Hayward was also close enough for me. Took mine in at 10am and got a call from them by 3;30. Maybe a slow day? I still use mine in the home theater and occasionally in a small PA system.
The new plate is a bit more detailed with a better volume remote control but to answer your question, yes, a few subwoofers have improved greatly in both aspects but at a price.
The Super Nova benefits noticeably if it's positioned in or near a rooms standing wave bass modes.
The Nova's lower frequency output exceeds any -6dB sub-bass woofer system.