Theater Solutions SUB8SM Slim Subwoofer (Mahogany), 8-Inch Slim

If you’re looking at this Theater Solutions 8” subwoofer, it’s probably because you want a sub with a smaller footprint than a full size cabinet unit. This one delivers, within reason. It’s small enough to fit under a piece of furniture, like a couch, a chair, a table, or a bed. You can place it against a wall or behind a sofa. You can even use two of these in a 5.2 system, with versatile placement options, if you are in a larger room. It’s suitable for music listening in a stereo component setup or video playback in a home theater system.The tradeoffs for the small footprint are that it’s not capable of reaching down into the lowest frequencies like a 12” or 15” full-size sub. It also has less decay/sustain than a full-size unit. But in the right situation, that’s perfectly acceptable, and even a plus as in theory the bass notes are tighter/more accurate, as opposed to muddy/boomy and overpowering. The bottom line here is that you can't expect to get the same performance as a subwoofer that is not only physically larger, but several times pricier. With that being said, the SSUB8 is excellent in compact setups when correctly set up.Even so, this unit goes down to 35 hz. That’s actually lower than many entry-level subwoofers, even some that cost much more, like Polk Audio’s entry-level full size subs (which go for up to 2x the price). This slim unit actually has more power, with a 250w peak, compared to 100w peak for the Polk PSW10, PSW 01, and MXT10. So, not only does the low end extension drop to a perfectly-acceptable level, lower than many competitors, but it's also capabke of delivering kick and even some slight rumble when called to do so.What this means in real terms, is, the sound is punchy and tight and accurate, and works best in small enclosed rooms, where you might not even notice any sonic shortcomings.The low end reaches a bit lower than subwoofers that only extend to 40 or 45 hz. That's a decent spec for an 8" woofer. You can get lower bass extension from the Dayton 10" slim sub or the Monoprice 12" slim sub, but both those models have larger footprints (and very similar controls, including High-level inpuits for connecting speakers without a dedicated subwoofer out on your amp/reciever). Having a better spec in theory doesn't mean much in practice, if the larger size becomes a hard limitation in terms of placement options.In regular use, the sub-bass to mid-bass transitions are smooth enough, and while the SSUB8 is perhaps not as musical or detailed in the mid-bass as the Polks, this is an extremely minor nitpick in most real-world scenarios, such as typical multimedia duties, where the more powerful amp comes into play. If you only listen to classical or jazz at lowish volumes, or a similar critical listening scenario, this nit might be a factor. But for movies and music spanning different genres, there's not much to really complain about, performance-wise.Having owned the PSW10, I loved how it sounded in terms of timbre, but wished for a little bit more frequency extention and a bit more oomph at times. That unit took up a lot more physical space in my small bedroom, whereas I positioned the SSUB8 under a bed in a triangular orientation from the mains and parallel to the center channel.The subwoofer has an elegant mahogany chassis which looks great and presumably holds more resonance than plastic or MDF/vinyl builds. It’s downfiring if you place it on the floor, but it can also be placed against a wall in a vertical position. It has dials for gain and crossover settings, as well as a phase switch. The variable crossover dial goes from 40 hz to 140 khz in increments of ten. Setting it between 80-100 is a sweet spot that should work for most people, although you can always do a more detailed calibration with a sound level meter, if you like.I found that the unit needs a lot of gain. Typically, I would set a full size sub at ⅓ to ½ gain; with this unit, I had to turn the gain up to 50-75%. Oh yeah, there’s an auto-on feature that switches on when a sound signal is detected, so you don’t have to worry about leaving it in this mode. In practice this works well.You’ll want to push the gain dial up if you tend to listen at lower volumes. This scenario is where the PSW10 has a slight edge. But at medium to high volumes, the Polk’s amp can’t pump out as much juice, though it does have a bit more resonance due to its larger footprint.Here’s the thing, though: More power and detail – at an added cost – are moot points if you simply don’t have room for a larger subwoofer. The Theater Solutions slim sub is great for what it is. It’s very