In this review, we will be comparing WH D8 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-D8 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.Both Wharfedale WH-D8and Wharfedale WH-S10E have a single woofer setup however the Wharfedale WH-D8's woofer is 8-inch whereas the Wharfedale WH-S10E features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
WH D8 has a frequency range of 40-120 Hz whereas WH S10E has a frequency range of 35-120 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the WH S10E 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 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-D8's and Wharfedale WH-S10E'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 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).
Wharfedale WH-S10E is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 65mm wider, 66mm taller and 75mm 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.
Wharfedale WH-S10E needs about 53% more floor or shelf area. Wharfedale WH-S10E is 75mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Wharfedale WH-S10E is 66mm 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 Wharfedale WH-S10E is approximately 1322.0cm2 / 204.9inch2. The WH D8 requires 35% 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-D8 weighs 7.50kg / 16.5lbs and the Wharfedale WH-S10E weighs 14.40kg / 31.7lbs. This makes the WH S10E 92% heavier than the WH D8.
Here is a comparison of how WH D8 and WH S10E's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Height |
328mm
vs
394mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
863cm2
vs
1322cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
449USD
vs
499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
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 WH-S10E needs about 53% more floor area. Wharfedale WH-S10E stands 75mm further into the room. Wharfedale WH-S10E is 66mm taller.
| General |
Wharfedale WH-D8 |
Wharfedale WH-S10E |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
70 watts |
150 watts |
| Frequency Response |
40-120 Hz |
35-120 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
70-watt RMS |
150-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
150-watt RMS |
300-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper composite |
Paper composite |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
328.0mm (12.9") |
394.0mm (15.5") |
| Width |
268.0mm (10.6") |
333.0mm (13.1") |
| Depth |
322.0mm (12.7") |
397.0mm (15.6") |
| Weight |
7.50kg (16.5lbs) |
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 | B | Wharfedale WH-S10E goes deeper - 35Hz against 40Hz. A real difference, though most music has little content below 40Hz. |
| Amplifier power | B | Wharfedale WH-S10E has the bigger amplifier - 150W against 70W RMS, about 3.3dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | Wharfedale WH-S10E moves more air: 10" against 8" 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 sealed designs, so they roll off in much the same way. |
| Cabinet size | depends | Wharfedale WH-D8 is about 46% 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 $499, about 10% less. |
A Wharfedale WH-D8 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?
Wharfedale WH-S10E leads across most of the measured areas for a modest premium, so it is the easier pick if the budget stretches. Wharfedale WH-D8 is the one to take if it does not. 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.