In this review, we will be comparing SubSeries 350 and ASW610, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from PSB 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 PSB SubSeries 350 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 PSB SubSeries 350and B&W ASW610 have a single woofer setup however the PSB SubSeries 350's woofer is 12-inch whereas the B&W ASW610 features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
SubSeries 350 has a frequency range of 25-150 Hz whereas ASW610 has a frequency range of 27-140 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the SubSeries 350 can go slightly deeper then 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
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Cabinet Type
Both PSB SubSeries 350 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 PSB SubSeries 350's and B&W ASW610's external dimensions. PSB SubSeries 350 has external dimensions of 407.0 x 394.0 x 445.0mm (16 x 15-1/2 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).
PSB SubSeries 350 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 82mm wider, 86mm taller and 51mm deeper than B&W ASW610.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of PSB SubSeries 350 and B&W ASW610 in scale.
Comparison image of PSB SubSeries 350 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 PSB SubSeries 350 is approximately 1753.3cm2 / 271.8inch2 and base area of the B&W ASW610 is approximately 1229.3cm2 / 190.5inch2. The SubSeries 350 requires 43% 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 PSB SubSeries 350 weighs 23.18kg / 51lbs and the B&W ASW610 weighs 12.55kg / 27.6lbs. This makes the SubSeries 350 85% heavier than the ASW610.
Here is a comparison of how SubSeries 350 and ASW610's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
What's in the Box of PSB SubSeries 350?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of SubSeries 350:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6-feet AC power cord
- Quick Start Guide
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
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 |
25 Hz
vs
27 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
150 Hz
vs
140 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Wireless Operation |
Optional
vs
No
|
Connect your subwoofer to your system wireless |
 Height |
321mm
vs
407mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1229cm2
vs
1753cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
899USD
vs
1299USD
|
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.
PSB SubSeries 350 needs about 43% more floor area. PSB SubSeries 350 stands 51mm further into the room. PSB SubSeries 350 is 86mm taller.
| General |
PSB SubSeries 350 |
Bowers & Wilkins ASW610 |
| Brand |
PSB |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
300 watts |
200 watts |
| Frequency Response |
25-150 Hz |
27-140 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
300-watt RMS |
200-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Paper/Aramid Fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
50-150 Hz and 80 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
407.0mm (16") |
321.0mm (12.6") |
| Width |
394.0mm (15.5") |
312.0mm (12.3") |
| Depth |
445.0mm (17.5") |
394.0mm (15.5") |
| Weight |
23.18kg (51lbs) |
12.55kg (27.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
1 Year |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
1 Year |
2 Years |
No single best subwoofer here. Your room, where the box can physically go, and whether this is mainly for films or mainly for music will settle it long before the specs do.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | evenly matched | Effectively the same reach (25Hz vs 27Hz). |
| Amplifier power | A | PSB SubSeries 350 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 | PSB SubSeries 350 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. |
| Wireless option | depends | Only PSB SubSeries 350 offers a wireless link (as a paid option). It decides where the sub can go if you cannot run a cable, and is worth nothing if you can. |
| Cabinet size | depends | B&W ASW610 is about 45% 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 | B | B&W ASW610 carries 2 years on parts against 1 years. A subwoofer amplifier works harder than anything else in the system, so this is not a throwaway line. |
| Price | B | B&W ASW610 costs less - $899 against $1,299, about 31% less. |
A PSB SubSeries 350 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?
PSB SubSeries 350 is ahead, but on only 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 44% more. B&W ASW610 is the sensible buy unless your room is large enough to need the extra. 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.