Сабвуферы — B&W (Bowers & Wilkins) DB3D

The DB3D is the most compact of the three subwoofers that made up the DB Series from Bowers & Wilkins when it was introduced in September 2017, sitting below the DB1D and DB2D. Its launch price in Britain was GBP 2,300, and the maker now lists it at GBP 2,750. Like its larger siblings it borrows Aerofoil cone technology from the 800 Series Diamond loudspeakers and relies on an app rather than knobs on the cabinet for every adjustment.

Key specs that matter

A pair of 200 mm Aerofoil cone drivers is mounted back to back in a balanced configuration and powered by a 1000 W Class D amplifier supplied by Hypex. Rated response is 10 Hz to 350 Hz at -3 dB, measured relative to the level at 100 Hz, while the -6 dB points sit at 8.5 Hz and 500 Hz. The enclosure stands 360 mm high, 320 mm wide and 300 mm deep and weighs 25 kg net. Buyers choose between Gloss Black, Satin White and Rosenut cabinets, with a black or grey grille.

Engineering and use context

Mounting the two drivers so that they move against each other cancels most of the force they would otherwise pass into the cabinet, and this lets a small box carry a high amplifier rating. The enclosure has a shaped form with walls of varying thickness. Bowers & Wilkins describes the digital amplifier as cool-running and energy efficient. A digital preamplifier with Dynamic EQ handles the signal, and control happens through the DB Subwoofers app on a phone or tablet connected over Bluetooth Low Energy. Input EQ can be set to Flat, Music or Movie, or to a Custom curve with five parametric bands between 20 Hz and 80 Hz. Further app settings cover stereo or LFE mode, input gain, crossover point, phase in four positions and a 12 dB or 24 dB slope, and the XLR and RCA inputs can be adjusted independently. Connections are two XLR, two RCA, two 3.5 mm trigger inputs and a nine-pin RS-232 port for control systems. After 20 minutes with no input the subwoofer switches itself to standby, and a front switch also sets standby manually.

Pairing

The small footprint makes the DB3D a practical match for standmount and compact floorstanding speakers in rooms where a larger box would be hard to place. For a two-channel system it can take a stereo signal and cross over where the main speakers run out of bass, while in a cinema setup an AV receiver can drive its LFE mode over either RCA or XLR.

Alternatives

The Bowers & Wilkins DB4S is another subwoofer from the brand with the same amplifier power rating.