In this review, we will be comparing SB-2000 and Dynamo 600X, 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 SB-2000 and MartinLogan 600X 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 SB-2000and MartinLogan 600X have a single woofer setup however the SVS SB-2000's woofer is 12-inch whereas the MartinLogan 600X features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
SB-2000 has a frequency range of 19-220 Hz whereas Dynamo 600X has a frequency range of 27-200 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 19Hz, the SB-2000 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Dynamo 600X's min frequency of 27Hz.
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 SB-2000 has a Acoustic Suspension type cabinet. 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. On the other hand the MartinLogan 600X have Bass reflex type enclosure.
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 SB-2000's and MartinLogan 600X's external dimensions. SVS SB-2000 has external dimensions of 372.0 x 362.0 x 478.0mm (14-5/8 x 14-1/4 x 18-13/16inch) whereas MartinLogan 600X has external dimensions of 415.0 x 369.0 x 420.0mm (16-5/16 x 14-1/2 x 16-1/2inch).
SVS SB-2000 is 7mm narrower and 43mm shorter than MartinLogan 600X but it is also 58mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of SVS SB-2000 and MartinLogan 600X in scale.
Comparison image of SVS SB-2000 and MartinLogan 600X 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 SB-2000 is approximately 1730.4cm2 / 268.2inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan 600X is approximately 1549.8cm2 / 240.2inch2. The SB-2000 requires 12% more surface area than the Dynamo 600X 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 SB-2000 weighs 15.82kg / 34.8lbs and the MartinLogan 600X weighs 15.91kg / 35lbs. This makes the Dynamo 600X 1% heavier than the SB-2000.
Here is a comparison of how SB-2000 and Dynamo 600X'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 SB-2000?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of SB-2000:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 8-feet AC power cord
- Owners Manual
- Quick Start Guide
What's in the Box of MartinLogan 600X?
Here are the items that come with the Dynamo 600X:
- Powered subwoofer
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- User-feets Manual
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
19 Hz
vs
27 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
220 Hz
vs
200 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
372mm
vs
415mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
600USD
vs
700USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Base Surface Area |
1549cm2
vs
1730cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Wireless Operation |
Optional
vs
No
|
Connect your subwoofer to your system wireless |
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 SB-2000 needs about 12% more floor area. SVS SB-2000 stands 58mm further into the room. MartinLogan 600X is 43mm taller.
| General |
SVS SB-2000 |
MartinLogan Dynamo 600X |
| Brand |
SVS |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
500 watts |
120 watts |
| Frequency Response |
19-220 Hz |
27-200 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
500-watt RMS |
120-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
50-160 Hz and 80 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
front |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
372.0mm (14.6") |
415.0mm (16.3") |
| Width |
362.0mm (14.3") |
369.0mm (14.5") |
| Depth |
478.0mm (18.8") |
420.0mm (16.5") |
| Weight |
15.82kg (34.8lbs) |
15.91kg (35lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass reflex |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Satin Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Yrs w/ Registration |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Yrs w/ Registration |
A sealed subwoofer against a ported 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 SB-2000 goes deeper - 19Hz against 27Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | A | SVS SB-2000 has the bigger amplifier - 500W against 120W RMS, about 6.2dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | SVS SB-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 SB-2000 is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room; MartinLogan 600X is ported - a ported box gives more output low down for its size, at the cost of a steeper roll-off below tuning. 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 | MartinLogan 600X 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 MartinLogan 600X 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 | SVS SB-2000 fires front and MartinLogan 600X fires down. 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. |
| Warranty | A | SVS SB-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 | A | SVS SB-2000 costs less - $600 against $700, about 14% less. |
A SVS SB-2000 B MartinLogan 600X
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 SB-2000 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take MartinLogan 600X if one of the "depends" rows describes your room. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, MartinLogan 600X will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, SVS SB-2000 is usually the easier one to make sound right. Check your amplifier first: if it has no subwoofer or preamp output, MartinLogan 600X 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.