In this review, we will be comparing DS123 and SW-15, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from ELAC and Wharfedale. 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 Wharfedale SW-15 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.
Drivers
The efficiency of a subwoofer is directly proportional to the total radiating are squared hence the woofer quantity and diameter.Both ELAC DS123and Wharfedale SW-15 have a single woofer setup however the ELAC DS123's woofer is 12-inch whereas the Wharfedale SW-15 features a 15-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
DS123 has a frequency range of 28-150 Hz whereas SW-15 has a frequency range of 30-120 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the DS123 can go slightly deeper then the SW-15's min frequency of 30Hz.
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
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 ELAC DS123's and Wharfedale SW-15's external dimensions. ELAC DS123 has external dimensions of 374.7 x 360.4 x 446.1mm () whereas Wharfedale SW-15 has external dimensions of 570.0 x 493.0 x 615.0mm (22-7/16inch x 19-3/8inch x 24-3/16inch).
Wharfedale SW-15 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 132.6mm wider, 195.3mm taller and 168.9mm deeper than ELAC DS123.
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 ELAC DS123 is approximately 1607.7cm2 / 249.2inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale SW-15 is approximately 3032.0cm2 / 470.0inch2. The DS123 requires 47% less surface area than the SW-15 which gives it a small advantage 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 ELAC DS123 weighs 13.70kg / 30.1lbs and the Wharfedale SW-15 weighs 31.57kg / 69.5lbs. This makes the SW-15 130% heavier than the DS123.
Here is a comparison of how DS123 and SW-15's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
150 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
374mm
vs
570mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1607cm2
vs
3032cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
599USD
vs
1199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| Woofer Size |
15 inches
vs
12 inches
|
Larger woofer |
Size, drawn to scale
Both subwoofers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same floor and pushed back to the same wall, so the bigger one visibly takes more of the room.
Wharfedale SW-15 needs about 89% more floor area. Wharfedale SW-15 stands 169mm further into the room. Wharfedale SW-15 is 195mm taller.
| General |
ELAC DS123 |
Wharfedale SW-15 |
| Brand |
ELAC |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
28-150 Hz |
30-120 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
200-watt RMS |
400-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
400-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
15" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Paper |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
374.7mm (14.8") |
570.0mm (22.4") |
| Width |
360.4mm (14.2") |
493.0mm (19.4") |
| Depth |
446.1mm (17.6") |
615.0mm (24.2") |
| Weight |
13.70kg (30.1lbs) |
31.57kg (69.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
1 Year |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
1 Year |
3 Years |
A sealed subwoofer against a ported one. That is the most consequential line on this page: it decides how the bass rolls off, how it behaves in a small room, and how much output you get for the size of the box.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | evenly matched | Effectively the same reach (28Hz vs 30Hz). |
| Amplifier power | B | Wharfedale SW-15 has the bigger amplifier - 400W against 200W RMS, about 3dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | Wharfedale SW-15 moves more air: 15" against 12" is 1.56x the cone area, not the 1.25x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | ELAC DS123 is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room; Wharfedale SW-15 is ported - a ported box gives more output low down for its size, at the cost of a steeper roll-off below tuning. Neither is better in the abstract; ported tends to suit films and sealed tends to suit music, and both generalisations have exceptions. |
| Cabinet size | depends | ELAC DS123 is about 65% smaller by volume. In a subwoofer that is a real trade rather than a preference: box volume is how you get output low down without a bigger amplifier. |
| Warranty | B | Wharfedale SW-15 carries 3 years on parts against 1 years. A subwoofer amplifier works harder than anything else in the system, so this is not a throwaway line. |
| Price | A | ELAC DS123 costs less - $599 against $1,199, about 50% less. |
A ELAC DS123 B Wharfedale SW-15
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both subwoofers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
The usual trade-off: Wharfedale SW-15 measures better, ELAC DS123 costs about 50% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, Wharfedale SW-15 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, ELAC DS123 is usually the easier one to make sound right. Two small subwoofers beat one big one in most rooms - a pair evens out the room modes in a way no single box can, whatever its specs. At $599 each, two ELAC DS123 cost about $1,198 against $1,199 for one of the other, which is worth a thought.
One thing outweighs everything above: where the subwoofer stands. Room modes can add or remove 10dB or more at a given seat, which is far larger than any difference on this page. Before spending more, try the sub in two or three positions - the crawl test, where you put it in the listening seat and crawl the room to find where the bass sounds best, costs nothing and usually beats an upgrade.