In this review, we will be comparing Tales 340 and R-101SW, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Triangle and Klipsch. 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 Triangle Tales 340 and Klipsch R-101SW 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.Triangle Tales 340and Klipsch R-101SW have the same driver set up: Both subwoofers have 1 x 10" drivers.
Frequency Response
Tales 340 has a frequency range of 30-120 Hz whereas R-101SW has a frequency range of 29.5-160 Hz.
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 Triangle Tales 340 and Klipsch R-101SW 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 Triangle Tales 340's and Klipsch R-101SW's external dimensions. Triangle Tales 340 has external dimensions of 383.0 x 342.0 x 357.0mm (15-1/16 x 13-7/16 x 14-1/16inch) whereas Klipsch R-101SW has external dimensions of 370.0 x 358.0 x 529.0mm (14-9/16inch x 14-1/16inch x 20-13/16inch).
Triangle Tales 340 is 16mm narrower and 172mm less deeper than Klipsch R-101SW but it is also 13mm taller.
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.
Klipsch R-101SW needs about 55% more floor or shelf area. Klipsch R-101SW is 172mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Triangle Tales 340 is 13mm 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 Triangle Tales 340 is approximately 1220.9cm2 / 189.2inch2 and base area of the Klipsch R-101SW is approximately 1893.8cm2 / 293.5inch2. The Tales 340 requires 36% less surface area than the R-101SW which gives it a small advantage 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 Triangle Tales 340 weighs 8.90kg / 19.6lbs and the Klipsch R-101SW weighs 13.91kg / 30.6lbs. This makes the R-101SW 56% heavier than the Tales 340.
Here is a comparison of how Tales 340 and R-101SW's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Base Surface Area |
1220cm2
vs
1893cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
459USD
vs
499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 High Frequency Response |
160 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
370mm
vs
383mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
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.
Klipsch R-101SW needs about 55% more floor area. Klipsch R-101SW stands 172mm further into the room. Triangle Tales 340 is 13mm taller.
| General |
Triangle Tales 340 |
Klipsch Reference R-101SW |
| Brand |
Triangle |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
200 watts |
150 watts |
| Frequency Response |
30-120 Hz |
29.5-160 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
200-watt RMS |
150-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
350-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper composite |
Spun-Copper TCP |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
383.0mm (15.1") |
370.0mm (14.6") |
| Width |
342.0mm (13.5") |
358.0mm (14.1") |
| Depth |
357.0mm (14.1") |
529.0mm (20.8") |
| Weight |
8.90kg (19.6lbs) |
13.91kg (30.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
2 Years |
No single best subwoofer here. Your room, where the box can physically go, and whether this is mainly for films or mainly for music will settle it long before the specs do.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | evenly matched | Effectively the same reach (30Hz vs 30Hz). |
| Amplifier power | A | Triangle Tales 340 has the bigger amplifier - 200W against 150W RMS, about 1.2dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | evenly matched | Near-identical radiating area (10" against 10"). |
| Enclosure | evenly matched | Both are ported designs, so they roll off in much the same way. |
| Speaker-level inputs | A | Triangle Tales 340 takes a speaker-level connection as well as line level. That is what lets it work with an integrated amplifier or a vintage receiver that has no subwoofer output at all. |
| Driver placement | depends | Triangle Tales 340 fires down and Klipsch R-101SW fires front. A down-firing driver is more forgiving of a grille-less look and of a hard floor; a front-firing one is the safer choice on a thick carpet or a suspended timber floor. |
| Cabinet size | depends | Triangle Tales 340 is about 33% 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. |
| Warranty | A | Triangle Tales 340 carries 5 years on parts against 2 years. A subwoofer amplifier works harder than anything else in the system, so this is not a throwaway line. |
| Price | A | Triangle Tales 340 costs less - $459 against $499, about 8% less. |
A Triangle Tales 340 B Klipsch R-101SW
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?
Triangle Tales 340 has the edge on paper, though not by much. The "depends" rows are more likely to decide this than the score is. Check your amplifier first: if it has no subwoofer or preamp output, Triangle Tales 340 is the only one of these two you can connect at all. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - Triangle Tales 340 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.