In this review, we will be comparing PB16-Ultra and DB4S, 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 DB4S 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 DB4S have a single woofer setup however the SVS PB16-Ultra's woofer is 16-inch whereas the B&W DB4S features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
PB16-Ultra has a frequency range of 13-280 Hz whereas DB4S has a frequency range of 10-350 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 10Hz, the DB4S can go slightly deeper then the PB16-Ultra's min frequency of 13Hz.
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 DB4S 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 DB4S'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 DB4S has external dimensions of 375.0 x 362.0 x 434.0mm (14-3/4 x 14-1/4 x 17-1/16inch).
SVS PB16-Ultra is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 191mm wider, 260mm taller and 354mm deeper than B&W DB4S.
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 DB4S is approximately 1571.1cm2 / 243.5inch2. The PB16-Ultra requires 177% more surface area than the DB4S 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 DB4S weighs 26.05kg / 57.3lbs. This makes the PB16-Ultra 204% heavier than the DB4S.
Here is a comparison of how PB16-Ultra and DB4S'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 DB4S?
Here are the items that come with the DB4S:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 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 |
16 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
10 Hz
vs
13 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
350 Hz
vs
280 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
375mm
vs
635mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1571cm2
vs
4357cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2199USD
vs
2900USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
SVS PB16-Ultra |
Bowers & Wilkins DB4S |
| Brand |
SVS |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
1500 watts |
1000 watts |
| Frequency Response |
13-280 Hz |
10-350 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1500-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
16" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Composite fiberglass/resin |
Aerofoil |
| 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") |
375.0mm (14.8") |
| Width |
553.0mm (21.8") |
362.0mm (14.3") |
| Depth |
788.0mm (31") |
434.0mm (17.1") |
| Weight |
79.32kg (174.5lbs) |
26.05kg (57.3lbs) |
| 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 | B | B&W DB4S goes deeper - 10Hz against 13Hz. 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 1000W RMS, about 1.8dB 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 10" is 2.56x the cone area, not the 1.6x 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 DB4S 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. |
| Setup and tuning | evenly matched | The same tuning tools on both (app control). |
| Cabinet size | depends | B&W DB4S is about 79% 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 DB4S costs less - $2,199 against $2,900, about 24% less. |
A SVS PB16-Ultra B B&W DB4S
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 DB4S costs about 24% 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 DB4S is usually the easier one to make sound right. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - B&W DB4S 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.