In this review, we will be comparing Nova 15 and DB4S, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Wharfedale and Bowers Wilkins. 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 15 and B&W DB4S 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 15and B&W DB4S have a single woofer setup however the Wharfedale Nova 15's woofer is 15-inch whereas the B&W DB4S features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Nova 15 has a frequency range of 28 Hz (-6dB) whereas DB4S has a frequency range of 10-350 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 10Hz, the DB4S can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Nova 15'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 15 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 B&W DB4S 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 15's and B&W DB4S's external dimensions. Wharfedale Nova 15 has external dimensions of 549.0 x 540.0 x 607.0mm (21.61inch x 21.26inch x 23.9inch) whereas B&W DB4S has external dimensions of 375.0 x 362.0 x 434.0mm (14-3/4 x 14-1/4 x 17-1/16inch).
Wharfedale Nova 15 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 178mm wider, 174mm taller and 173mm deeper than B&W DB4S.
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 15 needs about 109% more floor or shelf area. Wharfedale Nova 15 is 173mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Wharfedale Nova 15 is 174mm 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 15 is approximately 3277.8cm2 / 508.1inch2 and base area of the B&W DB4S is approximately 1571.1cm2 / 243.5inch2. The Nova 15 requires 109% more surface area than the DB4S 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 15 weighs 47.80kg / 105.2lbs and the B&W DB4S weighs 26.05kg / 57.3lbs. This makes the Nova 15 83% heavier than the DB4S.
Here is a comparison of how Nova 15 and DB4S'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 15?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Nova 15:
- Subwoofer
- Power cord
- Manual
- Rubber feet pads
What's in the Box of B&W DB4S?
Here are the items that come with the DB4S:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- 4 Decoupling feet
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Lock-nuts
- Cleaning cloth
- Quickstart Guide
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
- Cleaning cloth instructions
 Woofer Size |
15 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Passive Radiator |
1 x 15-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Price per pair* |
1999USD
vs
2199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| Low Frequency Response |
10 Hz
vs
28 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
350 Hz
vs
Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Height |
375mm
vs
549mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1571cm2
vs
3277cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
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 15 needs about 109% more floor area. Wharfedale Nova 15 stands 173mm further into the room. Wharfedale Nova 15 is 174mm taller.
| General |
Wharfedale Nova 15 |
Bowers & Wilkins DB4S |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
360 watts |
1000 watts |
| Frequency Response |
28 Hz (-6dB) |
10-350 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
360-watt RMS |
n/a |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
770-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
15" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper |
Aerofoil |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
549.0mm (21.6") |
375.0mm (14.8") |
| Width |
540.0mm (21.3") |
362.0mm (14.3") |
| Depth |
607.0mm (23.9") |
434.0mm (17.1") |
| Weight |
47.80kg (105.2lbs) |
26.05kg (57.3lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Finish |
Matte Black |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Black |
n/a |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| 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 | B&W DB4S goes deeper - 10Hz against 28Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | B | B&W DB4S has the bigger amplifier - 1000W against 360W RMS, about 4.4dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | Wharfedale Nova 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 | depends | Wharfedale Nova 15 is passive radiator - a passive radiator behaves like a port without the pipe noise, and suits a slim cabinet; B&W DB4S 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. |
| Speaker-level inputs | A | Wharfedale Nova 15 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. |
| Cabinet size | depends | B&W DB4S 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. |
| Price | A | Wharfedale Nova 15 costs less - $1,999 against $2,199, about 9% less. |
A Wharfedale Nova 15 B B&W DB4S
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let your room size and where the box can actually stand settle it. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, Wharfedale Nova 15 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, B&W DB4S is usually the easier one to make sound right. Check your amplifier first: if it has no subwoofer or preamp output, Wharfedale Nova 15 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.