In this review, we will be comparing No.35 and DB2D, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from REL 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 REL No.35 and B&W DB2D 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.REL No.35 and B&W DB2D have a totally different setup: the REL No.35 features 1 x 12-inch drivers whereas the DB2D features 2 x 10-inch drivers.
Frequency Response
No.35 has a frequency range of 17 Hz (-6dB, in room) whereas DB2D has a frequency range of 10-350 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 10Hz, the DB2D can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the No.35's min frequency of 17Hz.
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 REL No.35 has a Sealed type cabinet. On the other hand the B&W DB2D 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 REL No.35's and B&W DB2D's external dimensions. REL No.35 has external dimensions of 435.0 x 638.0 x 724.0mm (17-1/8 x 25-1/8 x 28-1/2inch) whereas B&W DB2D has external dimensions of 386.0 x 431.0 x 410.0mm (15-3/16inch x 16-15/16inch x 16-1/8inch).
REL No.35 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 207mm wider, 49mm taller and 314mm deeper than B&W DB2D.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers 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 surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
REL No.35 needs about 161% more floor or shelf area. REL No.35 is 314mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. REL No.35 is 49mm taller.
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 REL No.35 is approximately 4619.1cm2 / 716.0inch2 and base area of the B&W DB2D is approximately 1767.1cm2 / 273.9inch2. The No.35 requires 161% more surface area than the DB2D 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 REL No.35 weighs 59.00kg / 129.8lbs and the B&W DB2D weighs 36.09kg / 79.4lbs. This makes the No.35 63% heavier than the DB2D.
Here is a comparison of how No.35 and DB2D's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
What's in the Box of REL No.35?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of No.35:
- Subwoofer
- Grille
- 6 ft AC power cord
- 32 ft Neutrik Speakon cable
- User manual and warranty information
- Reference remote
- 2 AAA batteries
What's in the Box of B&W DB2D?
Here are the items that come with the DB2D:
- Powered subwoofer
- 2 Grilles
- 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
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Handheld Remote |
Yes
vs
No
|
Control the speaker by the included RC |
 Wireless Operation |
Optional
vs
No
|
Connect your subwoofer to your system wireless |
| Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
10 Hz
vs
17 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
350 Hz
vs
Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
386mm
vs
435mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1767cm2
vs
4619cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
4499USD
vs
10000USD
|
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.
REL No.35 needs about 161% more floor area. REL No.35 stands 314mm further into the room. REL No.35 is 49mm taller.
| General |
REL No.35 |
Bowers & Wilkins DB2D |
| Brand |
REL |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
900 watts |
1000 watts |
| Frequency Response |
17 Hz (-6dB, in room) |
10-350 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
900-watt RMS |
1000-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Carbon fibre |
Aerofoil |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
435.0mm (17.1") |
386.0mm (15.2") |
| Width |
638.0mm (25.1") |
431.0mm (17") |
| Depth |
724.0mm (28.5") |
410.0mm (16.1") |
| Weight |
59.00kg (129.8lbs) |
36.09kg (79.4lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Sealed |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Finish |
Piano Black Lacquer, 12 coats |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Gloss Black,Satin White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
2 Years |
Different price classes - REL No.35 costs roughly 2.2x what B&W DB2D does. Before paying it, read the note below about two smaller subwoofers.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | B | B&W DB2D goes deeper - 10Hz against 17Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | evenly matched | Much the same amplifier (900W vs 1000W RMS) - under 1dB apart. |
| Driver area | B | B&W DB2D moves more air: 2 x 10" against 12" is 1.39x the cone area, not the 1.18x 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 | A | REL No.35 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. |
| Wireless option | depends | Only REL No.35 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. |
| Driver placement | depends | REL No.35 fires front and B&W DB2D fires side. 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 | B&W DB2D is about 66% 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 DB2D costs less - $4,499 against $10,000, about 55% less. |
A REL No.35 B B&W DB2D
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?
B&W DB2D has the edge on paper, though not by much. The "depends" rows are more likely to decide this than the score is. Check your amplifier first: if it has no subwoofer or preamp output, REL No.35 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 $4,499 each, two B&W DB2D cost about $8,998 against $10,000 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.