610 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 ASW610 is about 27% 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 $2,100, about 57% less. |
A Monitor Audio Silver W-12 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: Monitor Audio Silver W-12 measures better, B&W ASW610 costs about 57% 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 ASW610 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 $899 each, two B&W ASW610 cost about $1,798 against $2,100 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.