In this review, we will be comparing Thetis 300 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 Thetis 300 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.Both Triangle Thetis 300and Klipsch R-101SW have a single woofer setup however the Triangle Thetis 300's woofer is 8-inch whereas the Klipsch R-101SW features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Thetis 300 has a frequency range of 32-120 Hz whereas R-101SW has a frequency range of 29.5-160 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the R-101SW can go slightly deeper then the Thetis 300's min frequency of 32Hz.
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 Thetis 300 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 Thetis 300's and Klipsch R-101SW's external dimensions. Triangle Thetis 300 has external dimensions of 340.0 x 300.0 x 300.0mm (13-3/8 x 11-13/16 x 11-13/16inch) 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).
Klipsch R-101SW is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 58mm wider, 30mm taller and 229mm deeper than Triangle Thetis 300.
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 110% more floor or shelf area. Klipsch R-101SW is 229mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Klipsch R-101SW is 30mm 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 Thetis 300 is approximately 900.0cm2 / 139.5inch2 and base area of the Klipsch R-101SW is approximately 1893.8cm2 / 293.5inch2. The Thetis 300 requires 52% 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 Thetis 300 weighs 10.60kg / 23.3lbs and the Klipsch R-101SW weighs 13.91kg / 30.6lbs. This makes the R-101SW 31% heavier than the Thetis 300.
Here is a comparison of how Thetis 300 and R-101SW's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Height |
340mm
vs
370mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
900cm2
vs
1893cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
160 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
499USD
vs
650USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
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 110% more floor area. Klipsch R-101SW stands 229mm further into the room. Klipsch R-101SW is 30mm taller.
| General |
Triangle Thetis 300 |
Klipsch Reference R-101SW |
| Brand |
Triangle |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
150 watts |
150 watts |
| Frequency Response |
32-120 Hz |
29.5-160 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
150-watt RMS |
150-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
250-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
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 |
340.0mm (13.4") |
370.0mm (14.6") |
| Width |
300.0mm (11.8") |
358.0mm (14.1") |
| Depth |
300.0mm (11.8") |
529.0mm (20.8") |
| Weight |
10.60kg (23.3lbs) |
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 (32Hz vs 30Hz). |
| Amplifier power | evenly matched | Much the same amplifier (150W vs 150W RMS) - under 1dB apart. |
| Driver area | B | Klipsch R-101SW moves more air: 10" against 8" is 1.56x the cone area, not the 1.25x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | evenly matched | Both are ported designs, so they roll off in much the same way. |
| Speaker-level inputs | A | Triangle Thetis 300 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 Thetis 300 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 Thetis 300 is about 56% 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 Thetis 300 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 | B | Klipsch R-101SW costs less - $499 against $650, about 23% less. |
A Triangle Thetis 300 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?
The usual trade-off: Triangle Thetis 300 measures better, Klipsch R-101SW costs about 23% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two. Check your amplifier first: if it has no subwoofer or preamp output, Triangle Thetis 300 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 Thetis 300 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.