In this review, we will be comparing SB-3000 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 SB-3000 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 SB-3000and B&W DB4S have a single woofer setup however the SVS SB-3000's woofer is 13-inch whereas the B&W DB4S features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
SB-3000 has a frequency range of 18-270 Hz whereas DB4S has a frequency range of 10-350 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 10Hz, the DB4S can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the SB-3000's min frequency of 18Hz.
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
Both SVS SB-3000 and B&W DB4S have Acoustic Suspension type cabinets. 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 SB-3000's and B&W DB4S's external dimensions. SVS SB-3000 has external dimensions of 397.0 x 388.0 x 453.0mm (15-5/8 x 15-1/4 x 17-13/16inch) 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 SB-3000 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 26mm wider, 22mm taller and 19mm 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 SB-3000 is approximately 1757.6cm2 / 272.4inch2 and base area of the B&W DB4S is approximately 1571.1cm2 / 243.5inch2. The SB-3000 requires 12% 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 SB-3000 weighs 24.77kg / 54.5lbs and the B&W DB4S weighs 26.05kg / 57.3lbs. This makes the DB4S 5% heavier than the SB-3000.
Here is a comparison of how SB-3000 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 SB-3000?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of SB-3000:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- Owners Manual
- Quick Start Guide
- Online Registration Card
- SVS brochure
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 |
13 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Price per pair* |
1100USD
vs
2199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Wireless Operation |
Optional
vs
No
|
Connect your subwoofer to your system wireless |
| Low Frequency Response |
10 Hz
vs
18 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
350 Hz
vs
270 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
375mm
vs
397mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1571cm2
vs
1757cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
SVS SB-3000 |
Bowers & Wilkins DB4S |
| Brand |
SVS |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
800 watts |
1000 watts |
| Frequency Response |
18-270 Hz |
10-350 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
800-watt RMS |
n/a |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
2500-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
13" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Aerofoil |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
397.0mm (15.6") |
375.0mm (14.8") |
| Width |
388.0mm (15.3") |
362.0mm (14.3") |
| Depth |
453.0mm (17.8") |
434.0mm (17.1") |
| Weight |
24.77kg (54.5lbs) |
26.05kg (57.3lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
2 Years |
Two quite different sizes of subwoofer. Room volume decides this more than anything else on the page: a big driver in a small room is wasted, and a small one in a large room is worked to death.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | B | B&W DB4S goes deeper - 10Hz against 18Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | B | B&W DB4S has the bigger amplifier - 1000W against 800W RMS, about 1dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | SVS SB-3000 moves more air: 13" against 10" is 1.69x the cone area, not the 1.3x 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. |
| Setup and tuning | evenly matched | The same tuning tools on both (app control). |
| Wireless option | depends | Only SVS SB-3000 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. |
| Warranty | A | SVS SB-3000 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 | A | SVS SB-3000 costs less - $1,100 against $2,199, about 50% less. |
A SVS SB-3000 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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let your room size and where the box can actually stand settle it. 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 $1,100 each, two SVS SB-3000 cost about $2,200 against $2,199 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.