In this review, we will be comparing SW-15 and Silver W-12, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Wharfedale and Monitor Audio. 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 Monitor Audio Silver W-12 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 Monitor Audio Silver W-12 have a single woofer setup however the Wharfedale SW-15's woofer is 15-inch whereas the Monitor Audio Silver W-12 features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
SW-15 has a frequency range of 30-120 Hz whereas Silver W-12 has a frequency range of 20-120 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 20Hz, the Silver W-12 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to 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
Monitor Audio Silver W-12
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver W-12
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 Monitor Audio Silver W-12 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 Monitor Audio Silver W-12'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 Monitor Audio Silver W-12 has external dimensions of 355.0 x 342.0 x 445.0mm (13-15/16 x 13-7/16 x 17-1/2inch).
Wharfedale SW-15 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 151mm wider, 215mm taller and 170mm deeper than Monitor Audio Silver W-12.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale SW-15 and Monitor Audio Silver W-12 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale SW-15 and Monitor Audio Silver W-12 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 Monitor Audio Silver W-12 is approximately 1521.9cm2 / 235.9inch2. The SW-15 requires 99% more surface area than the Silver W-12 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 Monitor Audio Silver W-12 weighs 20.14kg / 44.3lbs. This makes the SW-15 57% heavier than the Silver W-12.
Here is a comparison of how SW-15 and Silver W-12's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver W-12
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 Monitor Audio Silver W-12?
Here are the items that come with the Silver W-12:
- Powered sub
- 6-feet AC power cord
- Grille
- Auto setup mic (w/ attached 19.5-feet cable)
- 10.75-feet Mono minijack cable
- 4 Feet
- Owners Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
 Woofer Size |
15 inches
vs
12 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Price per pair* |
1199USD
vs
2100USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| Low Frequency Response |
20 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
355mm
vs
570mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1521cm2
vs
3032cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
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 99% more floor area. Wharfedale SW-15 stands 170mm further into the room. Wharfedale SW-15 is 215mm taller.
| General |
Wharfedale SW-15 |
Monitor Audio Silver W-12 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
400 watts |
500 watts |
| Frequency Response |
30-120 Hz |
20-120 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
400-watt RMS |
500-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
15" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper |
C-CAM |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
570.0mm (22.4") |
355.0mm (14") |
| Width |
493.0mm (19.4") |
342.0mm (13.5") |
| Depth |
615.0mm (24.2") |
445.0mm (17.5") |
| Weight |
31.57kg (69.5lbs) |
20.14kg (44.3lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
2 Years |
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 | B | Monitor Audio Silver W-12 goes deeper - 20Hz against 30Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | B | Monitor Audio Silver W-12 has the bigger amplifier - 500W against 400W RMS, about 1dB 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 12" 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 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; Monitor Audio Silver W-12 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 | Monitor Audio Silver W-12 is about 69% 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 2 years. A subwoofer amplifier works harder than anything else in the system, so this is not a throwaway line. |
| Price | A | Wharfedale SW-15 costs less - $1,199 against $2,100, about 43% less. |
A Wharfedale SW-15 B Monitor Audio Silver W-12
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 SW-15 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, Monitor Audio Silver W-12 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 $1,199 each, two Wharfedale SW-15 cost about $2,398 against $2,100 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.