In this review, we will be comparing WH S10E and ASW610, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Wharfedale and Bowers Wilkins. 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-S10E and B&W ASW610 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-S10Eand B&W ASW610 have the same driver set up: Both subwoofers have 1 x 10" drivers.
Frequency Response
WH S10E has a frequency range of 35-120 Hz whereas ASW610 has a frequency range of 27-140 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 27Hz, the ASW610 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the WH S10E's min frequency of 35Hz.
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 WH-S10E and B&W ASW610 have Acoustic Suspension type cabinets. 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-S10E's and B&W ASW610's external dimensions. 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) whereas B&W ASW610 has external dimensions of 321.0 x 312.0 x 394.0mm (12-5/8 x 12-1/4 x 15-1/2inch).
Wharfedale WH-S10E is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 21mm wider, 73mm taller and 3mm deeper than B&W ASW610.
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. Wharfedale WH-S10E is 73mm 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-S10E is approximately 1322.0cm2 / 204.9inch2 and base area of the B&W ASW610 is approximately 1229.3cm2 / 190.5inch2. The WH S10E requires 8% more surface area than the ASW610 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 WH-S10E weighs 14.40kg / 31.7lbs and the B&W ASW610 weighs 12.55kg / 27.6lbs. This makes the WH S10E 15% heavier than the ASW610.
Here is a comparison of how WH S10E and ASW610's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Price per pair* |
499USD
vs
899USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
35 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
140 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
321mm
vs
394mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1229cm2
vs
1322cm2
|
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.
Near-identical footprints. Wharfedale WH-S10E is 73mm taller.
| General |
Wharfedale WH-S10E |
Bowers & Wilkins ASW610 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
150 watts |
200 watts |
| Frequency Response |
35-120 Hz |
27-140 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
150-watt RMS |
200-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
300-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper composite |
Paper/Aramid Fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
394.0mm (15.5") |
321.0mm (12.6") |
| Width |
333.0mm (13.1") |
312.0mm (12.3") |
| Depth |
397.0mm (15.6") |
394.0mm (15.5") |
| Weight |
14.40kg (31.7lbs) |
12.55kg (27.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
2 Years |
Different price classes - B&W ASW610 costs roughly 1.8x what Wharfedale WH-S10E does. Before paying it, read the note below about two smaller subwoofers.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | B | B&W ASW610 goes deeper - 27Hz against 35Hz. A real difference, though most music has little content below 35Hz. |
| Amplifier power | B | B&W ASW610 has the bigger amplifier - 200W against 150W RMS, about 1.2dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| 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. |
| Cabinet size | depends | B&W ASW610 is about 24% 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 | A | Wharfedale WH-S10E carries 5 years on parts against 2 years. A subwoofer amplifier works harder than anything else in the system, so this is not a throwaway line. |
| Price | A | Wharfedale WH-S10E costs less - $499 against $899, about 44% less. |
A Wharfedale WH-S10E B B&W ASW610
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?
B&W ASW610 is ahead, but on only 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 80% more. Wharfedale WH-S10E is the sensible buy unless your room is large enough to need the extra. Two small subwoofers beat one big one in most rooms - a pair evens out the room modes in a way no single box can, whatever its specs. At $499 each, two Wharfedale WH-S10E cost about $998 against $899 for one of the other, which is worth a thought.
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.