In this review, we will be comparing D300C and SS-CS8, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Wharfedale and Sony.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale D300C and Sony SS-CS8 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale D300C | Sony SS-CS8 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Sony
Japan · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5" Black woven Kevlar Cone | 2 x 4" Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) |
|---|
| Frequency response | 65-20k Hz | 55-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-120 watts | up to 145 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 8.00kg / 17.6lbs | 5.00kg / 11lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 7.8" x 20.1" x 9.1"
190 x 510 x 232mm | 5.75" x 16.93" x 8.66"
146.0 x 430.0 x 220.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale D300C and Sony SS-CS8 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Wharfedale D300C |
Sony SS-CS8 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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Drivers
Both D300C and SS-CS8 are 2-way speakers.
Wharfedale D300CSony SS-CS8
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Wharfedale D300C |
Sony SS-CS8 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
2 x 4-inch
|
D300C features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Black woven Kevlar Cone Woofer. On the other hand, the SS-CS8 features a 1" polyester fiber Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 4" Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) Woofer.
Frequency Response
D300C has a frequency range of 65-20k Hz whereas SS-CS8 has a frequency range of 55-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 55Hz, the SS-CS8 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the D300C's min frequency of 65Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
D300C is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the SS-CS8 which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. D300C sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the SS-CS8's is rated at 86 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Wharfedale D300C a more sensitive speaker compared to Sony SS-CS8, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
SS-CS8 can handle a max power of 145 watts RMS, whereas D300C has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 25 watts less than the SS-CS8.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
D300C features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. SS-CS8 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale D300C's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Sony SS-CS8's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
D300C has a bottom firing port whereas SS-CS8 has a rear firing ports. Wharfedale D300C's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Sony SS-CS8 with its rear-firing port.
New
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 D300C's and Sony SS-CS8's external dimensions. Wharfedale D300C has external dimensions of 190 x 510 x 232mm (7.8) whereas Sony SS-CS8 has external dimensions of 146.0 x 430.0 x 220.0mm (5.75 x 16.93 x 8.66inch).
Wharfedale D300C is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 80mm wider, 44mm taller and 12mm deeper than Sony SS-CS8.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale D300C and Sony SS-CS8 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale D300C and Sony SS-CS8 Size and External Dimensions
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 D300C is approximately 1183.0cm2 / 183.4inch2 and base area of the Sony SS-CS8 is approximately 946.0cm2 / 146.6inch2. The D300C requires 25% more surface area than the SS-CS8 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Wharfedale D300C weighs 8.00kg / 17.6lbs and the Sony SS-CS8 weighs 5.00kg / 11lbs. This makes the D300C 60% heavier than the SS-CS8.
Here is a comparison of how D300C and SS-CS8's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
5 inches
vs
4 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Max Input Power |
145 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
|
Low Frequency Response |
55 Hz
vs
65 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
146mm
vs
190mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
946cm2
vs
1183cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
169USD
vs
179USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Wharfedale D300C |
Sony SS-CS8 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Sony |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center Channel |
| Power Range |
25-120 watts |
up to 145 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.8 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
65-20k Hz |
55-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
4" |
| Woofer Composition |
Black woven Kevlar Cone |
Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Foamed Polyether |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
190.0mm (7.5") |
146.0mm (5.7") |
| Width |
510.0mm (20.1") |
430.0mm (16.9") |
| Depth |
232.0mm (9.1") |
220.0mm (8.7") |
| Weight |
8.00kg (17.6lbs) |
5.00kg (11lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Wood-veneer |
| Available Colors |
Rosewood, Black, White, Walnut |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
2 years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
2 years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Sony SS-CS8 digs deeper - 55Hz against 65Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Wharfedale D300C is more sensitive (89dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | Wharfedale D300C is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (120W vs 145W). |
| Size | depends | Sony SS-CS8 is easier to place; Wharfedale D300C is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Wharfedale D300C: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($179 vs $169 a pair). |
A Wharfedale D300C B Sony SS-CS8
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 speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Wharfedale D300C has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 65Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, Wharfedale D300C has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Sony SS-CS8 is the easier speaker to get right.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.