In this review, we will be comparing Nova 8 and SB-1000 Pro, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Wharfedale and SVS. 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 SVS SB-1000 Pro 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 SVS SB-1000 Pro have a single woofer setup however the Wharfedale Nova 8's woofer is 8-inch whereas the SVS SB-1000 Pro features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Nova 8 has a frequency range of 33 Hz (-6dB) whereas SB-1000 Pro has a frequency range of 20-270 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 20Hz, the SB-1000 Pro 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 SVS SB-1000 Pro 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 SVS SB-1000 Pro'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 SVS SB-1000 Pro has external dimensions of 343.0 x 331.0 x 402.0mm (13-1/2inch x 13inch x 15-13/16inch).
Wharfedale Nova 8 is 11mm narrower and 41mm less deeper than SVS SB-1000 Pro but it is also 5mm taller.
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.
SVS SB-1000 Pro needs about 15% more floor or shelf area. SVS SB-1000 Pro is 41mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall.
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 SVS SB-1000 Pro is approximately 1330.6cm2 / 206.2inch2. The Nova 8 requires 13% less surface area than the SB-1000 Pro 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 SVS SB-1000 Pro weighs 11.82kg / 26lbs. This makes the Nova 8 38% heavier than the SB-1000 Pro.
Here is a comparison of how Nova 8 and SB-1000 Pro'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 SVS SB-1000 Pro?
Here are the items that come with the SB-1000 Pro:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6-feet AC power cord
- Quick Start Guide
- Brochure
- SVS Support Information
 Passive Radiator |
1 x 10-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Base Surface Area |
1155cm2
vs
1330cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
20 Hz
vs
33 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
270 Hz
vs
Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Height |
343mm
vs
348mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
600USD
vs
1099USD
|
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.
SVS SB-1000 Pro needs about 15% more floor area. SVS SB-1000 Pro stands 41mm further into the room.
| General |
Wharfedale Nova 8 |
SVS SB-1000 Pro |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
SVS |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
200 watts |
325 watts |
| Frequency Response |
33 Hz (-6dB) |
20-270 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
200-watt RMS |
325-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
500-watt RMS |
820-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper |
Fiber-composite |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
348.0mm (13.7") |
343.0mm (13.5") |
| Width |
320.0mm (12.6") |
331.0mm (13") |
| Depth |
361.0mm (14.2") |
402.0mm (15.8") |
| Weight |
16.30kg (35.9lbs) |
11.82kg (26lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Finish |
Matte Black |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black,White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| USB Port |
USB port for firmware updates |
n/a |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 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 | SVS SB-1000 Pro goes deeper - 20Hz 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 | SVS SB-1000 Pro has the bigger amplifier - 325W against 200W RMS, about 2.1dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | SVS SB-1000 Pro moves more air: 12" against 8" 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 8 is passive radiator - a passive radiator behaves like a port without the pipe noise, and suits a slim cabinet; SVS SB-1000 Pro 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). |
| Wireless option | depends | Only SVS SB-1000 Pro 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. |
| Price | B | SVS SB-1000 Pro costs less - $600 against $1,099, about 45% less. |
A Wharfedale Nova 8 B SVS SB-1000 Pro
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?
SVS SB-1000 Pro is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Wharfedale Nova 8 if one of the "depends" rows describes your room. 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, SVS SB-1000 Pro 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 $600 each, two SVS SB-1000 Pro cost about $1,200 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.