In this review, we will be comparing Gravis II and SuperSub X, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Sonus faber and GoldenEar. 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 Sonus faber Gravis II and GoldenEar SuperSub X 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.Sonus faber Gravis II and GoldenEar SuperSub X have a totally different setup: the Sonus faber Gravis II features 1 x 10-inch drivers whereas the SuperSub X features 2 x 8-inch drivers.
Frequency Response
Gravis II has a frequency range of 25-120 Hz whereas SuperSub X has a frequency range of 12-250 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 12Hz, the SuperSub X can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Gravis II'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
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Cabinet Type
Both Sonus faber Gravis II and GoldenEar SuperSub X have Passive Radiator type cabinets. Passive Radiator type subwoofers sports a non-powered cone that moves in response to the main woofer to move air out in order to generate stronger bass in a smaller body compared to ported or sealed 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 Sonus faber Gravis II's and GoldenEar SuperSub X's external dimensions. Sonus faber Gravis II has external dimensions of 407.0 x 358.0 x 435.0mm (16inch x 14-1/16inch x 17-1/8inch) whereas GoldenEar SuperSub X has external dimensions of 324.0 x 356.0 x 388.0mm (12-3/4inch x 14inch x 15-1/4inch).
Sonus faber Gravis II is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 2mm wider, 83mm taller and 47mm deeper than GoldenEar SuperSub X.
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.
Sonus faber Gravis II needs about 13% more floor or shelf area. Sonus faber Gravis II is 47mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Sonus faber Gravis II is 83mm 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 Sonus faber Gravis II is approximately 1557.3cm2 / 241.4inch2 and base area of the GoldenEar SuperSub X is approximately 1381.3cm2 / 214.1inch2. The Gravis II requires 13% more surface area than the SuperSub X 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 Sonus faber Gravis II weighs 21.50kg / 47.3lbs and the GoldenEar SuperSub X weighs 18.18kg / 40lbs. This makes the Gravis II 18% heavier than the SuperSub X.
Here is a comparison of how Gravis II and SuperSub X's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
What's in the Box of Sonus faber Gravis II?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Gravis II:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6-feet AC power cord
- 33-feet Speakon cable
- Owners Manual
- Environmental Information
What's in the Box of GoldenEar SuperSub X?
Here are the items that come with the SuperSub X:
- Powered Subwoofer
- 10-feet AC power cord
- Owners Manual
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
12 Hz
vs
25 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
250 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
324mm
vs
407mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1381cm2
vs
1557cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
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.
Sonus faber Gravis II needs about 13% more floor area. Sonus faber Gravis II stands 47mm further into the room. Sonus faber Gravis II is 83mm taller.
| General |
Sonus faber Gravis II |
GoldenEar SuperSub X |
| Brand |
Sonus faber |
GoldenEar |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
350 watts |
1400 watts |
| Frequency Response |
25-120 Hz |
12-250 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
350-watt RMS |
1400-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Treated Paper |
Fiber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
side |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
407.0mm (16") |
324.0mm (12.8") |
| Width |
358.0mm (14.1") |
356.0mm (14") |
| Depth |
435.0mm (17.1") |
388.0mm (15.3") |
| Weight |
21.50kg (47.3lbs) |
18.18kg (40lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Passive Radiator |
| Available Colors |
Piano Black,Matte White |
n/a |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 Yr/3 Yr registered |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
2 Yr/3 Yr registered |
3 Years |
No single best subwoofer here. Your room, where the box can physically go, and whether this is mainly for films or mainly for music will settle it long before the specs do.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | B | GoldenEar SuperSub X goes deeper - 12Hz against 25Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | B | GoldenEar SuperSub X has the bigger amplifier - 1400W against 350W RMS, about 6dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | GoldenEar SuperSub X moves more air: 2 x 8" against 10" is 1.28x the cone area, not the 1.13x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | evenly matched | Both are passive radiator designs, so they roll off in much the same way. |
| Speaker-level inputs | A | Sonus faber Gravis II 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. |
| Phase control | A | Sonus faber Gravis II has a phase control. Without one, the only way to fix a cancellation at the crossover is to move the box. |
| Driver placement | depends | Sonus faber Gravis II fires front/down and GoldenEar SuperSub X fires side. 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. |
| Cabinet size | depends | GoldenEar SuperSub X is about 29% 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 | B | GoldenEar SuperSub X carries 3 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 | evenly matched | Priced within a few per cent of each other. |
A Sonus faber Gravis II B GoldenEar SuperSub X
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?
GoldenEar SuperSub X has the edge on paper, though not by much. The "depends" rows are more likely to decide this than the score is. Check your amplifier first: if it has no subwoofer or preamp output, Sonus faber Gravis II is the only one of these two you can connect at all. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - GoldenEar SuperSub X 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.