In this review, we will be comparing SW-15 and SubSeries 150, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Wharfedale and PSB. 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 PSB SubSeries 150 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 PSB SubSeries 150 have a single woofer setup however the Wharfedale SW-15's woofer is 15-inch whereas the PSB SubSeries 150 features a 6.5-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
SW-15 has a frequency range of 30-120 Hz whereas SubSeries 150 has a frequency range of 26-150 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 26Hz, the SubSeries 150 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 PSB SubSeries 150 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 PSB SubSeries 150'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 PSB SubSeries 150 has external dimensions of 280.0 x 447.0 x 143.0mm (11 x 17-9/16 x 5-5/8inch).
Wharfedale SW-15 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 46mm wider, 290mm taller and 472mm deeper than PSB SubSeries 150.
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 SW-15 needs about 374% more floor or shelf area. Wharfedale SW-15 is 472mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Wharfedale SW-15 is 290mm 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 SW-15 is approximately 3032.0cm2 / 470.0inch2 and base area of the PSB SubSeries 150 is approximately 639.2cm2 / 99.1inch2. The SW-15 requires 374% more surface area than the SubSeries 150 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 PSB SubSeries 150 weighs 6.05kg / 13.3lbs. This makes the SW-15 422% heavier than the SubSeries 150.
Here is a comparison of how SW-15 and SubSeries 150'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 PSB SubSeries 150?
Here are the items that come with the SubSeries 150:
- Powered subwoofer
- 6-feet AC power cord
- 2 Mounting feet
- Wall-mount bracket
- Quick Start Subwoofer Guide
- Limited Warranty sheet
- Important Safety Instructions
 Woofer Size |
15 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
26 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
150 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Height |
280mm
vs
570mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
639cm2
vs
3032cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
499USD
vs
1199USD
|
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 SW-15 needs about 374% more floor area. Wharfedale SW-15 stands 472mm further into the room. Wharfedale SW-15 is 290mm taller.
| General |
Wharfedale SW-15 |
PSB SubSeries 150 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
PSB |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
400 watts |
100 watts |
| Frequency Response |
30-120 Hz |
26-150 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
400-watt RMS |
100-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
850-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
15" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper |
Polypropylene |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
570.0mm (22.4") |
280.0mm (11") |
| Width |
493.0mm (19.4") |
447.0mm (17.6") |
| Depth |
615.0mm (24.2") |
143.0mm (5.6") |
| Weight |
31.57kg (69.5lbs) |
6.05kg (13.3lbs) |
| 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 | B | PSB SubSeries 150 goes deeper - 26Hz against 30Hz. A real difference, though most music has little content below 30Hz. |
| Amplifier power | A | Wharfedale SW-15 has the bigger amplifier - 400W against 100W RMS, about 6dB 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 6.5" is 5.33x the cone area, not the 2.31x 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; PSB SubSeries 150 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 | PSB SubSeries 150 is about 90% 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 | PSB SubSeries 150 costs less - $499 against $1,199, about 58% less. |
A Wharfedale SW-15 B PSB SubSeries 150
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: Wharfedale SW-15 measures better, PSB SubSeries 150 costs about 58% 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 SW-15 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, PSB SubSeries 150 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 $499 each, two PSB SubSeries 150 cost about $998 against $1,199 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.