In this review, we will be comparing WH D8 and SB-1000 Pro, 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 WH-D8 and SVS SB-1000 Pro 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 WH-D8and SVS SB-1000 Pro have a single woofer setup however the Wharfedale WH-D8's woofer is 8-inch whereas the SVS SB-1000 Pro features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
WH D8 has a frequency range of 40-120 Hz whereas SB-1000 Pro has a frequency range of 20-270 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 20Hz, the SB-1000 Pro can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the WH D8's min frequency of 40Hz.
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-D8 has a Infinite Baffle type cabinet. On the other hand the SVS SB-1000 Pro 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-D8's and SVS SB-1000 Pro's external dimensions. Wharfedale WH-D8 has external dimensions of 328.0 x 268.0 x 322.0mm (12-15/16 x 10-9/16 x 12-11/16inch) whereas SVS SB-1000 Pro has external dimensions of 343.0 x 331.0 x 402.0mm (13-1/2inch x 13inch x 15-13/16inch).
SVS SB-1000 Pro is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 63mm wider, 15mm taller and 80mm deeper than Wharfedale WH-D8.
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.
SVS SB-1000 Pro needs about 54% more floor or shelf area. SVS SB-1000 Pro is 80mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. SVS SB-1000 Pro is 15mm 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 WH-D8 is approximately 863.0cm2 / 133.8inch2 and base area of the SVS SB-1000 Pro is approximately 1330.6cm2 / 206.2inch2. The WH D8 requires 35% less surface area than the SB-1000 Pro 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-D8 weighs 7.50kg / 16.5lbs and the SVS SB-1000 Pro weighs 11.82kg / 26lbs. This makes the SB-1000 Pro 58% heavier than the WH D8.
Here is a comparison of how WH D8 and SB-1000 Pro's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Height |
328mm
vs
343mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
863cm2
vs
1330cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
449USD
vs
600USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
20 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
270 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
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.
SVS SB-1000 Pro needs about 54% more floor area. SVS SB-1000 Pro stands 80mm further into the room. SVS SB-1000 Pro is 15mm taller.
| General |
Wharfedale WH-D8 |
SVS SB-1000 Pro |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
SVS |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
70 watts |
325 watts |
| Frequency Response |
40-120 Hz |
20-270 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
70-watt RMS |
325-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
150-watt RMS |
820-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper composite |
Fiber-composite |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
328.0mm (12.9") |
343.0mm (13.5") |
| Width |
268.0mm (10.6") |
331.0mm (13") |
| Depth |
322.0mm (12.7") |
402.0mm (15.8") |
| Weight |
7.50kg (16.5lbs) |
11.82kg (26lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Infinite Baffle |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Black,White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Two quite different sizes of subwoofer. Room volume decides this more than anything else on the page: a big driver in a small room is wasted, and a small one in a large room is worked to death.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | B | SVS SB-1000 Pro goes deeper - 20Hz against 40Hz. 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-1000 Pro has the bigger amplifier - 325W against 70W RMS, about 6.7dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | SVS SB-1000 Pro moves more air: 12" against 8" is 2.25x the cone area, not the 1.5x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | evenly matched | Both are sealed designs, so they roll off in much the same way. |
| Cabinet size | depends | Wharfedale WH-D8 is about 38% 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. |
| Price | A | Wharfedale WH-D8 costs less - $449 against $600, about 25% less. |
A Wharfedale WH-D8 B SVS SB-1000 Pro
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-1000 Pro measures better, Wharfedale WH-D8 costs about 25% 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 - Wharfedale WH-D8 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.