What Hi-Fi? Verdict
A valiant effort from Martin Logan, but class-leaders won’t be losing any sleep
Pros
- +
Compact and well-built
- +
speedy, tuneful delivery
- +
goes deep considering size
Cons
- -
Doesn’t have enough grip or volume on movie soundtracks
- -
audible rattle when troubled
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Those familiar with the name Martin Logan probably know it for high-end electrostatic speaker design. So it's quite a surprise to see this compact, affordable subwoofer bearing the logo.
The Dynamo is a handsome, cuboidal little fellow that can be used in a forward or downward-firing configuration by attaching the stand to either the control side or driver side respectively. Bear in mind, if you go with the forward-firing configuration, the control knobs and sockets are on the under-side and rather hard to get to.
Deep bass for shallow boxes
The sub's compact dimensions help it achieve a tuneful performance. It's fast, agile and reveals plenty of detail. For its size it also manages to get fairly low, though other tub-thumpers at the same price can go a fair amount deeper. Still, with music the Martin Logan does well.
Where it loses more ground to its rivals is with movie soundtracks. Here it's all about volume and authority, and the Dynamo just isn't tight or punchy enough to trouble the best. Disappointingly, there's also an annoying vibration rattle evident within the casing when the unit is really pushed towards its limits.
Overall, this is a rather likeable subwoofer, especially with music, but it's just not enough of an all-rounder to truly satisfy.
