In this review, we will be comparing Nova 12 and KUBE 10b, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Wharfedale 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 Wharfedale Nova 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 Wharfedale Nova 12and KEF KUBE 10b have a single woofer setup however the Wharfedale Nova 12's woofer is 12-inch whereas the KEF KUBE 10b features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Nova 12 has a frequency range of 28 Hz (-6dB) whereas KUBE 10b has a frequency range of 24-140 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 24Hz, the KUBE 10b can go slightly deeper then the Nova 12's min frequency of 28Hz.
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 Wharfedale Nova 12 has a Passive Radiator type cabinet. Passive Radiator type subwoofers sports a non-powered cone that moves in response to the main woofer to move air out in order to generate stronger bass in a smaller body compared to ported or sealed designs. On the other hand the KEF KUBE 10b have Acoustic Suspension type enclosure. 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 Wharfedale Nova 12's and KEF KUBE 10b's external dimensions. Wharfedale Nova 12 has external dimensions of 443.0 x 435.0 x 487.0mm (17.44inch x 17.13inch x 19.17inch) 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).
Wharfedale Nova 12 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 79mm wider, 71mm taller and 90mm deeper than KEF KUBE 10b.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers 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 surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Wharfedale Nova 12 needs about 50% more floor or shelf area. Wharfedale Nova 12 is 90mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Wharfedale Nova 12 is 71mm taller.
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 Wharfedale Nova 12 is approximately 2118.5cm2 / 328.4inch2 and base area of the KEF KUBE 10b is approximately 1413.3cm2 / 219.1inch2. The Nova 12 requires 50% 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 Wharfedale Nova 12 weighs 29.30kg / 64.5lbs and the KEF KUBE 10b weighs 17.50kg / 38.5lbs. This makes the Nova 12 67% heavier than the KUBE 10b.
Here is a comparison of how Nova 12 and KUBE 10b's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
What's in the Box of Wharfedale Nova 12?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Nova 12:
- Subwoofer
- Power cord
- Manual
- Rubber feet pads
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 |
 Passive Radiator |
1 x 12-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
| Low Frequency Response |
24 Hz
vs
28 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
140 Hz
vs
Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
372mm
vs
443mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1413cm2
vs
2118cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
750USD
vs
1599USD
|
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.
Wharfedale Nova 12 needs about 50% more floor area. Wharfedale Nova 12 stands 90mm further into the room. Wharfedale Nova 12 is 71mm taller.
| General |
Wharfedale Nova 12 |
KEF KUBE 10b |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
280 watts |
300 watts |
| Frequency Response |
28 Hz (-6dB) |
24-140 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
280-watt RMS |
300-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
770-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper |
|
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
40-140 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
443.0mm (17.4") |
372.0mm (14.6") |
| Width |
435.0mm (17.1") |
356.0mm (14") |
| Depth |
487.0mm (19.2") |
397.0mm (15.6") |
| Weight |
29.30kg (64.5lbs) |
17.50kg (38.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Finish |
Matte Black |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Black |
n/a |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| USB Port |
USB port for firmware updates |
n/a |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
2 Years |
A passive radiator subwoofer against a sealed 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 | B | KEF KUBE 10b goes deeper - 24Hz against 28Hz. A real difference, though most music has little content below 28Hz. |
| Amplifier power | evenly matched | Much the same amplifier (280W vs 300W RMS) - under 1dB apart. |
| Driver area | A | Wharfedale Nova 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 | depends | Wharfedale Nova 12 is passive radiator - a passive radiator behaves like a port without the pipe noise, and suits a slim cabinet; KEF KUBE 10b is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room. Neither is better in the abstract; ported tends to suit films and sealed tends to suit music, and both generalisations have exceptions. |
| Setup and tuning | evenly matched | The same tuning tools on both (onboard DSP). |
| Speaker-level inputs | A | Wharfedale Nova 12 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 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. |
| Cabinet size | depends | KEF KUBE 10b is about 44% 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 | KEF KUBE 10b costs less - $750 against $1,599, about 53% less. |
A Wharfedale Nova 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?
Wharfedale Nova 12 is ahead, but on only 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 113% more. KEF KUBE 10b is the sensible buy unless your room is large enough to need the extra. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, Wharfedale Nova 12 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, KEF KUBE 10b is usually the easier one to make sound right. Check your amplifier first: if it has no subwoofer or preamp output, Wharfedale Nova 12 is the only one of these two you can connect at all.
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.