Short answer: the Dynamo 1600X for clean output, the Monoprice SW-15 for large-room bass. The sealed Dynamo’s 900W RMS and 1800W peak deliver forceful, clean, tight low bass, though it costs $1606.77 and its 121.5 dB mid-range output is a caveat. The 15-inch ported SW-15 runs 600W RMS and 800W peak with a Large-room Bassaholic rating, at 30 kg and with limited dynamic headroom.
The case for the MartinLogan Dynamo 1600X: Sealed 15-inch with 900W RMS, 1800W peak delivers forceful clean tight low bass. The catch: Ported design room integration needs, mid-range 121.5 dB output, and $1,607 price.
What the Monoprice SW-15 gets right: 15-inch ported with 600W RMS (800W peak) delivers Large-room Bassaholic rating. Set against that: Budget-tier design, ported room gain dependency, 30 kg (66.1 lbs) mid-size, and limited dynamic headroom.
Buy the MartinLogan Dynamo 1600X if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Monoprice SW-15 if the price matters more than sound quality.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Subwoofers rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| MartinLogan Dynamo 1600X | Monoprice SW-15 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,606.77 | $374.99 |
| Ranked | #2 of 145 in Medium Home Subwoofers (30-75 lbs) | #13 of 145 in Medium Home Subwoofers (30-75 lbs) |
| Enclosure | sealed | ported, bottom |
| Output SPL at 15 Hz | 86.2 dB | 90.0 dB |
| Output SPL at 20 Hz | 99.4 dB | 101.2 dB |
| Output SPL at 25 Hz | 103.9 dB | 106.3 dB |
| Output SPL at 31.5 Hz | 111.7 dB | 111.2 dB |
| Output SPL at 40 Hz | 118.4 dB | 116.0 dB |
| Output SPL at 50 Hz | 121.0 dB | 120.2 dB |
| Output SPL at 63 Hz | 121.8 dB | 120.5 dB |
| Output SPL at 80 Hz | 121.0 dB | 119.5 dB |
| Output SPL at 100 Hz | 120.2 dB | - |
| Output SPL at 125 Hz | 119.0 dB | - |
| CEA-2010-A Average (40-80Hz) | 120.5 dB | 119.0 dB |
| Dimensions | 20.1"H x 17.9"W x 19.1"D (510.5 x 454.7 x 485.1 mm) | 18.1"H x 21"W x 22.7"D (459.7 x 533.4 x 576.6 mm) |
| Weight | 56 lbs (25.4 kg) | 66.1 lbs (30.0 kg) |
| Warranty | 3 | 1 |
| Cabinet Color | black | black |
| Country | United States | United States |
| Measurement Source | Audioholics | Audioholics |
| Frequency Response | 20-200Hz, ±3dB | 30-150Hz (-10dB) |
| Amplifier Power | 900W RMS / 1800W peak | 600W RMS / 800W peak |
| Inputs | RCA (stereo and LFE), XLR (LFE), speaker-level (banana) | Stereo line level and speaker level |
| Drivers | 15" (381mm) driver | 15" (381mm) driver |
| XLR Input | Yes | - |
| RCA Input | Yes | - |
| TRS Input | No | - |
| Optical Input | No | - |
| Coaxial Input | No | - |
| USB Input | No | - |
| HDMI Input | No | - |
| AES Input | No | - |
| Aux Input | No | - |
| Crossover Frequency | - | 40-150Hz, 18dB/octave |
| Phase Control | - | 0° or 180° |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to MartinLogan Dynamo 1600X:
- JTR Speakers Captivator 212PRO vs MartinLogan Dynamo 1600X
- HSU Research ULS-15 MK2 vs MartinLogan Dynamo 1600X
- MartinLogan Dynamo 1600X vs Monoprice SW-12
- MartinLogan Dynamo 1600X vs Power Sound Audio (PSA) XV15
- MartinLogan Dynamo 1600X vs Paradigm Defiance X12
Prices on this page were last checked September 23, 2026 at 11:24 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
MartinLogan Dynamo 1600X: $1,606.77 eBay
Pros: Sealed 15-inch with 900W RMS, 1800W peak delivers forceful clean tight low bass. Easily configurable as forward-firing or down-firing. Smartphone app with Anthem Room Correction (ARC) optimizes bass across room. Wireless capable with optional SWT-X module.
Cons: Ported design room integration needs, mid-range 121.5 dB output, and $1607 price.
