In this review, we will be comparing WH S8E and WH D8, 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-D8 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-S8Eand Wharfedale WH-D8 have the same driver set up: Both subwoofers have 1 x 8" drivers.
Frequency Response
WH S8E has a frequency range of 40-200 Hz whereas WH D8 has a frequency range of 40-120 Hz.
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-D8 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-D8'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-D8 has external dimensions of 328.0 x 268.0 x 322.0mm (12-15/16 x 10-9/16 x 12-11/16inch).
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.
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-D8 is approximately 863.0cm2 / 133.8inch2. The WH S8E requires 2% more surface area than the WH D8 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-S8E weighs 8.20kg / 18lbs and the Wharfedale WH-D8 weighs 7.50kg / 16.5lbs. This makes the WH S8E 9% heavier than the WH D8.
Here is a comparison of how WH S8E and WH D8'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 |
 Price per pair* |
399USD
vs
449USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Height |
328mm
vs
330mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
863cm2
vs
876cm2
|
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.
| General |
Wharfedale WH-S8E |
Wharfedale WH-D8 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
70 watts |
70 watts |
| Frequency Response |
40-200 Hz |
40-120 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
70-watt RMS |
70-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
150-watt RMS |
150-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper composite |
Paper composite |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
330.0mm (13") |
328.0mm (12.9") |
| Width |
268.0mm (10.6") |
268.0mm (10.6") |
| Depth |
327.0mm (12.9") |
322.0mm (12.7") |
| Weight |
8.20kg (18lbs) |
7.50kg (16.5lbs) |
| 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 | evenly matched | Effectively the same reach (40Hz vs 40Hz). |
| Amplifier power | evenly matched | Much the same amplifier (70W vs 70W RMS) - under 1dB apart. |
| Driver area | evenly matched | Near-identical radiating area (8" against 8"). |
| 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-D8 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. |
| Price | A | Wharfedale WH-S8E costs less - $399 against $449, about 11% less. |
A Wharfedale WH-S8E B Wharfedale WH-D8
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let your room size and where the box can actually stand settle it. 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-D8 is usually the easier one to make sound right.
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.