In this review, we will be comparing Gravis V and DB2D, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Sonus faber 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 Sonus faber Gravis V and B&W DB2D 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 V and B&W DB2D have a totally different setup: the Sonus faber Gravis V features 1 x 12.5-inch drivers whereas the DB2D features 2 x 10-inch drivers.
Frequency Response
Gravis V has a frequency range of 20-120 Hz whereas DB2D has a frequency range of 10-350 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 10Hz, the DB2D can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Gravis V's min frequency of 20Hz.
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 V and B&W DB2D 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 Sonus faber Gravis V's and B&W DB2D's external dimensions. Sonus faber Gravis V has external dimensions of 455.0 x 448.0 x 448.0mm (17-15/16 x 17-5/8 x 17-5/8inch) whereas B&W DB2D has external dimensions of 386.0 x 431.0 x 410.0mm (15-3/16inch x 16-15/16inch x 16-1/8inch).
Sonus faber Gravis V is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 17mm wider, 69mm taller and 38mm deeper than B&W DB2D.
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 V needs about 14% more floor or shelf area. Sonus faber Gravis V is 38mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Sonus faber Gravis V is 69mm 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 V is approximately 2007.0cm2 / 311.1inch2 and base area of the B&W DB2D is approximately 1767.1cm2 / 273.9inch2. The Gravis V requires 14% more surface area than the DB2D 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 V weighs 32.00kg / 70.4lbs and the B&W DB2D weighs 36.09kg / 79.4lbs. This makes the DB2D 13% heavier than the Gravis V.
Here is a comparison of how Gravis V and DB2D's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Woofer Size |
12.5 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
10 Hz
vs
20 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
350 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
386mm
vs
455mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1767cm2
vs
2007cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
4499USD
vs
5000USD
|
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.
Sonus faber Gravis V needs about 14% more floor area. Sonus faber Gravis V stands 38mm further into the room. Sonus faber Gravis V is 69mm taller.
| General |
Sonus faber Gravis V |
Bowers & Wilkins DB2D |
| Brand |
Sonus faber |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
850 watts |
1000 watts |
| Frequency Response |
20-120 Hz |
10-350 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
850-watt RMS |
1000-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
1200-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
12.5" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Honeycomb sandwich |
Aerofoil |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
Continuously adjustable |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
455.0mm (17.9") |
386.0mm (15.2") |
| Width |
448.0mm (17.6") |
431.0mm (17") |
| Depth |
448.0mm (17.6") |
410.0mm (16.1") |
| Weight |
32.00kg (70.4lbs) |
36.09kg (79.4lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Gloss Black,Satin White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
2 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 | B&W DB2D goes deeper - 10Hz against 20Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | evenly matched | Much the same amplifier (850W vs 1000W RMS) - under 1dB apart. |
| Driver area | B | B&W DB2D moves more air: 2 x 10" against 12.5" 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 sealed designs, so they roll off in much the same way. |
| Speaker-level inputs | A | Sonus faber Gravis V 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. |
| Driver placement | depends | Sonus faber Gravis V fires front and B&W DB2D 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 | B&W DB2D is about 25% 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. |
| Price | B | B&W DB2D costs less - $4,499 against $5,000, about 10% less. |
A Sonus faber Gravis V B B&W DB2D
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?
B&W DB2D 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 V 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.