In this review, we will be comparing WH S10E and WH S8E, 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-S10E and Wharfedale WH-S8E first before getting into our more detailed comparison.
In the following sections, we will get into details in order to better understand how the Wharfedale WH-S10E and Wharfedale WH-S8E compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these subwoofers is the better choice for you.
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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 Wharfedale WH-S8E have a single woofer setup however the Wharfedale WH-S10E's woofer is 10-inch whereas the Wharfedale WH-S8E features a 8-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
WH S10E has a frequency range of 35-120 Hz whereas WH S8E has a frequency range of 40-200 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 S8E'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-S10E has a Acoustic Suspension type cabinet. 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. On the other hand the Wharfedale WH-S8E have Bass Reflex type enclosure. Bass Reflex type subwoofers (aka Ported, Vented or Reflex Port) have enclosures that uses a port, hole or vent cut into the cabinet. Ported designs are generally more efficient than the Sealed designs.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 Wharfedale WH-S8E'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 Wharfedale WH-S8E has external dimensions of 330.0 x 268.0 x 327.0mm ( 13 x 10-9/16 x 12-7/8inch) .
Wharfedale WH-S10E is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 65mm wider, 64mm taller and 70mm deeper than Wharfedale WH-S8E.
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 Wharfedale WH-S8E is approximately 876.4cm2 / 135.8inch2. The WH S10E requires 51% more surface area than the WH S8E 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 Wharfedale WH-S8E weighs 8.20kg / 18lbs. This makes the WH S10E 76% heavier than the WH S8E.
Here is a comparison of how WH S10E and WH S8E'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 |
| Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
200k Hz
vs
120k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
330mm
vs
394mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
876cm2
vs
1322cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Wharfedale WH-S10E |
Wharfedale WH-S8E |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
150 watts |
70 watts |
| Frequency Response |
35-120 Hz |
40-200 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
150-watt RMS |
70-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
300-watt RMS |
150-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper composite |
Paper composite |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
394.0mm (15.5") |
330.0mm (13") |
| Width |
333.0mm (13.1") |
268.0mm (10.6") |
| Depth |
397.0mm (15.6") |
327.0mm (12.9") |
| Weight |
14.40kg (31.7lbs) |
8.20kg (18lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |