In this review, we will be comparing SW-15 and B1, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Wharfedale and Revel. 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 Revel B1 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 Revel B1 have a single woofer setup however the Wharfedale SW-15's woofer is 15-inch whereas the Revel B1 features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
SW-15 has a frequency range of 30-120 Hz whereas B1 has a frequency range of 36-150 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the SW-15 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the B1's min frequency of 36Hz.
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
Both Wharfedale SW-15 and Revel B1 have Bass Reflex type cabinets. 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.
New
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 Revel B1'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 Revel B1 has external dimensions of 451.0 x 402.0 x 391.0mm (17-3/4 x 15-13/16 x 15-3/8inch).
Wharfedale SW-15 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 91mm wider, 119mm taller and 224mm deeper than Revel B1.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale SW-15 and Revel B1 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale SW-15 and Revel B1 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 Revel B1 is approximately 1571.8cm2 / 243.6inch2. The SW-15 requires 93% more surface area than the B1 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 Revel B1 weighs 23.18kg / 51lbs. This makes the SW-15 36% heavier than the B1.
Here is a comparison of how SW-15 and B1'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 Revel B1?
Here are the items that come with the B1:
- Powered subwoofer
- 6-feet AC power cord
- Grille
- 16-feet Mono-RCA cable
- Owners Manual
 Woofer Size |
15 inches
vs
12 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
36 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
150 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
451mm
vs
570mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1571cm2
vs
3032cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
999USD
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 93% more floor area. Wharfedale SW-15 stands 224mm further into the room. Wharfedale SW-15 is 119mm taller.
| General |
Wharfedale SW-15 |
Revel B1 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Revel |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
400 watts |
250 watts |
| Frequency Response |
30-120 Hz |
36-150 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
400-watt RMS |
250-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
15" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper |
Micro Ceramic Composite |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
570.0mm (22.4") |
451.0mm (17.8") |
| Width |
493.0mm (19.4") |
402.0mm (15.8") |
| Depth |
615.0mm (24.2") |
391.0mm (15.4") |
| Weight |
31.57kg (69.5lbs) |
23.18kg (51lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
5 Years |
No single best subwoofer here. Your room, where the box can physically go, and whether this is mainly for films or mainly for music will settle it long before the specs do.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | A | Wharfedale SW-15 goes deeper - 30Hz against 36Hz. A real difference, though most music has little content below 36Hz. |
| Amplifier power | A | Wharfedale SW-15 has the bigger amplifier - 400W against 250W RMS, about 2dB 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 | evenly matched | Both are ported designs, so they roll off in much the same way. |
| Cabinet size | depends | Revel B1 is about 59% 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 | B | Revel B1 carries 5 years on parts against 3 years. A subwoofer amplifier works harder than anything else in the system, so this is not a throwaway line. |
| Price | B | Revel B1 costs less - $999 against $1,199, about 17% less. |
A Wharfedale SW-15 B Revel B1
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, Revel B1 costs about 17% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - Revel B1 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.