In this review, we will be comparing HTS 12 and ASW608, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Polk 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 Polk HTS 12 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 Polk HTS 12and B&W ASW608 have a single woofer setup however the Polk HTS 12's woofer is 12-inch whereas the B&W ASW608 features a 8-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
HTS 12 has a frequency range of 28-120 Hz whereas ASW608 has a frequency range of 32-140 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the HTS 12 can go slightly deeper then the ASW608's min frequency of 32Hz.
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 Polk HTS 12 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 ASW608 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.
Polk HTS 12 Port
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 Polk HTS 12's and B&W ASW608's external dimensions. Polk HTS 12 has external dimensions of 478.0 x 437.0 x 510.0mm (18-13/16 x 17-3/16 x 20-1/16inch) 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).
Polk HTS 12 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 176mm wider, 206mm taller and 160mm deeper than B&W ASW608.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk HTS 12 and B&W ASW608 in scale.
Comparison image of Polk HTS 12 and B&W ASW608 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 Polk HTS 12 is approximately 2228.7cm2 / 345.4inch2 and base area of the B&W ASW608 is approximately 913.5cm2 / 141.6inch2. The HTS 12 requires 144% 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 Polk HTS 12 weighs 22.68kg / 49.9lbs and the B&W ASW608 weighs 8.86kg / 19.5lbs. This makes the HTS 12 156% heavier than the ASW608.
Here is a comparison of how HTS 12 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 Polk HTS 12?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of HTS 12:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 8-feet AC power cord
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration sheet
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 |
12 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
549USD
vs
599USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 High Frequency Response |
140 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
272mm
vs
478mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
913cm2
vs
2228cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
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.
Polk HTS 12 needs about 144% more floor area. Polk HTS 12 stands 160mm further into the room. Polk HTS 12 is 206mm taller.
| General |
Polk Audio HTS 12 |
Bowers & Wilkins ASW608 |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
200 watts |
200 watts |
| Frequency Response |
28-120 Hz |
32-140 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
200-watt RMS |
200-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
400-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
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 |
478.0mm (18.8") |
272.0mm (10.7") |
| Width |
437.0mm (17.2") |
261.0mm (10.3") |
| Depth |
510.0mm (20.1") |
350.0mm (13.8") |
| Weight |
22.68kg (49.9lbs) |
8.86kg (19.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
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 | A | Polk HTS 12 goes deeper - 28Hz against 32Hz. A real difference, though most music has little content below 32Hz. |
| Amplifier power | evenly matched | Much the same amplifier (200W vs 200W RMS) - under 1dB apart. |
| Driver area | A | Polk HTS 12 moves more air: 12" against 8" is 2.25x the cone area, not the 1.5x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | Polk HTS 12 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 ASW608 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. |
| 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 77% 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 | Polk HTS 12 carries 3 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 | A | Polk HTS 12 costs less - $549 against $599, about 8% less. |
A Polk HTS 12 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?
Polk HTS 12 has the edge on paper, though not by much. The "depends" rows are more likely to decide this than the score is. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, Polk HTS 12 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, B&W ASW608 is usually the easier one to make sound right. 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.
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.