In this review, we will be comparing WH S10E and KUBE 8b, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Wharfedale and KEF. 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 KEF KUBE 8b 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-S10Eand KEF KUBE 8b have a single woofer setup however the Wharfedale WH-S10E's woofer is 10-inch whereas the KEF KUBE 8b features a 8-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
WH S10E has a frequency range of 35-120 Hz whereas KUBE 8b has a frequency range of 34-140 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 34Hz, the KUBE 8b can go slightly deeper then 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 KEF KUBE 8b 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 KEF KUBE 8b'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 KEF KUBE 8b has external dimensions of 294.0 x 296.0 x 339.0mm (11-9/16 x 11-5/8 x 13-5/16inch).
Wharfedale WH-S10E is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 37mm wider, 100mm taller and 58mm deeper than KEF KUBE 8b.
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 32% more floor or shelf area. Wharfedale WH-S10E is 58mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Wharfedale WH-S10E is 100mm 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 KEF KUBE 8b is approximately 1003.4cm2 / 155.5inch2. The WH S10E requires 32% more surface area than the KUBE 8b 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 KEF KUBE 8b weighs 11.36kg / 25lbs. This makes the WH S10E 27% heavier than the KUBE 8b.
Here is a comparison of how WH S10E and KUBE 8b's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Price per pair* |
499USD
vs
600USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| Low Frequency Response |
34 Hz
vs
35 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
140 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
294mm
vs
394mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1003cm2
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.
Wharfedale WH-S10E needs about 32% more floor area. Wharfedale WH-S10E stands 58mm further into the room. Wharfedale WH-S10E is 100mm taller.
| General |
Wharfedale WH-S10E |
KEF KUBE 8b |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
150 watts |
300 watts |
| Frequency Response |
35-120 Hz |
34-140 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
150-watt RMS |
300-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
300-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper composite |
|
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
40-140 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
394.0mm (15.5") |
294.0mm (11.6") |
| Width |
333.0mm (13.1") |
296.0mm (11.7") |
| Depth |
397.0mm (15.6") |
339.0mm (13.3") |
| Weight |
14.40kg (31.7lbs) |
11.36kg (25lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
2 Years |
No single best subwoofer here. Your room, where the box can physically go, and whether this is mainly for films or mainly for music will settle it long before the specs do.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | evenly matched | Effectively the same reach (35Hz vs 34Hz). |
| Amplifier power | B | KEF KUBE 8b has the bigger amplifier - 300W against 150W RMS, about 3dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | 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 | KEF KUBE 8b is about 43% 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 $600, about 17% less. |
A Wharfedale WH-S10E B KEF KUBE 8b
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 has the edge on paper, though not by much. The "depends" rows are more likely to decide this than the score is. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - KEF KUBE 8b 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.