In this review, we will be comparing Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer and KUBE 8b, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Aperion and KEF. Being Powered subwoofers, they both have built-in amplifiers so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp to power them. Let's have a brief look at the main features of Aperion Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer and KEF KUBE 8b first before getting into our more detailed comparison.
The sections below take each area in turn: driver and amplifier, frequency response, physical size and connectivity.
**This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
The efficiency of a subwoofer is directly proportional to the total radiating are squared hence the woofer quantity and diameter.Both Aperion Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwooferand KEF KUBE 8b have a single woofer setup however the Aperion Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer's woofer is 12-inch whereas the KEF KUBE 8b features a 8-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer has a frequency range of 22-350 Hz whereas KUBE 8b has a frequency range of 34-140 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 22Hz, the Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the KUBE 8b's min frequency of 34Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Subwoofer class in our database.
Low Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Aperion Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Aperion Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer
Cabinet Type
Both Aperion Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer and KEF KUBE 8b have Acoustic Suspension type cabinets. Acoustic Suspension aka Sealed type subwoofers have enclosures that are sealed hence no ports or holes exists on the cabinet. Sealed designs helps to provide more accurate and tight bass responses compared to ported designs.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Aperion Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer's and KEF KUBE 8b's external dimensions. Aperion Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer has external dimensions of 431.8 x 393.7 x 393.7mm (17 x 15.5 x 15.5inch) whereas KEF KUBE 8b has external dimensions of 294.0 x 296.0 x 339.0mm (11-9/16 x 11-5/8 x 13-5/16inch).
Aperion Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 97.7mm wider, 137.8mm taller and 54.7mm deeper than KEF KUBE 8b.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Aperion Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer is approximately 1550.0cm2 / 240.3inch2 and base area of the KEF KUBE 8b is approximately 1003.4cm2 / 155.5inch2. The Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer requires 54% more surface area than the KUBE 8b which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a subwoofer may become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often to find the optimal positioning, also known as 'Subwoofer Crawling'. The Aperion Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer weighs 23.13kg / 50.9lbs and the KEF KUBE 8b weighs 11.36kg / 25lbs. This makes the Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer 104% heavier than the KUBE 8b.
Here is a comparison of how Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer and KUBE 8b's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
Aperion Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
22 Hz
vs
34 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
350k Hz
vs
140k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
294mm
vs
431mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1003cm2
vs
1550cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
600USD
vs
1199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Aperion Bravus II 12D 650W 12" Powered Subwoofer |
KEF KUBE 8b |
| Brand |
Aperion |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
650 watts |
300 watts |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
22-350 Hz |
34-140 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
650-watt RMS |
300-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
|
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
40-140 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
431.8mm (17") |
294.0mm (11.6") |
| Width |
393.7mm (15.5") |
296.0mm (11.7") |
| Depth |
393.7mm (15.5") |
339.0mm (13.3") |
| Weight |
23.13kg (50.9lbs) |
11.36kg (25lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
2 Years |