Full MartinLogan Dynamo 1600X review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 900W RMS / 1800W peak |
| Aux Input | No |
| CEA-2010-A Average (40-80Hz) | 120.5 dB |
| Cabinet Color | black |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Country | United States |
| Dimensions | 20.1"H x 17.9"W x 19.1"D (510.5 x 454.7 x 485.1 mm) |
| Drivers | 15" (381mm) driver |
| Enclosure | sealed |
| Frequency Response | 20-200Hz, ±3dB |
| HDMI Input | No |
| Inputs | RCA (stereo and LFE), XLR (LFE), speaker-level (banana) |
| Measurement Source | Audioholics |
| Optical Input | No |
| Output SPL at 15 Hz | 86.2 dB |
| Output SPL at 20 Hz | 99.4 dB |
| Output SPL at 25 Hz | 103.9 dB |
| Output SPL at 31.5 Hz | 111.7 dB |
| Output SPL at 40 Hz | 118.4 dB |
| Output SPL at 50 Hz | 121.0 dB |
| Output SPL at 63 Hz | 121.8 dB |
| Output SPL at 80 Hz | 121.0 dB |
| Output SPL at 100 Hz | 120.2 dB |
| Output SPL at 125 Hz | 119.0 dB |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| TRS Input | No |
| USB Input | No |
| Warranty | 3 |
| Weight | 56 lbs (25.4 kg) |
| XLR Input | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Independently measured by Audioholics; the published figures above come from this ASR subwoofer measurement thread.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- MartinLogan Dynamo 1600X vs HSU Research ULS-15 MK2
- MartinLogan Dynamo 1600X vs JTR Speakers Captivator 212PRO
- MartinLogan Dynamo 1600X vs Monoprice SW-12
- MartinLogan Dynamo 1600X vs Power Sound Audio (PSA) XV15
- MartinLogan Dynamo 1600X vs Paradigm Defiance X12
- MartinLogan Dynamo 1600X vs Power Sound Audio (PSA) XV15-BASE
- MartinLogan Dynamo 1600X vs Power Sound Audio (PSA) XV15SEICE-BASE
- MartinLogan Dynamo 1600X vs SVS SB-3000
- See all 48 comparisons
Monoprice SW-15: $374.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: 15-inch ported with 600W RMS (800W peak) delivers Large-room Bassaholic rating. Unrivaled mid-bass punch for $375. Strong output with clean control. Dual speaker-level inputs and 40-150Hz crossover for flexible hookup.
Cons: Budget-tier design, ported room gain dependency, 30 kg mid-size, and limited dynamic headroom.
Notes: Product # 41499
Full Monoprice SW-15 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 600W RMS / 800W peak |
|---|---|
| CEA-2010-A Average (40-80Hz) | 119.0 dB |
| Cabinet Color | black |
| Country | United States |
| Crossover Frequency | 40-150Hz, 18dB/octave |
| Dimensions | 18.1"H x 21"W x 22.7"D (459.7 x 533.4 x 576.6 mm) |
| Drivers | 15" (381mm) driver |
| Enclosure | ported, bottom |
| Frequency Response | 30-150Hz (-10dB) |
| Inputs | Stereo line level and speaker level |
| Measurement Source | Audioholics |
| Output SPL at 15 Hz | 90.0 dB |
| Output SPL at 20 Hz | 101.2 dB |
| Output SPL at 25 Hz | 106.3 dB |
| Output SPL at 31.5 Hz | 111.2 dB |
| Output SPL at 40 Hz | 116.0 dB |
| Output SPL at 50 Hz | 120.2 dB |
| Output SPL at 63 Hz | 120.5 dB |
| Output SPL at 80 Hz | 119.5 dB |
| Phase Control | 0° or 180° |
| Warranty | 1 |
| Weight | 66.1 lbs (30.0 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Independently measured by Audioholics; the published figures above come from this ASR subwoofer measurement thread.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Monoprice SW-15 vs Power Sound Audio (PSA) XV15SEICE-BASE
- Monoprice SW-15 vs SVS SB-3000
- Monoprice SW-15 vs Power Sound Audio (PSA) XS15
- Monoprice SW-15 vs Power Sound Audio (PSA) XV15-BASE
- Monoprice SW-15 vs Paradigm Defiance X12
- Monoprice SW-15 vs Power Sound Audio (PSA) XS15-BASE
- Monoprice SW-15 vs Power Sound Audio (PSA) XV15
- Monoprice SW-15 vs Klipsch SPL-120
- See all 109 comparisons