In this review, we will be comparing Nova 15 and SW-15, two Powered Subwoofer speakers by 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 Wharfedale Nova 15 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.Wharfedale Nova 15and Wharfedale SW-15 have the same driver set up: Both subwoofers have 1 x 15" drivers.
Frequency Response
Nova 15 has a frequency range of 28 Hz (-6dB) whereas SW-15 has a frequency range of 30-120 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the Nova 15 can go slightly deeper then 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 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 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 Wharfedale Nova 15's and Wharfedale SW-15'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 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 Nova 15 is 21mm shorter and 8mm less deeper than Wharfedale SW-15 but it is also 47mm wider.
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 8% more floor or shelf area. Wharfedale SW-15 is 21mm 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 Wharfedale SW-15 is approximately 3032.0cm2 / 470.0inch2. The Nova 15 requires 8% more surface area than the SW-15 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 Wharfedale SW-15 weighs 31.57kg / 69.5lbs. This makes the Nova 15 51% heavier than the SW-15.
Here is a comparison of how Nova 15 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 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 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
 Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Passive Radiator |
1 x 15-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Height |
549mm
vs
570mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 High Frequency Response |
120 Hz
vs
Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
3032cm2
vs
3277cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1199USD
vs
1999USD
|
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.
Wharfedale Nova 15 needs about 8% more floor area. Wharfedale SW-15 is 21mm taller.
| General |
Wharfedale Nova 15 |
Wharfedale SW-15 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
360 watts |
400 watts |
| Frequency Response |
28 Hz (-6dB) |
30-120 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
360-watt RMS |
400-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
770-watt RMS |
850-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
15" |
15" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper |
Paper |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
549.0mm (21.6") |
570.0mm (22.4") |
| Width |
540.0mm (21.3") |
493.0mm (19.4") |
| Depth |
607.0mm (23.9") |
615.0mm (24.2") |
| Weight |
47.80kg (105.2lbs) |
31.57kg (69.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Bass Reflex |
| 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 |
|
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
3 Years |
A passive radiator 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 | evenly matched | Effectively the same reach (28Hz vs 30Hz). |
| Amplifier power | evenly matched | Much the same amplifier (360W vs 400W RMS) - under 1dB apart. |
| Driver area | evenly matched | Near-identical radiating area (15" against 15"). |
| Enclosure | depends | Wharfedale Nova 15 is passive radiator - a passive radiator behaves like a port without the pipe noise, and suits a slim cabinet; 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. |
| 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. |
| Price | B | Wharfedale SW-15 costs less - $1,199 against $1,999, about 40% less. |
A Wharfedale Nova 15 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?
Wharfedale Nova 15 is ahead, but on only 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 67% more. Wharfedale SW-15 is the sensible buy unless your room is large enough to need the extra. 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. 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 $1,199 each, two Wharfedale SW-15 cost about $2,398 against $1,999 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.