In this review, we will be comparing PC-2000 and Dynamo Foundation 10, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from SVS and MartinLogan. 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 PC-2000 and MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 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 SVS PC-2000and MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 have a single woofer setup however the SVS PC-2000's woofer is 12-inch whereas the MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
PC-2000 has a frequency range of 16-260 Hz whereas Dynamo Foundation 10 has a frequency range of 25-200 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 16Hz, the PC-2000 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Dynamo Foundation 10's min frequency of 25Hz.
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
MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10
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 PC-2000's and MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10's external dimensions. SVS PC-2000 has external dimensions of 872.0 x 422.0 x 422.0mm (34-5/16 x 16-5/8 x 16-5/8inch) whereas MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 has external dimensions of 328.6 x 314.3 x 369.9mm ().
SVS PC-2000 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 107.7mm wider, 543.4mm taller and 52.1mm deeper than MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10.
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.
SVS PC-2000 needs about 53% more floor or shelf area. SVS PC-2000 is 52mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. SVS PC-2000 is 543mm 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 SVS PC-2000 is approximately 1780.8cm2 / 276.0inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 is approximately 1162.6cm2 / 180.2inch2. The PC-2000 requires 53% more surface area than the Dynamo Foundation 10 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 PC-2000 weighs 22.70kg / 49.9lbs and the MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 weighs 10.80kg / 23.8lbs. This makes the PC-2000 110% heavier than the Dynamo Foundation 10.
Here is a comparison of how PC-2000 and Dynamo Foundation 10's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
16 Hz
vs
25 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
260 Hz
vs
200 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
328mm
vs
872mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1162cm2
vs
1780cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
600USD
vs
750USD
|
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.
SVS PC-2000 needs about 53% more floor area. SVS PC-2000 stands 52mm further into the room. SVS PC-2000 is 543mm taller.
| General |
SVS PC-2000 |
MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 |
| Brand |
SVS |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
16-260 Hz |
25-200 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
500-watt RMS |
200-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
1100-watt RMS |
400-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
|
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
872.0mm (34.3") |
328.6mm (12.9") |
| Width |
422.0mm (16.6") |
314.3mm (12.4") |
| Depth |
422.0mm (16.6") |
369.9mm (14.6") |
| Weight |
22.70kg (49.9lbs) |
10.80kg (23.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
|
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Yrs w/ Registration |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Yrs w/ Registration |
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 PC-2000 goes deeper - 16Hz against 25Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | A | SVS PC-2000 has the bigger amplifier - 500W against 200W RMS, about 4dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | SVS PC-2000 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 | depends | SVS PC-2000 is ported - a ported box gives more output low down for its size, at the cost of a steeper roll-off below tuning; MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 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. |
| Cabinet size | depends | MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 is about 75% 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 PC-2000 carries 5 years on parts against 3 years. A subwoofer amplifier works harder than anything else in the system, so this is not a throwaway line. |
| Price | B | MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 costs less - $600 against $750, about 20% less. |
A SVS PC-2000 B MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10
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?
SVS PC-2000 leads across most of the measured areas for a modest premium, so it is the easier pick if the budget stretches. MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 is the one to take if it does not. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, SVS PC-2000 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 is usually the easier one to make sound right. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - MartinLogan Dynamo Foundation 10 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.