competitive at its price point. Manage your expectations accordingly, and you’ll be fine.I’m using this unit with a Sony 5.1 receiver and Polk monitors, center channel, and bookshelf surrounds. I’d say it performed very adequately. There’s no “wow” factor but the bass is present and blends well with the other speakers. The performance is actually impressive for its size. It added low end oomph to the other four speakers when playing tracks that emphasize bass, like the Mad Professor remix of Massive Attack’s “Angel.” In fact, I torture-tested it with a bunch of reggae and dub that frequently dipped into sub-bass regions. Again, this sub proved to be quite capable, with the room, the audio quality of the track when streaming, and the quality of the rest of the component, as well as the placement within the rooms all factoring into the overall sound quality. My takeaway was basically that you'd need a l;arger unit to get a deeper or more detailed sound.The best thing one can say about the sound output is, it’s not muddy or overly boomy. I didn’t push it to extreme levels, but at typical music listening volumes, it didn’t sound distorted. The tuning is on the neutral side. It doesn’t reach into the lower regions of sustained reverb, and presents a balanced approach across the low- and mid-bass range. This tuning allows it to keep up with most sound sources, and sound pleasing in a small room.Like most speakers, the sub sounds better once it is “burned in” – I recommend playing a bunch of reggae and dub at medium volumes for 20-30 hours to unlock this level. Once burned in, the speaker loosens up a bit and the sound gets a bit warmer.Watching movies on Apple+ where the system's bonafieds come into play -- 5.1 Dolby in 4k blah blah blah -- I was consistently impressed by the performance. The subwoofer worked like a team player to create immersive audio, easily handling low-end sound effects when called upon to do so. It even produced a bit of growling rumble on extended bass peaks while also filling in on quiter sections. It will move a bit of air when it has to, but didn't sound nervous or jittery.Again, it won't compete in this regard with a full-size unit with a larger woofer. but that's like comparing a Mazda Miata to a Mercedes SUV. It’s not going to come close to the primordial rumble of the 12” Klipsch 200w RMS / 300w peak sub I have for my main system in another room. It can’t overcome the laws of physics, after all.But then again, that Klipsch sub would be overkill in a small room, especially watching movies late at night in an apartment building surrounded by sleeping neighbors. In this scenario, the smaller dimensions of the SSUB8 are a plus. Within a small space, it does everything asked of it. In practical terms, this means I don't have to be overly concerned about sound leakage and can play movies at a reasonable volume without bothering my neighbors.One minor irritation is that if the RCA inputs somehow get jostled, the unit can start humming, even if the receiver is turned off. If this happens, just unplug the power cord immediately, wait a minute for the static charge to dissipate, then plug it back in. This issue can happen to nearly any sub, and can blow the internal amp if left unattended. In my case, this may have been caused by the 45-degree RCA plugs I added, which fit just a bit loosely, being jostled by shoes carelessly placed near the edge of the bottom of the bed. The simple solution was to shove the unit a little deeper under the bed, out of the way of any other objects.Which leads to minor irritation #2: The controls may be inaccessible or difficult to access, depending on placement. This isn't a huge deal, as subwoofers tend to be set it and forget it units. But if i did want to tweak the gain or the crossover frequency, I'd have to pull the unit out and flip its orientation to access the controls. this may be a moot point in vertical orientation, but something to be aware of if placing it under or behind furniture. To avoid irritation, set the gain to a reasonable value that works at different typical listening levels for music and movies. Rememebr that in a small room, listening comfort will be determined by proximity to speakers as well as overall volume. Too much volume may sound discordant and chaotic in near-field listening scenarios. But once you've dialed in the sweet spot, you shouldn't have to make a lot of further adjustments.Understanding that a subwoofer is not a stand-alone piece of equipment, but rather a component that is designed to work with other components, is essential. By adding a subwoofer, you are ensuring there will be dedicated low-end in your stereo mix. But it