In this review, we will be comparing DS123 and KUBE 8b, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from ELAC 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 ELAC DS123 and KEF KUBE 8b first before getting into our more detailed comparison.
In the following sections, we will get into details in order to better understand how the ELAC DS123 and KEF KUBE 8b compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these subwoofers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my 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.ELAC DS123 and KEF KUBE 8b have a totally different setup: the ELAC DS123 features x 12-inch drivers whereas the KUBE 8b features 1 x 8-inch drivers.
Frequency Response
DS123 has a frequency range of 28-150 Hz whereas KUBE 8b has a frequency range of 34-140 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the DS123 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
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare ELAC DS123's and KEF KUBE 8b's external dimensions. ELAC DS123 has external dimensions of ( ) 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) .
KEF KUBE 8b is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 296mm wider, 294mm taller and 339mm deeper than ELAC DS123.