Bowers & Wilkins DB1D

The DB1D is the most powerful subwoofer Bowers & Wilkins has ever made — a flagship active subwoofer that redefines what is possible in low-frequency reproduction. Where lesser designs offer brute force, the DB1D delivers authority with precision: bass that is as articulate as it is powerful, as controlled as it is commanding. At Martins Hi-Fi, we consider it one of the finest subwoofers available at any price.

Aerofoil™ Driver Technology

The DB1D is built around two 12-inch Aerofoil™ cone drivers, arranged in a dual balanced configuration. Aerofoil™ technology was developed for the 800 Series Diamond loudspeakers — a cone profile engineered to eliminate the resonance and breakup modes that compromise conventional materials at high excursion. In a subwoofer application, that same precision translates into bass reproduction of extraordinary refinement: tight, articulate, and free from the overhang and bloom that characterise lesser designs. The balanced arrangement simultaneously cancels mechanical vibration, ensuring the DB1D operates with a stability that belies its formidable output capability.

2000-Watt Digital Amplification

Driving those Aerofoil™ cones is a 2000-watt digital amplifier — an extraordinary reserve of power that ensures the DB1D is never caught short under the most demanding programme material. An all-new digital preamplifier governs signal delivery at optimum levels throughout, eliminating the compression and distortion that limit lesser subwoofers when pushed hard. The result is bass authority on a scale that transforms large orchestral recordings, film soundtracks, and electronic music alike — not through volume alone, but through an absence of strain that only this level of engineering headroom can provide.

Room Optimisation via the DB Series App

The DB1D is configured and controlled through a dedicated app for iOS and Android. The app integrates a full room EQ system requiring no separate microphone — a genuine practical advantage that makes world-class acoustic correction accessible without additional equipment or complexity. Bass at this level is inescapably room-dependent; the DB Series app addresses that reality head-on, ensuring the DB1D delivers its full potential in any listening environment.

Technical Specifications

Who Is It For?

The DB1D is the natural choice for those building a serious home cinema or music system around 800 Series Diamond loudspeakers — or for anyone who demands the absolute pinnacle of subwoofer performance without compromise. It is a significant investment, and one that rewards equally uncompromising system partners. If you are exploring the DB Series range, we also stock the Bowers & Wilkins DB2D and Bowers & Wilkins DB3D, which share the same engineering philosophy at different price points. For a more compact solution, the Bowers & Wilkins DB4S is also worth considering.

Buying from Martins Hi-Fi

Martins Hi-Fi has been in Norwich since 1968. Elizabeth Gould runs the business today, and we stock only brands we have heard properly and stand behind. Martins Hi-Fi is the second oldest Bowers & Wilkins dealer in the world — a relationship built over more than five decades of selling and supporting B&W products at every level of the range. The DB1D can be heard in our Norwich showroom; speak to Dave or Chris for a demonstration, and to discuss how it would integrate with your existing system.

Contact us at [email protected], call 01603 627010, or WhatsApp on 07554 687137. You can read more about how we work on our Why Martins Hi-Fi page. We are at 85–91 Ber Street, Norwich, NR1 3EY.