In this review, we will be comparing KC62 and Silver W-12, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from KEF and Monitor Audio. 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 KEF KC62 and Monitor Audio Silver W-12 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.KEF KC62 and Monitor Audio Silver W-12 have a totally different setup: the KEF KC62 features 2 x 6.5-inch drivers whereas the Silver W-12 features 1 x 12-inch drivers.
Frequency Response
KC62 has a frequency range of 11-200 Hz whereas Silver W-12 has a frequency range of 20-120 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 11Hz, the KC62 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Silver W-12's min frequency of 20Hz.
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
Monitor Audio Silver W-12
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver W-12
Cabinet Type
Both KEF KC62 and Monitor Audio Silver W-12 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 KEF KC62's and Monitor Audio Silver W-12's external dimensions. KEF KC62 has external dimensions of 245.0 x 258.0 x 281.0mm (9-5/8inch x 10-1/8inch x 11-1/16inch) whereas Monitor Audio Silver W-12 has external dimensions of 355.0 x 342.0 x 445.0mm (13-15/16 x 13-7/16 x 17-1/2inch).
Monitor Audio Silver W-12 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 84mm wider, 110mm taller and 164mm deeper than KEF KC62.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF KC62 and Monitor Audio Silver W-12 in scale.
Comparison image of KEF KC62 and Monitor Audio Silver W-12 Size and External Dimensions
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 KEF KC62 is approximately 725.0cm2 / 112.4inch2 and base area of the Monitor Audio Silver W-12 is approximately 1521.9cm2 / 235.9inch2. The KC62 requires 52% less surface area than the Silver W-12 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 KEF KC62 weighs 14.05kg / 30.9lbs and the Monitor Audio Silver W-12 weighs 20.14kg / 44.3lbs. This makes the Silver W-12 43% heavier than the KC62.
Here is a comparison of how KC62 and Silver W-12's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver W-12
What's in the Box of KEF KC62?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of KC62:
- Powered subwoofer
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- Speaker-level input block
- User Manual
- Important Safety Information
- Warranty Information
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Silver W-12?
Here are the items that come with the Silver W-12:
- Powered sub
- 6-feet AC power cord
- Grille
- Auto setup mic (w/ attached 19.5-feet cable)
- 10.75-feet Mono minijack cable
- 4 Feet
- Owners Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
 Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
11 Hz
vs
20 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
200 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
245mm
vs
355mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
725cm2
vs
1521cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1500USD
vs
2100USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Wireless Operation |
Optional
vs
No
|
Connect your subwoofer to your system wireless |
| Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
6.5 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.
Monitor Audio Silver W-12 needs about 110% more floor area. Monitor Audio Silver W-12 stands 164mm further into the room. Monitor Audio Silver W-12 is 110mm taller.
| General |
KEF KC62 |
Monitor Audio Silver W-12 |
| Brand |
KEF |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
1000 watts |
500 watts |
| Frequency Response |
11-200 Hz |
20-120 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1000-watt RMS |
500-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
C-CAM |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
side |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
245.0mm (9.6") |
355.0mm (14") |
| Width |
258.0mm (10.2") |
342.0mm (13.5") |
| Depth |
281.0mm (11.1") |
445.0mm (17.5") |
| Weight |
14.05kg (30.9lbs) |
20.14kg (44.3lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 Years |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
2 Years |
2 Years |
Two quite different sizes of subwoofer. Room volume decides this more than anything else on the page: a big driver in a small room is wasted, and a small one in a large room is worked to death.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | A | KEF KC62 goes deeper - 11Hz against 20Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | A | KEF KC62 has the bigger amplifier - 1000W against 500W RMS, about 3dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | Monitor Audio Silver W-12 moves more air: 12" against 2 x 6.5" is 1.7x the cone area, not the 1.31x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | evenly matched | Both are sealed designs, so they roll off in much the same way. |
| Speaker-level inputs | A | KEF KC62 takes a speaker-level connection as well as line level. That is what lets it work with an integrated amplifier or a vintage receiver that has no subwoofer output at all. |
| Wireless option | depends | Only KEF KC62 offers a wireless link (as a paid option). It decides where the sub can go if you cannot run a cable, and is worth nothing if you can. |
| Driver placement | depends | KEF KC62 fires side and Monitor Audio Silver W-12 fires front. A down-firing driver is more forgiving of a grille-less look and of a hard floor; a front-firing one is the safer choice on a thick carpet or a suspended timber floor. |
| Cabinet size | depends | KEF KC62 is about 67% 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. |
| Price | A | KEF KC62 costs less - $1,500 against $2,100, about 29% less. |
A KEF KC62 B Monitor Audio Silver W-12
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?
KEF KC62 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Monitor Audio Silver W-12 if one of the "depends" rows describes your room. Check your amplifier first: if it has no subwoofer or preamp output, KEF KC62 is the only one of these two you can connect at all. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - KEF KC62 is the one that will actually go there, and a well-placed small subwoofer beats a badly-placed big one every time.
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.