In this review, we will be comparing Thetis 340 and KUBE 10b, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Triangle and KEF. 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 340 and KEF KUBE 10b 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 Thetis 340and KEF KUBE 10b have the same driver set up: Both subwoofers have 1 x 10" drivers.
Frequency Response
Thetis 340 has a frequency range of 25-120 Hz whereas KUBE 10b has a frequency range of 24-140 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 24Hz, the KUBE 10b can go slightly deeper then the Thetis 340's min frequency of 25Hz.
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
The Triangle Thetis 340 has a Bass Reflex type cabinet. 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. On the other hand the KEF KUBE 10b have Acoustic Suspension type enclosure. Acoustic Suspension aka Sealed type subwoofers have enclosures that are sealed hence no ports or holes exists on the cabinet. Sealed designs helps to provide more accurate and tight bass responses compared to ported 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 340's and KEF KUBE 10b's external dimensions. Triangle Thetis 340 has external dimensions of 380.0 x 340.0 x 340.0mm (14-15/16 x 13-3/8 x 13-3/8inch) whereas KEF KUBE 10b has external dimensions of 372.0 x 356.0 x 397.0mm (14-5/8 x 14 x 15-5/8inch).
Triangle Thetis 340 is 16mm narrower and 57mm less deeper than KEF KUBE 10b but it is also 8mm 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.
KEF KUBE 10b needs about 22% more floor or shelf area. KEF KUBE 10b is 57mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall.
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 340 is approximately 1156.0cm2 / 179.2inch2 and base area of the KEF KUBE 10b is approximately 1413.3cm2 / 219.1inch2. The Thetis 340 requires 18% less surface area than the KUBE 10b 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 340 weighs 16.10kg / 35.4lbs and the KEF KUBE 10b weighs 17.50kg / 38.5lbs. This makes the KUBE 10b 9% heavier than the Thetis 340.
Here is a comparison of how Thetis 340 and KUBE 10b's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Base Surface Area |
1156cm2
vs
1413cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Low Frequency Response |
24 Hz
vs
25 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
140 Hz
vs
120 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
372mm
vs
380mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
750USD
vs
825USD
|
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.
KEF KUBE 10b needs about 22% more floor area. KEF KUBE 10b stands 57mm further into the room.
| General |
Triangle Thetis 340 |
KEF KUBE 10b |
| Brand |
Triangle |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
250 watts |
300 watts |
| Frequency Response |
25-120 Hz |
24-140 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
250-watt RMS |
300-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
400-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper composite |
|
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
40-140 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
380.0mm (15") |
372.0mm (14.6") |
| Width |
340.0mm (13.4") |
356.0mm (14") |
| Depth |
340.0mm (13.4") |
397.0mm (15.6") |
| Weight |
16.10kg (35.4lbs) |
17.50kg (38.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
2 Years |
A ported subwoofer against a sealed one. That is the most consequential line on this page: it decides how the bass rolls off, how it behaves in a small room, and how much output you get for the size of the box.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | evenly matched | Effectively the same reach (25Hz vs 24Hz). |
| Amplifier power | evenly matched | Much the same amplifier (250W vs 300W RMS) - under 1dB apart. |
| Driver area | evenly matched | Near-identical radiating area (10" against 10"). |
| Enclosure | depends | Triangle Thetis 340 is ported - a ported box gives more output low down for its size, at the cost of a steeper roll-off below tuning; KEF KUBE 10b is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room. Neither is better in the abstract; ported tends to suit films and sealed tends to suit music, and both generalisations have exceptions. |
| Speaker-level inputs | A | Triangle Thetis 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 Thetis 340 fires down and KEF KUBE 10b 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. |
| Warranty | A | Triangle Thetis 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 | B | KEF KUBE 10b costs less - $750 against $825, about 9% less. |
A Triangle Thetis 340 B KEF KUBE 10b
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 340 measures better, KEF KUBE 10b costs about 9% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, Triangle Thetis 340 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, KEF KUBE 10b is usually the easier one to make sound right. Check your amplifier first: if it has no subwoofer or preamp output, Triangle Thetis 340 is the only one of these two you can connect at all.
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.