In this review, we will be comparing PB16-Ultra and ASW608, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from SVS 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 SVS PB16-Ultra 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.
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Drivers
The efficiency of a subwoofer is directly proportional to the total radiating are squared hence the woofer quantity and diameter.Both SVS PB16-Ultraand B&W ASW608 have a single woofer setup however the SVS PB16-Ultra's woofer is 16-inch whereas the B&W ASW608 features a 8-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
PB16-Ultra has a frequency range of 13-280 Hz whereas ASW608 has a frequency range of 32-140 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 13Hz, the PB16-Ultra can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to 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 SVS PB16-Ultra 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.
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 SVS PB16-Ultra's and B&W ASW608's external dimensions. SVS PB16-Ultra has external dimensions of 635.0 x 553.0 x 788.0mm (25 x 21-3/4 x 31inch) 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).
SVS PB16-Ultra is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 292mm wider, 363mm taller and 438mm deeper than B&W ASW608.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of SVS PB16-Ultra and B&W ASW608 in scale.
Comparison image of SVS PB16-Ultra 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 SVS PB16-Ultra is approximately 4357.6cm2 / 675.4inch2 and base area of the B&W ASW608 is approximately 913.5cm2 / 141.6inch2. The PB16-Ultra requires 377% 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 SVS PB16-Ultra weighs 79.32kg / 174.5lbs and the B&W ASW608 weighs 8.86kg / 19.5lbs. This makes the PB16-Ultra 795% heavier than the ASW608.
Here is a comparison of how PB16-Ultra 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 SVS PB16-Ultra?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of PB16-Ultra:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 5-feet AC power cord
- Remote control (3V battery installed)
- Owners Manual
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 |
16 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
13 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
280 Hz
vs
140 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Height |
272mm
vs
635mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
913cm2
vs
4357cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
599USD
vs
2900USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
SVS PB16-Ultra |
Bowers & Wilkins ASW608 |
| Brand |
SVS |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
1500 watts |
200 watts |
| Frequency Response |
13-280 Hz |
32-140 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1500-watt RMS |
200-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
16" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Composite fiberglass/resin |
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 |
635.0mm (25") |
272.0mm (10.7") |
| Width |
553.0mm (21.8") |
261.0mm (10.3") |
| Depth |
788.0mm (31") |
350.0mm (13.8") |
| Weight |
79.32kg (174.5lbs) |
8.86kg (19.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 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 | SVS PB16-Ultra goes deeper - 13Hz against 32Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | A | SVS PB16-Ultra has the bigger amplifier - 1500W against 200W RMS, about 8.8dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | SVS PB16-Ultra moves more air: 16" against 8" is 4x the cone area, not the 2x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | SVS PB16-Ultra 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 91% 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 | SVS PB16-Ultra carries 5 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 | B | B&W ASW608 costs less - $599 against $2,900, about 79% less. |
A SVS PB16-Ultra 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?
The usual trade-off: SVS PB16-Ultra measures better, B&W ASW608 costs about 79% 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, SVS PB16-Ultra 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.