In this review, we will be comparing NS-SW100 and NS-SW050, two Powered Subwoofer speakers by Yamaha. 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 Yamaha NS-SW100 and Yamaha NS-SW050 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 Yamaha NS-SW100and Yamaha NS-SW050 have a single woofer setup however the Yamaha NS-SW100's woofer is 10-inch whereas the Yamaha NS-SW050 features a 8-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
NS-SW100 has a frequency range of 25-180 Hz whereas NS-SW050 has a frequency range of 28-200 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the NS-SW100 can go slightly deeper then the NS-SW050's min frequency of 28Hz.
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 Yamaha NS-SW100 and Yamaha NS-SW050 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 Yamaha NS-SW100's and Yamaha NS-SW050's external dimensions. Yamaha NS-SW100 has external dimensions of 352.4 x 352.4 x 409.6mm (13.875 x 13.875 x 16.125inch) whereas Yamaha NS-SW050 has external dimensions of 292.1 x 292.1 x 339.7mm (11.5 x 11.5 x 13.375inch).
Yamaha NS-SW100 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 60.3mm wider, 60.3mm taller and 69.9mm deeper than Yamaha NS-SW050.
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.
Yamaha NS-SW100 needs about 45% more floor or shelf area. Yamaha NS-SW100 is 70mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Yamaha NS-SW100 is 60mm 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 Yamaha NS-SW100 is approximately 1443.4cm2 / 223.7inch2 and base area of the Yamaha NS-SW050 is approximately 992.3cm2 / 153.8inch2. The NS-SW100 requires 45% more surface area than the NS-SW050 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 Yamaha NS-SW100 weighs 12.02kg / 26.4lbs and the Yamaha NS-SW050 weighs 8.48kg / 18.7lbs. This makes the NS-SW100 42% heavier than the NS-SW050.
Here is a comparison of how NS-SW100 and NS-SW050'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 |
25 Hz
vs
28 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
200 Hz
vs
180 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
292mm
vs
352mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
992cm2
vs
1443cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
220USD
vs
270USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
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.
Yamaha NS-SW100 needs about 45% more floor area. Yamaha NS-SW100 stands 70mm further into the room. Yamaha NS-SW100 is 60mm taller.
| General |
Yamaha NS-SW100 |
Yamaha NS-SW050 |
| Brand |
Yamaha |
Yamaha |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
50 watts |
50 watts |
| Frequency Response |
25-180 Hz |
28-200 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
50-watt RMS |
50-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
100-watt RMS |
100-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Cone |
Cone |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
352.4mm (13.9") |
292.1mm (11.5") |
| Width |
352.4mm (13.9") |
292.1mm (11.5") |
| Depth |
409.6mm (16.1") |
339.7mm (13.4") |
| Weight |
12.02kg (26.4lbs) |
8.48kg (18.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
|
| Labor Warranty |
|
|
Siblings in Yamaha's NS-SW range - same design thinking, different size. It comes down to your room and your budget.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | A | Yamaha NS-SW100 goes deeper - 25Hz against 28Hz. A real difference, though most music has little content below 28Hz. |
| Amplifier power | evenly matched | Much the same amplifier (50W vs 50W RMS) - under 1dB apart. |
| Driver area | A | Yamaha NS-SW100 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 ported designs, so they roll off in much the same way. |
| Cabinet size | depends | Yamaha NS-SW050 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. |
| Price | B | Yamaha NS-SW050 costs less - $220 against $270, about 19% less. |
A Yamaha NS-SW100 B Yamaha NS-SW050
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: Yamaha NS-SW100 measures better, Yamaha NS-SW050 costs about 19% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - Yamaha NS-SW050 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.