In this review, we will be comparing Thetis 300 and SW-15, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Triangle and Wharfedale. 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 Wharfedale SW-15 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 Wharfedale SW-15 have a single woofer setup however the Triangle Thetis 300's woofer is 8-inch whereas the Wharfedale SW-15 features a 15-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Thetis 300 has a frequency range of 32-120 Hz whereas SW-15 has a frequency range of 30-120 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the SW-15 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 Wharfedale SW-15 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 Wharfedale SW-15'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 Wharfedale SW-15 has external dimensions of 570.0 x 493.0 x 615.0mm (22-7/16inch x 19-3/8inch x 24-3/16inch).
Wharfedale SW-15 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 193mm wider, 230mm taller and 315mm 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.
Wharfedale SW-15 needs about 237% more floor or shelf area. Wharfedale SW-15 is 315mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Wharfedale SW-15 is 230mm 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 Wharfedale SW-15 is approximately 3032.0cm2 / 470.0inch2. The Thetis 300 requires 70% less surface area than the SW-15 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 Wharfedale SW-15 weighs 31.57kg / 69.5lbs. This makes the SW-15 198% heavier than the Thetis 300.
Here is a comparison of how Thetis 300 and SW-15's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Height |
340mm
vs
570mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
900cm2
vs
3032cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
650USD
vs
1199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Woofer Size |
15 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
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.
Wharfedale SW-15 needs about 237% more floor area. Wharfedale SW-15 stands 315mm further into the room. Wharfedale SW-15 is 230mm taller.
| General |
Triangle Thetis 300 |
Wharfedale SW-15 |
| Brand |
Triangle |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
150 watts |
400 watts |
| Frequency Response |
32-120 Hz |
30-120 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
150-watt RMS |
400-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
250-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
15" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper composite |
Paper |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
340.0mm (13.4") |
570.0mm (22.4") |
| Width |
300.0mm (11.8") |
493.0mm (19.4") |
| Depth |
300.0mm (11.8") |
615.0mm (24.2") |
| Weight |
10.60kg (23.3lbs) |
31.57kg (69.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Years |
Two quite different sizes of subwoofer. Room volume decides this more than anything else on the page: a big driver in a small room is wasted, and a small one in a large room is worked to death.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | evenly matched | Effectively the same reach (32Hz vs 30Hz). |
| Amplifier power | B | Wharfedale SW-15 has the bigger amplifier - 400W against 150W RMS, about 4.3dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | Wharfedale SW-15 moves more air: 15" against 8" is 3.52x the cone area, not the 1.88x 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 Wharfedale SW-15 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 82% 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 3 years. A subwoofer amplifier works harder than anything else in the system, so this is not a throwaway line. |
| Price | A | Triangle Thetis 300 costs less - $650 against $1,199, about 46% less. |
A Triangle Thetis 300 B Wharfedale SW-15
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let your room size and where the box can actually stand settle it. 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. Two small subwoofers beat one big one in most rooms - a pair evens out the room modes in a way no single box can, whatever its specs. At $650 each, two Triangle Thetis 300 cost about $1,300 against $1,199 for one of the other, which is worth a thought.
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.