In this review, we will be comparing WH D10 and WH S10E, two Powered Subwoofer speakers by Wharfedale. 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 WH-D10 and Wharfedale WH-S10E 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.Wharfedale WH-D10and Wharfedale WH-S10E have the same driver set up: Both subwoofers have 1 x 10" drivers.
Frequency Response
WH D10 has a frequency range of 35-150 Hz whereas WH S10E has a frequency range of 35-120 Hz.
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 WH-D10 has a Infinite Baffle type cabinet. On the other hand the Wharfedale WH-S10E 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.
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 WH-D10's and Wharfedale WH-S10E's external dimensions. Wharfedale WH-D10 has external dimensions of 393.0 x 333.0 x 394.0mm (15-1/2 x 13-1/8 x 15-1/2inch) whereas Wharfedale WH-S10E has external dimensions of 394.0 x 333.0 x 397.0mm (15-1/2 x 13-1/8 x 15-5/8inch).
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.
Near-identical footprints.
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 WH-D10 is approximately 1312.0cm2 / 203.4inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale WH-S10E is approximately 1322.0cm2 / 204.9inch2. The WH D10 requires 1% less surface area than the WH S10E which gives it a small advantage 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 WH-D10 weighs 14.00kg / 30.8lbs and the Wharfedale WH-S10E weighs 14.40kg / 31.7lbs. This makes the WH S10E 3% heavier than the WH D10.
Here is a comparison of how WH D10 and WH S10E's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 High Frequency Response |
150 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
393mm
vs
394mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1312cm2
vs
1322cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
499USD
vs
699USD
|
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.
Near-identical footprints.
| General |
Wharfedale WH-D10 |
Wharfedale WH-S10E |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
150 watts |
150 watts |
| Frequency Response |
35-150 Hz |
35-120 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
150-watt RMS |
150-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
300-watt RMS |
300-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper composite |
Paper composite |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
393.0mm (15.5") |
394.0mm (15.5") |
| Width |
333.0mm (13.1") |
333.0mm (13.1") |
| Depth |
394.0mm (15.5") |
397.0mm (15.6") |
| Weight |
14.00kg (30.8lbs) |
14.40kg (31.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Infinite Baffle |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Siblings in Wharfedale's WH range - same design thinking, different size. It comes down to your room and your budget.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | evenly matched | Effectively the same reach (35Hz vs 35Hz). |
| Amplifier power | evenly matched | Much the same amplifier (150W vs 150W RMS) - under 1dB apart. |
| Driver area | evenly matched | Near-identical radiating area (10" against 10"). |
| Enclosure | evenly matched | Both are sealed designs, so they roll off in much the same way. |
| Price | B | Wharfedale WH-S10E costs less - $499 against $699, about 29% less. |
A Wharfedale WH-D10 B Wharfedale WH-S10E
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.
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.