In this review, we will be comparing Stratton 10 and SW-15, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from KLH 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 KLH Stratton 10 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 KLH Stratton 10and Wharfedale SW-15 have a single woofer setup however the KLH Stratton 10's woofer is 10-inch whereas the Wharfedale SW-15 features a 15-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Stratton 10 has a frequency range of 29-150 Hz whereas SW-15 has a frequency range of 30-120 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 29Hz, the Stratton 10 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
Cabinet Type
Both KLH Stratton 10 and Wharfedale SW-15 have Bass Reflex type cabinets. Bass Reflex type subwoofers (aka Ported, Vented or Reflex Port) have enclosures that uses a port, hole or vent cut into the cabinet. Ported designs are generally more efficient than the Sealed designs.
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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 KLH Stratton 10's and Wharfedale SW-15's external dimensions. KLH Stratton 10 has external dimensions of 389.0 x 326.0 x 443.0mm (15-5/16inch x 12-13/16inch x 17-7/16inch) 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 167mm wider, 181mm taller and 172mm deeper than KLH Stratton 10.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KLH Stratton 10 and Wharfedale SW-15 in scale.
Comparison image of KLH Stratton 10 and Wharfedale SW-15 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 KLH Stratton 10 is approximately 1444.2cm2 / 223.9inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale SW-15 is approximately 3032.0cm2 / 470.0inch2. The Stratton 10 requires 52% 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 KLH Stratton 10 weighs 14.55kg / 32lbs and the Wharfedale SW-15 weighs 31.57kg / 69.5lbs. This makes the SW-15 117% heavier than the Stratton 10.
Here is a comparison of how Stratton 10 and SW-15's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
What's in the Box of KLH Stratton 10?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Stratton 10:
- Powered subwoofer
- 6-feet AC power cord
- Grille
- Manual
What's in the Box of Wharfedale SW-15?
Here are the items that come with the SW-15:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- User-feets Manual
 Low Frequency Response |
29 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
150 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
389mm
vs
570mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1444cm2
vs
3032cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
449USD
vs
1199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| Woofer Size |
15 inches
vs
10 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 110% more floor area. Wharfedale SW-15 stands 172mm further into the room. Wharfedale SW-15 is 181mm taller.
| General |
KLH Stratton 10 |
Wharfedale SW-15 |
| Brand |
KLH |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
200 watts |
400 watts |
| Frequency Response |
29-150 Hz |
30-120 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
200-watt RMS |
400-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
15" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper/Kevlar/Fiberglass |
Paper |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
389.0mm (15.3") |
570.0mm (22.4") |
| Width |
326.0mm (12.8") |
493.0mm (19.4") |
| Depth |
443.0mm (17.4") |
615.0mm (24.2") |
| Weight |
14.55kg (32lbs) |
31.57kg (69.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
2 Years |
3 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 | evenly matched | Effectively the same reach (29Hz 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 10" is 2.25x the cone area, not the 1.5x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | evenly matched | Both are ported designs, so they roll off in much the same way. |
| Cabinet size | depends | KLH Stratton 10 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. |
| Warranty | B | Wharfedale SW-15 carries 3 years on parts against 2 years. A subwoofer amplifier works harder than anything else in the system, so this is not a throwaway line. |
| Price | A | KLH Stratton 10 costs less - $449 against $1,199, about 63% less. |
A KLH Stratton 10 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, KLH Stratton 10 costs about 63% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two. 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 $449 each, two KLH Stratton 10 cost about $898 against $1,199 for one of the other, which is worth a thought. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - KLH Stratton 10 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.