Deep Concentration
Sound & Vision|February - March 2024
IN THE realm of high-fidelity audio, the Bowers & Wilkins DB3D subwoofer offers a fusion of compact design and powerful performance.
Mark Henninger
Deep Concentration

Priced at a premium $3,499, this subwoofer is a statement piece that offers performance to match Bowers and Wilkins speakers like the 700 Series S3 models used in this review.

The DB3D is at once one of the most expensive and one of the most compact subwoofers I've reviewed. We are talking $14,000 worth of subs. However, this sub's design is not strictly about getting maximum decibels per dollar. If that's your sole goal, best to look elsewhere. The reason? There is a direct correlation between a sub's size, output, and cost. Offering the capabilities of a large subwoofer in a compact package costs more, not less.

So, big bucks, small subs... what's the payoff? I can tell you what I got out of the DB3Ds. I easily fit four 10 Hz-capable, self-tuning subs in my urban loft's living room area. The resulting bass is dedicated home theater-quality.

It is important to emphasize that with this system, my priority is not maximum output. It's maximum bass extension and fidelity.

FEATURES

The DB3D offers a user-friendly experience for setup and adjustments. A key feature is control of the sub via the dedicated "dB Sub" app. It's crucial, actually, because the sub itself does not offer physical controls, you must use the app to tweak the settings.

Plus, you'd miss out on the built-in automatic room tuning. The app communicates using Bluetooth and worked seamlessly on my iPhone and my Samsung Galaxy, all four subwoofers showed up immediately the moment after I installed and launched it.

The DB3D's compact design leverages a pair of 8-inch Aerofoil drivers in a dual-opposed, force-canceling alignment. This arrangement minimizes distortion caused by mechanical motion while maximizing cone surface area, making possible the use of a small cabinet. For comparison, a pair of 8-inch drivers are equivalent to an 11.3-inch driver in a sealed sub-enclosure.

Denne historien er fra February - March 2024-utgaven av Sound & Vision.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra February - March 2024-utgaven av Sound & Vision.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA SOUND & VISIONSe alt
The Big Clean
Sound & Vision

The Big Clean

Chances are you probably do not think about the state of your electronic devices too often. Oh, you might think about all the upgrades you would like to make; where you would put those new tower speakers, or how a second or third subwoofer would really tame those bass modes in your room, or how much more cinematic a larger screen would be. Sure, you think about that part of your system. But how often do you think about the well-being of your system?

time-read
5 mins  |
August - September 2024
Planar-Magnetic Attraction
Sound & Vision

Planar-Magnetic Attraction

THE DIPTYQUE DP 115 speakers are a new model 2-way, ribbon, and planar magnetic driver dipole \"isodynamic\" speaker system designed and built in France.

time-read
10 mins  |
August - September 2024
Full-Featured 4K
Sound & Vision

Full-Featured 4K

THE QN95D is one of two televisions we went hands-on with on a recent trip to Samsung's New Jersey QA Lab, the other being the S95D quantum-dot OLED.

time-read
10+ mins  |
August - September 2024
Party Animal
Sound & Vision

Party Animal

FOR ANY party, the Soundcore Boom 2 Plus Outdoor Bass Bluetooth Speaker is an essential invite.

time-read
7 mins  |
August - September 2024
It's the End of the World. How About Popcorn and a Movie?
Sound & Vision

It's the End of the World. How About Popcorn and a Movie?

Attention all preppers! Today's column is right up your alley-or, more precisely-your tunnel to your underground bunker.

time-read
3 mins  |
August - September 2024
Bridging the Analog-Digital Gap on a Recliner
Sound & Vision

Bridging the Analog-Digital Gap on a Recliner

When I shopped for a motorized recliner, I rejected models with their own Internet Protocol address and built-in speakers. No need. I had already placed a smart speaker on an étagère beside the space where I had planned to put the chair. I'd have a smartphone in my hand and the room would be bathed in Wi-Fi.

time-read
4 mins  |
August - September 2024
BACK TO THE GARDEN
Sound & Vision

BACK TO THE GARDEN

AN AQUARIAN EXPOSITION in WHITE LAKE, N.Y.

time-read
10+ mins  |
August - September 2024
Big Sound, Small Price
Sound & Vision

Big Sound, Small Price

DOLBY ATMOS, once a costly premium, is enjoying a surge of popularity across a range of new audio gear.

time-read
10+ mins  |
August - September 2024
Classic Sound with Streaming Smarts
Sound & Vision

Classic Sound with Streaming Smarts

THE TWENTIETH century had its Roaring Twenties; welcome to the twenty-first's Streaming Twenties.

time-read
10+ mins  |
August - September 2024
Stand and Deliver
Sound & Vision

Stand and Deliver

IT DOESN'T seem all that long ago that SVS first entered the audio scene.

time-read
9 mins  |
August - September 2024