Short answer: both are discontinued, so this only matters if you are buying used. Used, the MartinLogan Dynamo 1600X is the better pick: it ranks #3 of 212 subwoofers by sound quality (rated 4.2/5), against #164 (rated 3.4/5) for the Emotiva X-Ref 12.
The MartinLogan Dynamo 1600X is the better-sounding choice. A sealed 15 inch subwoofer with forceful, tight bass, front or down firing setup, and app based room correction, now discontinued. Watch for: Output falls to 86.2dB at 15Hz, so the very lowest effects are weaker than the strong midbass numbers suggest.
The case for the Emotiva X-Ref 12: A sealed 12 inch subwoofer with built in EQ, an LCD screen and balanced inputs, now discontinued. Watch for: Sealed output drops steadily below 40Hz, reaching 92.5dB at 25Hz and 84.0dB at 20Hz, so it is not suited to the deepest movie effects.
Buy the MartinLogan Dynamo 1600X only if you find one used in good condition; both are discontinued, and it is the better rated of the two.
Still deciding? The full Subwoofers rankings cover every ranked option.
A sealed 15 inch subwoofer with forceful, tight bass, front or down firing setup, and app based room correction, now discontinued.
A sealed 12 inch subwoofer with built in EQ, an LCD screen and balanced inputs, now discontinued.
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Specifications Side By Side
| MartinLogan Dynamo 1600X | Emotiva X-Ref 12 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,606.77 Discontinued | $999 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #3 of 212 in Medium Home Subwoofers (30-75 lbs) | #164 of 212 in Medium Home Subwoofers (30-75 lbs) |
| Enclosure | sealed | sealed |
| Output SPL at 15 Hz | 86.2 dB | - |
| Output SPL at 20 Hz | 99.4 dB | 84.0 dB |
| Output SPL at 25 Hz | 103.9 dB | 92.5 dB |
| Output SPL at 31.5 Hz | 111.7 dB | 102.1 dB |
| Output SPL at 40 Hz | 118.4 dB | 106.5 dB |
| Output SPL at 50 Hz | 121.0 dB | 110.6 dB |
| Output SPL at 63 Hz | 121.8 dB | 111.5 dB |
| Output SPL at 80 Hz | 121.0 dB | 110.7 dB |
| Output SPL at 100 Hz | 120.2 dB | 109.3 dB |
| Output SPL at 125 Hz | 119.0 dB | 108.1 dB |
| CEA-2010-A Average (40-80Hz) | 120.5 dB | 109.8 dB |
| Dimensions | 20.1”H x 17.9”W x 19.1”D (510.5 x 454.7 x 485.1 mm) | 15.6”H x 14.6”W x 15.5”D (396.7 x 371.3 x 393.7 mm) |
| Weight | 56 lbs (25.4 kg) | 44.1 lbs (20.0 kg) |
| Warranty | 3 | 5 |
| Cabinet Color | black | - |
| Country | United States | United States |
| Measurement Source | Audioholics | Audioholics |
| Frequency Response | 20-200Hz, ±3dB | 20-200Hz |
| Amplifier Power | 900W RMS / 1800W peak | 600W RMS |
| Inputs | RCA (stereo and LFE), XLR (LFE), speaker-level (banana) | XLR (balanced, with XLR daisy-chain output), RCA (stereo unbalanced) |
| Drivers | 15” (381mm) driver | 12” (305mm) driver |
| XLR Input | Yes | Yes |
| RCA Input | Yes | Yes |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
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