needs to blend seamlessly with the output from the other speakers. The Theater Solutions slim subwoofer does that well enough in small spaces.You will need to purchase a subwoofer cable for the RCA inputs. And right-angled RCA plug caps, if you plan on putting it on the floor, face down. It comes with a wall mount and stands to mount it vertically, which is nice. I did put a thin sheet of plywood under it, to lessen the sound-deadening effect of carpet.There are a few other similar slim subs in this bracket from Dayton Audio and Monoprice. The Theater Solutions unit holds its own against these and has the more attractive build quality and aesthetic in the solid mahogany finish. I’ve not done a direct comparison against the competition, but I would expect fairly similar performance from any of these small form factor subwoofers, with some slight variations that may or may not matter to you. The Dayton has a 10” woofer but only boasts 100w of power. Monoprice’s offerings cover the 8”, 10”, and 12” woofer ranges, and the 12” boasts 150w RMS (continuous power). The Dayton 10" goes down to 32 hz while the Monoprice 12" claims 20 hz. I did read some reviews with QC complaints about the Monoprice, with the general consensus being that the Dayton was slighly less boomy and had better mids, while the Monoprice 12" had deeper and more resonant bass.I remember checking out the Dayton's specs before pulling the trigger on the SSUB8. If I recall correctly, it came down to physical space since I only had so much clearance in my preferred location. I will admit, the Monoprice's low frequency reach sounds intriguing, but it's much physically larger than the SSUB8 and it could be a hassle playing sample roulette.If I had to do it all over again, I still might go with the SSUB8. The mahogany wood block is understated, classy, and functional. For the application I'm using it for, I have zero complaints about performance. And ithe price/performance ratio is on point. Sure, it would be nice to have lower extension, but that would mean changing around my entire setup to make room for it. In audio, the grass is always greener. However, there's something to be said for appreciating what you actually have.Overall, this is a solid slim subwoofer for its size and price. It has far more pros than cons, and the cons are mostly a result of its physical characteristics, which is also a pro. Musically, it does what it's supposed to. Bottom line is what you lose in sheer depth of bass compared to a full-size unit, you gain in ability to place it almost anywhere. And, in a small room, you really don’t need more than this.

This subwoofer is very impressive. The specs of reaching as low as 35hz are honest for sure, and when placed in the right spot & position, even lower frequencies from 28-30hz are audible. Excellent for smaller size systems, as the trade off with the slim design is less boomy bass, but any decent bookshelf size speakers should be able to cover that area of sound. It has nice solid feeling switches & dials, and the gold plated inputs are nice.I tried using it standing upward & turned sideways facing a solid piece of furniture, but it performed much better when facing a wall (sideways or upright) or flat on the floor as the rich bass dispersed around the room better. I didn't try it mounted on the wall, but I'm sure mounted at the right height would provide nice bass around a small to medium size room. I have it standing upright on the separate support clips it came with, and have the speaker and bass port at the top to avoid the wires touching the speaker, and it sounds great. I can't vouch for the auto-on function as many subs have potential switching delay, and I just leave it in the 'on' position all the time since it's a Class D amplifier inside which uses almost no power when left on without a signal.The only cons are just overlooked stuff for the design, such as it can be tough to set properly on the separate plastic supports depending on where you're trying to put it, and...PS: The attached legs on the sub have no rubber, or anything soft to absorb vibration when placed on a hard floor or against a wall. I easily overcame this by attaching appropriate sized thick sticky felt pads that can be purchased in packs online or in many stores, to the bottom of the sub legs and vibration noise will never be an issue for me.One other thing is, since most setups these days only have a single sub output, I would recommend getting a good quality single sub cable, and using a short Y-splitter with 90° gold plated male ends for the sub. Make sure to use a splitter like the instructions specify, as an empty input will accept outside noise