In this review, we will be comparing Nova 8 and ASW608, 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 8 and B&W ASW608 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 8and B&W ASW608 have the same driver set up: Both subwoofers have 1 x 8" drivers.
Frequency Response
Nova 8 has a frequency range of 33 Hz (-6dB) whereas ASW608 has a frequency range of 32-140 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the ASW608 can go slightly deeper then the Nova 8's min frequency of 33Hz.
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 8 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 ASW608 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 8's and B&W ASW608's external dimensions. Wharfedale Nova 8 has external dimensions of 348.0 x 320.0 x 361.0mm (13.7inch x 12.6inch x 14.21inch) whereas B&W ASW608 has external dimensions of 272.0 x 261.0 x 350.0mm (10-11/16 x 10-1/4 x 13-3/4inch).
Wharfedale Nova 8 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 59mm wider, 76mm taller and 11mm deeper than B&W ASW608.
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 8 needs about 26% more floor or shelf area. Wharfedale Nova 8 is 76mm 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 8 is approximately 1155.2cm2 / 179.1inch2 and base area of the B&W ASW608 is approximately 913.5cm2 / 141.6inch2. The Nova 8 requires 26% more surface area than the ASW608 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 8 weighs 16.30kg / 35.9lbs and the B&W ASW608 weighs 8.86kg / 19.5lbs. This makes the Nova 8 84% heavier than the ASW608.
Here is a comparison of how Nova 8 and ASW608'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 8?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Nova 8:
- Subwoofer
- Power cord
- Manual
- Rubber feet pads
What's in the Box of B&W ASW608?
Here are the items that come with the ASW608:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Lock-nuts
- Manual
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
 Passive Radiator |
1 x 10-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
33 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
140 Hz
vs
Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
272mm
vs
348mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
913cm2
vs
1155cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
599USD
vs
1099USD
|
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 8 needs about 26% more floor area. Wharfedale Nova 8 is 76mm taller.
| General |
Wharfedale Nova 8 |
Bowers & Wilkins ASW608 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
200 watts |
200 watts |
| Frequency Response |
33 Hz (-6dB) |
32-140 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
200-watt RMS |
200-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
500-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper |
Paper/Aramid Fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
348.0mm (13.7") |
272.0mm (10.7") |
| Width |
320.0mm (12.6") |
261.0mm (10.3") |
| Depth |
361.0mm (14.2") |
350.0mm (13.8") |
| Weight |
16.30kg (35.9lbs) |
8.86kg (19.5lbs) |
| 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 | evenly matched | Effectively the same reach (33Hz vs 32Hz). |
| Amplifier power | evenly matched | Much the same amplifier (200W vs 200W RMS) - under 1dB apart. |
| Driver area | evenly matched | Near-identical radiating area (8" against 8"). |
| Enclosure | depends | Wharfedale Nova 8 is passive radiator - a passive radiator behaves like a port without the pipe noise, and suits a slim cabinet; B&W ASW608 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. |
| Cabinet size | depends | B&W ASW608 is about 38% 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 | B&W ASW608 costs less - $599 against $1,099, about 45% less. |
A Wharfedale Nova 8 B B&W ASW608
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 8 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, B&W ASW608 is usually the easier one to make sound right. 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 $599 each, two B&W ASW608 cost about $1,198 against $1,099 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.