In this review, we will be comparing SW-15 and Muro SUB2020, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Wharfedale and ELAC. 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 SW-15 and ELAC Muro SUB2020 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 SW-15and ELAC Muro SUB2020 have a single woofer setup however the Wharfedale SW-15's woofer is 15-inch whereas the ELAC Muro SUB2020 features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
SW-15 has a frequency range of 30-120 Hz whereas Muro SUB2020 has a frequency range of 28-200 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the Muro SUB2020 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 SW-15 has a Bass Reflex type cabinet. 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. On the other hand the ELAC Muro SUB2020 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.
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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 SW-15's and ELAC Muro SUB2020's external dimensions. 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) whereas ELAC Muro SUB2020 has external dimensions of 399.0 x 185.0 x 515.0mm (15-11/16 x 7-1/4 x 20-1/4inch).
Wharfedale SW-15 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 308mm wider, 171mm taller and 100mm deeper than ELAC Muro SUB2020.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale SW-15 and ELAC Muro SUB2020 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale SW-15 and ELAC Muro SUB2020 Size and External Dimensions
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 SW-15 is approximately 3032.0cm2 / 470.0inch2 and base area of the ELAC Muro SUB2020 is approximately 952.8cm2 / 147.7inch2. The SW-15 requires 218% more surface area than the Muro SUB2020 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 SW-15 weighs 31.57kg / 69.5lbs and the ELAC Muro SUB2020 weighs 12.73kg / 28lbs. This makes the SW-15 148% heavier than the Muro SUB2020.
Here is a comparison of how SW-15 and Muro SUB2020'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 SW-15?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of SW-15:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- User-feets Manual
What's in the Box of ELAC Muro SUB2020?
Here are the items that come with the Muro SUB2020:
- Powered subwoofer
- 8-feet AC power cord
- 4 Cone feet
- 2 Brackets
- 2 Machine screws
- 2 Wood screws
- 2 Washers
- 2 Wall anchors
- Operating Instructions
 Woofer Size |
15 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
200 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Height |
399mm
vs
570mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
952cm2
vs
3032cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1000USD
vs
1199USD
|
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.
Wharfedale SW-15 needs about 218% more floor area. Wharfedale SW-15 stands 100mm further into the room. Wharfedale SW-15 is 171mm taller.
| General |
Wharfedale SW-15 |
ELAC Muro SUB2020 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
400 watts |
200 watts |
| Frequency Response |
30-120 Hz |
28-200 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
400-watt RMS |
200-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
15" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper |
Woven Cellulose Fiber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
side or bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
570.0mm (22.4") |
399.0mm (15.7") |
| Width |
493.0mm (19.4") |
185.0mm (7.3") |
| Depth |
615.0mm (24.2") |
515.0mm (20.3") |
| Weight |
31.57kg (69.5lbs) |
12.73kg (28lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
1 Year |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
1 Year |
A ported 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 (30Hz vs 28Hz). |
| Amplifier power | A | Wharfedale SW-15 has the bigger amplifier - 400W against 200W RMS, about 3dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | Wharfedale SW-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 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; ELAC Muro SUB2020 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. |
| Wireless option | depends | Only ELAC Muro SUB2020 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. |
| Driver placement | depends | Wharfedale SW-15 fires front and ELAC Muro SUB2020 fires side or down. A down-firing driver is more forgiving of a grille-less look and of a hard floor; a front-firing one is the safer choice on a thick carpet or a suspended timber floor. |
| Cabinet size | depends | ELAC Muro SUB2020 is about 78% 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. |
| Warranty | A | Wharfedale SW-15 carries 3 years on parts against 1 years. A subwoofer amplifier works harder than anything else in the system, so this is not a throwaway line. |
| Price | B | ELAC Muro SUB2020 costs less - $1,000 against $1,199, about 17% less. |
A Wharfedale SW-15 B ELAC Muro SUB2020
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 SW-15 leads across most of the measured areas for a modest premium, so it is the easier pick if the budget stretches. ELAC Muro SUB2020 is the one to take if it does not. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, Wharfedale SW-15 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, ELAC Muro SUB2020 is usually the easier one to make sound right. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - ELAC Muro SUB2020 is the one that will actually go there, and a well-placed small subwoofer beats a badly-placed big one every time.
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.