In this review, we will be comparing HT 1510 Predator and SW-15, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from REL 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 REL HT 1510 Predator 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.REL HT 1510 Predatorand Wharfedale SW-15 have the same driver set up: Both subwoofers have 1 x 15" drivers.
Frequency Response
HT 1510 Predator has a frequency range of 20-200 Hz whereas SW-15 has a frequency range of 30-120 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 20Hz, the HT 1510 Predator 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 REL HT 1510 Predator's and Wharfedale SW-15's external dimensions. REL HT 1510 Predator has external dimensions of 458.8 x 542.9 x 544.5mm () 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).
REL HT 1510 Predator is 111.2mm shorter and 70.5mm less deeper than Wharfedale SW-15 but it is also 49.9mm wider.
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 REL HT 1510 Predator is approximately 2956.1cm2 / 458.2inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale SW-15 is approximately 3032.0cm2 / 470.0inch2. The HT 1510 Predator requires 3% 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 REL HT 1510 Predator weighs 45.22kg / 99.5lbs and the Wharfedale SW-15 weighs 31.57kg / 69.5lbs. This makes the HT 1510 Predator 43% heavier than the SW-15.
Here is a comparison of how HT 1510 Predator 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 |
200 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
458mm
vs
570mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
2956cm2
vs
3032cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1199USD
vs
1799USD
|
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.
Near-identical footprints. Wharfedale SW-15 stands 71mm further into the room. Wharfedale SW-15 is 111mm taller.
| General |
REL HT 1510 Predator |
Wharfedale SW-15 |
| Brand |
REL |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
20-200 Hz |
30-120 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1000-watt RMS |
400-watt RMS |
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 |
458.8mm (18.1") |
570.0mm (22.4") |
| Width |
542.9mm (21.4") |
493.0mm (19.4") |
| Depth |
544.5mm (21.4") |
615.0mm (24.2") |
| Weight |
45.22kg (99.5lbs) |
31.57kg (69.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
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 | REL HT 1510 Predator 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 | A | REL HT 1510 Predator has the bigger amplifier - 1000W against 400W RMS, about 4dB 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 | REL HT 1510 Predator 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 | REL HT 1510 Predator is about 22% 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 | B | Wharfedale SW-15 costs less - $1,199 against $1,799, about 33% less. |
A REL HT 1510 Predator 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: REL HT 1510 Predator measures better, Wharfedale SW-15 costs about 33% 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, REL HT 1510 Predator 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.