In this review, we will be comparing WH S8E and WH D10, 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 WH-D10 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 WH-D10 have a single woofer setup however the Wharfedale WH-S8E's woofer is 8-inch whereas the Wharfedale WH-D10 features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
WH S8E has a frequency range of 40-200 Hz whereas WH D10 has a frequency range of 35-150 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the WH D10 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-S8E has a Bass Reflex type cabinet. 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. On the other hand the Wharfedale WH-D10 have Infinite Baffle type enclosure.
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 WH-D10'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 WH-D10 has external dimensions of 393.0 x 333.0 x 394.0mm (15-1/2 x 13-1/8 x 15-1/2inch).
Wharfedale WH-D10 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 65mm wider, 63mm taller and 67mm 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 WH-D10 needs about 50% more floor or shelf area. Wharfedale WH-D10 is 67mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Wharfedale WH-D10 is 63mm 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 WH-D10 is approximately 1312.0cm2 / 203.4inch2. The WH S8E requires 33% less surface area than the WH D10 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 WH-D10 weighs 14.00kg / 30.8lbs. This makes the WH D10 71% heavier than the WH S8E.
Here is a comparison of how WH S8E and WH D10's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 High Frequency Response |
200 Hz
vs
150 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
330mm
vs
393mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
876cm2
vs
1312cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
399USD
vs
699USD
|
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-D10 needs about 50% more floor area. Wharfedale WH-D10 stands 67mm further into the room. Wharfedale WH-D10 is 63mm taller.
| General |
Wharfedale WH-S8E |
Wharfedale WH-D10 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
70 watts |
150 watts |
| Frequency Response |
40-200 Hz |
35-150 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 |
330.0mm (13") |
393.0mm (15.5") |
| Width |
268.0mm (10.6") |
333.0mm (13.1") |
| Depth |
327.0mm (12.9") |
394.0mm (15.5") |
| Weight |
8.20kg (18lbs) |
14.00kg (30.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Infinite Baffle |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A ported subwoofer against a sealed one. That is the most consequential line on this page: it decides how the bass rolls off, how it behaves in a small room, and how much output you get for the size of the box.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | B | Wharfedale WH-D10 goes deeper - 35Hz against 40Hz. A real difference, though most music has little content below 40Hz. |
| Amplifier power | B | Wharfedale WH-D10 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-D10 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 | depends | Wharfedale WH-S8E is ported - a ported box gives more output low down for its size, at the cost of a steeper roll-off below tuning; Wharfedale WH-D10 is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room. Neither is better in the abstract; ported tends to suit films and sealed tends to suit music, and both generalisations have exceptions. |
| Cabinet size | depends | Wharfedale WH-S8E is about 44% 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-S8E costs less - $399 against $699, about 43% less. |
A Wharfedale WH-S8E B Wharfedale WH-D10
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 WH-D10 measures better, Wharfedale WH-S8E costs about 43% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, Wharfedale WH-S8E will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, Wharfedale WH-D10 is usually the easier one to make sound right. 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 $699 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.