In this review, we will be comparing Nova 8 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 8 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 8and B&W DB4S have a single woofer setup however the Wharfedale Nova 8's woofer is 8-inch whereas the B&W DB4S features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Nova 8 has a frequency range of 33 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 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 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 8's and B&W DB4S'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 DB4S has external dimensions of 375.0 x 362.0 x 434.0mm (14-3/4 x 14-1/4 x 17-1/16inch).
B&W DB4S is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 42mm wider, 27mm taller and 73mm deeper than Wharfedale Nova 8.
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.
B&W DB4S needs about 36% more floor or shelf area. B&W DB4S is 73mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. B&W DB4S is 27mm 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 DB4S is approximately 1571.1cm2 / 243.5inch2. The Nova 8 requires 26% less surface area than the DB4S 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 Wharfedale Nova 8 weighs 16.30kg / 35.9lbs and the B&W DB4S weighs 26.05kg / 57.3lbs. This makes the DB4S 60% heavier than the Nova 8.
Here is a comparison of how Nova 8 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 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 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
 Passive Radiator |
1 x 10-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Height |
348mm
vs
375mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1155cm2
vs
1571cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1099USD
vs
2199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
10 Hz
vs
33 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 |
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.
B&W DB4S needs about 36% more floor area. B&W DB4S stands 73mm further into the room. B&W DB4S is 27mm taller.
| General |
Wharfedale Nova 8 |
Bowers & Wilkins DB4S |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
200 watts |
1000 watts |
| Frequency Response |
33 Hz (-6dB) |
10-350 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
200-watt RMS |
n/a |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
500-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
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 |
348.0mm (13.7") |
375.0mm (14.8") |
| Width |
320.0mm (12.6") |
362.0mm (14.3") |
| Depth |
361.0mm (14.2") |
434.0mm (17.1") |
| Weight |
16.30kg (35.9lbs) |
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 33Hz. 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 200W RMS, about 7dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | B&W DB4S moves more air: 10" against 8" is 1.56x the cone area, not the 1.25x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| 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 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 8 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 | Wharfedale Nova 8 is about 32% 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 8 costs less - $1,099 against $2,199, about 50% less. |
A Wharfedale Nova 8 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?
The usual trade-off: B&W DB4S measures better, Wharfedale Nova 8 costs about 50% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two. 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 DB4S is usually the easier one to make sound right. Check your amplifier first: if it has no subwoofer or preamp output, Wharfedale Nova 8 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.