In this review, we will be comparing SW-15 and SB-4000, 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 SW-15 and SVS SB-4000 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 SVS SB-4000 have a single woofer setup however the Wharfedale SW-15's woofer is 15-inch whereas the SVS SB-4000 features a 13.5-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
SW-15 has a frequency range of 30-120 Hz whereas SB-4000 has a frequency range of 19-310 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 19Hz, the SB-4000 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
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 SVS SB-4000 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.
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 SVS SB-4000'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 SVS SB-4000 has external dimensions of 466.0 x 453.0 x 532.0mm (18-5/16 x 17-13/16 x 20-15/16inch).
Wharfedale SW-15 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 40mm wider, 104mm taller and 83mm deeper than SVS SB-4000.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale SW-15 and SVS SB-4000 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale SW-15 and SVS SB-4000 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 SVS SB-4000 is approximately 2410.0cm2 / 373.6inch2. The SW-15 requires 26% more surface area than the SB-4000 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 SVS SB-4000 weighs 46.50kg / 102.3lbs. This makes the SB-4000 47% heavier than the SW-15.
Here is a comparison of how SW-15 and SB-4000'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 SVS SB-4000?
Here are the items that come with the SB-4000:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6-feet AC power cord
- Remote control
- 4 Elastomer feet
- Owners Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
 Woofer Size |
15 inches
vs
13.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Price per pair* |
1199USD
vs
1800USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| Low Frequency Response |
19 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
310 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Height |
466mm
vs
570mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
2410cm2
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 26% more floor area. Wharfedale SW-15 stands 83mm further into the room. Wharfedale SW-15 is 104mm taller.
| General |
Wharfedale SW-15 |
SVS SB-4000 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
SVS |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
400 watts |
1200 watts |
| Frequency Response |
30-120 Hz |
19-310 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
400-watt RMS |
1200-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
15" |
13.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper |
Composite/Glass Fiber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
570.0mm (22.4") |
466.0mm (18.3") |
| Width |
493.0mm (19.4") |
453.0mm (17.8") |
| Depth |
615.0mm (24.2") |
532.0mm (20.9") |
| Weight |
31.57kg (69.5lbs) |
46.50kg (102.3lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
5 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 | SVS SB-4000 goes deeper - 19Hz 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 | SVS SB-4000 has the bigger amplifier - 1200W against 400W RMS, about 4.8dB 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 13.5" is 1.23x the cone area, not the 1.11x 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; SVS SB-4000 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 | SVS SB-4000 is about 35% 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 | SVS SB-4000 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 | A | Wharfedale SW-15 costs less - $1,199 against $1,800, about 33% less. |
A Wharfedale SW-15 B SVS SB-4000
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: SVS SB-4000 measures better, Wharfedale SW-15 costs about 33% 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, SVS SB-4000 is usually the easier one to make sound right. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - SVS SB-4000 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.