In this review, we will be comparing WH S8E and SW-15, 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-S8E and Wharfedale SW-15 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-S8Eand Wharfedale SW-15 have a single woofer setup however the Wharfedale WH-S8E's woofer is 8-inch whereas the Wharfedale SW-15 features a 15-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
WH S8E has a frequency range of 40-200 Hz whereas SW-15 has a frequency range of 30-120 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the SW-15 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
Both Wharfedale WH-S8E and Wharfedale SW-15 have Bass Reflex type cabinets. 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
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-S8E's and Wharfedale SW-15's external dimensions. Wharfedale WH-S8E has external dimensions of 330.0 x 268.0 x 327.0mm (13 x 10-9/16 x 12-7/8inch) whereas Wharfedale SW-15 has external dimensions of 570.0 x 493.0 x 615.0mm (22-7/16inch x 19-3/8inch x 24-3/16inch).
Wharfedale SW-15 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 225mm wider, 240mm taller and 288mm deeper than Wharfedale WH-S8E.
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 SW-15 needs about 246% more floor or shelf area. Wharfedale SW-15 is 288mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Wharfedale SW-15 is 240mm 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-S8E is approximately 876.4cm2 / 135.8inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale SW-15 is approximately 3032.0cm2 / 470.0inch2. The WH S8E requires 71% less surface area than the SW-15 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-S8E weighs 8.20kg / 18lbs and the Wharfedale SW-15 weighs 31.57kg / 69.5lbs. This makes the SW-15 285% heavier than the WH S8E.
Here is a comparison of how WH S8E and SW-15's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 High Frequency Response |
200 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
330mm
vs
570mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
876cm2
vs
3032cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
399USD
vs
1199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Woofer Size |
15 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
30 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 SW-15 needs about 246% more floor area. Wharfedale SW-15 stands 288mm further into the room. Wharfedale SW-15 is 240mm taller.
| General |
Wharfedale WH-S8E |
Wharfedale SW-15 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
70 watts |
400 watts |
| Frequency Response |
40-200 Hz |
30-120 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
70-watt RMS |
400-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
150-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
15" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper composite |
Paper |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
330.0mm (13") |
570.0mm (22.4") |
| Width |
268.0mm (10.6") |
493.0mm (19.4") |
| Depth |
327.0mm (12.9") |
615.0mm (24.2") |
| Weight |
8.20kg (18lbs) |
31.57kg (69.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
3 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 | Wharfedale SW-15 goes deeper - 30Hz against 40Hz. A real difference, though most music has little content below 40Hz. |
| Amplifier power | B | Wharfedale SW-15 has the bigger amplifier - 400W against 70W RMS, about 7.6dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | Wharfedale SW-15 moves more air: 15" against 8" is 3.52x the cone area, not the 1.88x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | evenly matched | Both are ported designs, so they roll off in much the same way. |
| Cabinet size | depends | Wharfedale WH-S8E is about 83% 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-S8E carries 5 years on parts against 3 years. A subwoofer amplifier works harder than anything else in the system, so this is not a throwaway line. |
| Price | A | Wharfedale WH-S8E costs less - $399 against $1,199, about 67% less. |
A Wharfedale WH-S8E B Wharfedale SW-15
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: Wharfedale SW-15 measures better, Wharfedale WH-S8E costs about 67% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two. 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 $399 each, two Wharfedale WH-S8E cost about $798 against $1,199 for one of the other, which is worth a thought. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - Wharfedale WH-S8E 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.