Subwoofers — Wharfedale SW-10

The SW-10 is the 10-inch active subwoofer in the SW range from Wharfedale, the British loudspeaker company, sitting below the larger SW-12 and SW-15. The maker labels it an Active Dynamic-Drive IB design and presents it for both home cinema and music, and the Australian distributor recommends it for medium-sized rooms. It was listed at USD 849 in the United States and AUD 1,199.99 in Australia.

Key specs that matter

A single 250 mm long-throw cone driver is fed by an amplifier rated at 200 W RMS, with 350 W quoted as peak output. Frequency response is 40 Hz to 120 Hz within 3 dB, and average maximum output at 1 m is 110 dB. Line input sensitivity is 200 mV for full output, input impedance is 10 kohm on the line inputs and 5 kohm on the LFE input, and noise sits at least 85 dB below signal. The cabinet is 358 mm high, or 416 mm including the 58 mm feet, 336 mm wide and 366 mm deep, and it weighs 15 kg.

Engineering and use context

The cone is made of non-pressed paper, which Wharfedale chose for its self-damping behaviour, transient control and structural rigidity. The voice coil vents at the centre of the driver are lined with copper to reduce magnetic distortion and help carry heat away from the coil. Wharfedale specifies a bass reflex enclosure with a down-firing port, so the port opening faces the floor and the feet set the gap below it. A continuously variable crossover covers 30 Hz to 150 Hz, and alongside the volume control there is a phase inversion switch. An auto sense circuit switches the unit on when a bass signal arrives and returns it to standby after the signal stops. The British catalogue offers blackwood vinyl, rosewood, walnut pearl or white sandex wraps, each paired with a high-gloss front baffle, while Australian stock comes with piano black or piano white lacquered baffles. An IEC mains cord is supplied, and Wharfedale gives a standard 3-year warranty.

Pairing

Two RCA line inputs accept a stereo preamplifier or integrated amplifier with pre-outs, while the separate RCA LFE input takes the sub pre-out of a surround receiver, which then handles the crossover. In a stereo system the variable crossover can be set to meet the low end of compact bookshelf speakers, and the phase switch helps line it up with them in time.

Alternatives

The Wharfedale SW-12 is the next size up, with a 12-inch driver, 300 W RMS and a response reaching 35 Hz.