In this review, we will be comparing 3000 Micro and SW-15, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from SVS 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 SVS 3000 Micro 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.
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Drivers
The efficiency of a subwoofer is directly proportional to the total radiating are squared hence the woofer quantity and diameter.SVS 3000 Micro and Wharfedale SW-15 have a totally different setup: the SVS 3000 Micro features 2 x 8-inch drivers whereas the SW-15 features 1 x 15-inch drivers.
Frequency Response
3000 Micro has a frequency range of 23-240 Hz whereas SW-15 has a frequency range of 30-120 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 23Hz, the 3000 Micro 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
Cabinet Type
The SVS 3000 Micro has a Acoustic Suspension type cabinet. 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. On the other hand the Wharfedale SW-15 have Bass Reflex type enclosure. 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.
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 SVS 3000 Micro's and Wharfedale SW-15's external dimensions. SVS 3000 Micro has external dimensions of 277.0 x 297.0 x 310.0mm (10-7/8inch x 11-11/16inch x 12-3/16inch) 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 196mm wider, 293mm taller and 305mm deeper than SVS 3000 Micro.
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 SVS 3000 Micro is approximately 920.7cm2 / 142.7inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale SW-15 is approximately 3032.0cm2 / 470.0inch2. The 3000 Micro requires 70% 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 SVS 3000 Micro weighs 10.23kg / 22.5lbs and the Wharfedale SW-15 weighs 31.57kg / 69.5lbs. This makes the SW-15 209% heavier than the 3000 Micro.
Here is a comparison of how 3000 Micro 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 SVS 3000 Micro?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 3000 Micro:
- Powered subwoofer
- 6-feet AC power cord
- Quick Start Guide
- SVS Brochure
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
 Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
23 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
240 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Height |
277mm
vs
570mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
920cm2
vs
3032cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
900USD
vs
1199USD
|
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 |
15 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| General |
SVS 3000 Micro |
Wharfedale SW-15 |
| Brand |
SVS |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
800 watts |
400 watts |
| Frequency Response |
23-240 Hz |
30-120 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
800-watt RMS |
400-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
2500-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
15" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Paper |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
side |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
277.0mm (10.9") |
570.0mm (22.4") |
| Width |
297.0mm (11.7") |
493.0mm (19.4") |
| Depth |
310.0mm (12.2") |
615.0mm (24.2") |
| Weight |
10.23kg (22.5lbs) |
31.57kg (69.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Black |
n/a |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 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 | SVS 3000 Micro goes deeper - 23Hz against 30Hz. That gap covers the lowest notes of a five-string bass and a concert bass drum. |
| Amplifier power | A | SVS 3000 Micro has the bigger amplifier - 800W against 400W 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 2 x 8" is 1.76x the cone area, not the 1.33x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | SVS 3000 Micro 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. |
| Wireless option | depends | Only SVS 3000 Micro 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 | SVS 3000 Micro fires side and Wharfedale SW-15 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 | SVS 3000 Micro is about 85% 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 | A | SVS 3000 Micro carries 5 years on parts against 3 years. A subwoofer amplifier works harder than anything else in the system, so this is not a throwaway line. |
| Price | A | SVS 3000 Micro costs less - $900 against $1,199, about 25% less. |
A SVS 3000 Micro 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?
SVS 3000 Micro is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Wharfedale SW-15 if one of the "depends" rows describes your room. 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, SVS 3000 Micro is usually the easier one to make sound right. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - SVS 3000 Micro 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.