In this review, we will be comparing Silver W-12 and KUBE 10b, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Monitor Audio 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 Monitor Audio Silver W-12 and KEF KUBE 10b 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 Monitor Audio Silver W-12and KEF KUBE 10b have a single woofer setup however the Monitor Audio Silver W-12's woofer is 12-inch whereas the KEF KUBE 10b features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Silver W-12 has a frequency range of 20-120 Hz whereas KUBE 10b has a frequency range of 24-140 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 20Hz, the Silver W-12 can go slightly deeper then the KUBE 10b's min frequency of 24Hz.
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 Monitor Audio Silver W-12 and KEF KUBE 10b 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 Monitor Audio Silver W-12's and KEF KUBE 10b's external dimensions. 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) whereas KEF KUBE 10b has external dimensions of 372.0 x 356.0 x 397.0mm (14-5/8 x 14 x 15-5/8inch).
Monitor Audio Silver W-12 is 14mm narrower and 17mm shorter than KEF KUBE 10b but it is also 48mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Monitor Audio Silver W-12 and KEF KUBE 10b in scale.
Comparison image of Monitor Audio Silver W-12 and KEF KUBE 10b 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 Monitor Audio Silver W-12 is approximately 1521.9cm2 / 235.9inch2 and base area of the KEF KUBE 10b is approximately 1413.3cm2 / 219.1inch2. The Silver W-12 requires 8% more surface area than the KUBE 10b which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Monitor Audio Silver W-12 weighs 20.14kg / 44.3lbs and the KEF KUBE 10b weighs 17.50kg / 38.5lbs. This makes the Silver W-12 15% heavier than the KUBE 10b.
Here is a comparison of how Silver W-12 and KUBE 10b'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 Monitor Audio Silver W-12?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 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
What's in the Box of KEF KUBE 10b?
Here are the items that come with the KUBE 10b:
- Powered subwoofer
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- Speaker-level input block
- User Manual
- Important Safety Information
- Warranty Information
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
20 Hz
vs
24 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
355mm
vs
372mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 High Frequency Response |
140 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
1413cm2
vs
1521cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
750USD
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 |
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.
Near-identical footprints. Monitor Audio Silver W-12 stands 48mm further into the room. KEF KUBE 10b is 17mm taller.
| General |
Monitor Audio Silver W-12 |
KEF KUBE 10b |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
500 watts |
300 watts |
| Frequency Response |
20-120 Hz |
24-140 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
500-watt RMS |
300-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM |
|
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
40-140 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
355.0mm (14") |
372.0mm (14.6") |
| Width |
342.0mm (13.5") |
356.0mm (14") |
| Depth |
445.0mm (17.5") |
397.0mm (15.6") |
| Weight |
20.14kg (44.3lbs) |
17.50kg (38.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 Years |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
2 Years |
2 Years |
Different price classes - Monitor Audio Silver W-12 costs roughly 2.8x what KEF KUBE 10b does. Before paying it, read the note below about two smaller subwoofers.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | A | Monitor Audio Silver W-12 goes deeper - 20Hz against 24Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | A | Monitor Audio Silver W-12 has the bigger amplifier - 500W against 300W RMS, about 2.2dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | Monitor Audio Silver W-12 moves more air: 12" against 10" is 1.44x the cone area, not the 1.2x 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. |
| Wireless option | depends | Only KEF KUBE 10b 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. |
| Price | B | KEF KUBE 10b costs less - $750 against $2,100, about 64% less. |
A Monitor Audio Silver W-12 B KEF KUBE 10b
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: Monitor Audio Silver W-12 measures better, KEF KUBE 10b costs about 64% 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 $750 each, two KEF KUBE 10b cost about $1,500 against $2,100 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.