Wharfedale
Wharfedale SW-12 Active Subwoofer
Best high-performance subwoofer for balanced home theater and music setups.
Elevate your home audio with this active subwoofer, engineered to deliver a powerful low-frequency foundation. It expertly balances high-impact sound for movies with the nuanced audio quality essential for music enthusiasts. Featuring a robust 300W amplifier and a high-performance 12-inch long-throw driver, this subwoofer ensures deep, controlled bass extension. Its design facilitates easy integration into your existing setup, offering comprehensive controls to perfectly match compatible speaker series, significantly enhancing your entertainment experience.
$999.00
Owner Satisfaction
4.5
/ 5
Category Rank
4468
/ 10803
#4468 in Speakers
Price vs Category Average
-43%
Below average
Drive Units
112300
/ x " (mm) cone long-throw
Who it's for
- Home theater fans craving immersive, room-shaking cinematic bass
- Budget-conscious enthusiasts seeking high-performance power at a lower cost
- Audiophiles needing precise control to blend bass with main speakers
Who should skip it
- Design-focused buyers looking for premium, high-end cabinet aesthetics
- Apartment dwellers or those with limited floor space
- Critical listeners demanding fast, precise bass for complex music
Performance breakdown
Bass Depth
The 12-inch driver delivers authoritative low-end extension for cinematic impact.
Musical Accuracy
Excellent transient control ensures bass notes remain tight and rhythmically precise.
Power Output
The 300W continuous amplifier provides substantial headroom for demanding home theater scenes.
Integration Versatility
Variable crossover controls allow for seamless blending with various speaker systems.
Thermal Management
Copper-lined vents effectively dissipate heat during extended high-volume listening sessions.
Build Robustness
Heavyweight construction minimizes cabinet resonance for cleaner, distortion-free sound reproduction.
Key Specs
Drive Units
1 x 12" (300mm) cone long-throw
Amplifier Power
300W continuous, 450W Peak
Frequency Response
35-120Hz ±3dB
Crossover Range
30-150Hz (continuously variable)
Maximum Output
118dB @ 1m
Dimensions
19.2" x 15.6" x 18.0"
Weight
48.7 lbs
Input Impedance
Line Input 10kΩ, LFE 5kΩ
Know before you buy
Yes, this subwoofer is specifically engineered to complement the Wharfedale Diamond 11 and D300 series. Its sonic profile is tuned to match these speakers, ensuring a seamless transition between your main speakers and the low-frequency output.
No, the SW-12 is an active subwoofer, meaning it features a built-in 300W amplifier. You simply need to connect it to your receiver or processor via an RCA cable.
The subwoofer features a continuously variable crossover control ranging from 30Hz to 150Hz. This allows you to precisely dial in the frequency where your main speakers roll off, ensuring a smooth, balanced sound across the entire spectrum.
The SW-12 includes an Auto Sense feature that detects an incoming signal. It will automatically enter a low-power standby mode when no audio is detected and wake up instantly when you start playing music or movies.
It is designed to handle both effectively. While it provides the high-impact, deep bass required for cinematic explosions, it also maintains the transient control and nuance necessary to reproduce musical instruments like bass guitars and drums accurately.
The unit measures 19.2 inches high, 15.6 inches wide, and 18.0 inches deep. Because it weighs nearly 49 pounds and features a 12-inch long-throw driver, ensure you have a stable, flat surface to prevent vibration and ensure optimal performance.
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