In this review, we will be comparing DS153 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 DS153 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.ELAC DS153and Wharfedale SW-15 have the same driver set up: Both subwoofers have 1 x 15" drivers.
Frequency Response
DS153 has a frequency range of 20-150 Hz whereas SW-15 has a frequency range of 30-120 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 20Hz, the DS153 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to 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 DS153's and Wharfedale SW-15's external dimensions. ELAC DS153 has external dimensions of 485.8 x 469.9 x 552.5mm () 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 23.1mm wider, 84.2mm taller and 62.5mm deeper than ELAC DS153.
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 DS153 is approximately 2596.2cm2 / 402.4inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale SW-15 is approximately 3032.0cm2 / 470.0inch2. The DS153 requires 14% 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 DS153 weighs 25.10kg / 55.2lbs and the Wharfedale SW-15 weighs 31.57kg / 69.5lbs. This makes the SW-15 26% heavier than the DS153.
Here is a comparison of how DS153 and SW-15's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Low Frequency Response |
20 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
150 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
485mm
vs
570mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
2596cm2
vs
3032cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
949USD
vs
1199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
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 17% more floor area. Wharfedale SW-15 stands 63mm further into the room. Wharfedale SW-15 is 84mm taller.
| General |
ELAC DS153 |
Wharfedale SW-15 |
| Brand |
ELAC |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
20-150 Hz |
30-120 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
300-watt RMS |
400-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
600-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
15" |
15" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Paper |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
485.8mm (19.1") |
570.0mm (22.4") |
| Width |
469.9mm (18.5") |
493.0mm (19.4") |
| Depth |
552.5mm (21.8") |
615.0mm (24.2") |
| Weight |
25.10kg (55.2lbs) |
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 | A | ELAC DS153 goes deeper - 20Hz against 30Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | B | Wharfedale SW-15 has the bigger amplifier - 400W against 300W RMS, about 1.2dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | evenly matched | Near-identical radiating area (15" against 15"). |
| Enclosure | depends | ELAC DS153 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 DS153 is about 27% 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 DS153 costs less - $949 against $1,199, about 21% less. |
A ELAC DS153 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 DS153 costs about 21% 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 DS153 is usually the easier one to make sound right.
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.