Triad InWall Bronze/4 SlimSub Preview

The real goal for many home theater nuts is the invisible system. The system where people don't know where the sound is coming from. While this "ideal" system may be more to please the spouse rather than the AV enthusiast, the fact remains is that every day, someone walks into a custom installer shop and says, "I want a kick butt system but I can't have any speakers in the room. Can you help me?"

The single most impressive speaker in your home theater is your subwoofer. This is the speaker that will make people's eyes open wide and their jaws hang slack. Putting a subwoofer into a wall is a risky proposition. To really hit the lower notes, a sub needs internal volume. Walls don't provide much of that. The solution is using technology (usually in the form of some sort of DSP) to correct and get the best performance out of your sub. That's what Triad has done with the InWall Bronze/4 SlimSub.

The InWall Bronze/4 SlimSub is not to be confused with Triad's earlier InWall Bronze/4 Sub. The older version protruded several inches from the wall and the new "slim" version does not. The InWall Bronze/4 SlimSub features a 10", aluminum cone driver in a 13.5" by 19" by 4" enclosure. That 4" depth means that the InWall Bronze/4 SlimSub can be used in just about any application - even retrofitting an existing structure. Too often we see these in-wall subs designed solely with new construction in mind. Not so with the InWall Bronze/4 SlimSub. Triad even has three different grille options including wide, narrow, and frameless and will match the grille color to your wall with just a paint sample.

With a sub this small, you'd expect external amplification. Triad has paired the InWall Bronze/4 SlimSub with their RackAmp 350 DSP. This is a 350 watt BASH amp with an integrated DSP and correction system. The RackAmp 350 DSP has five user selectable modes (Reference, Cinema, Night, THX, Custom1, and Custom2). You can change the slope for all filters (6-36dB/octave), optimize multiple subs by input gain matching and time delay and control everything from the front menu. All changes made to the sub settings are reflected in real time for ease of calibration.

For those interested in more than one of these subs, Triad also has a dual sub amplifier option called the RackAmp 600 DSP. There are no images or real details on the RackAmp 600 DSP yet. Currently, Triad is selling the InWall Bronze/4 SlimSub and amp solution for $1400 through their dealer network. The sub promises a maximum output of 109dB from 40Hz to 80Hz and a -6dB point of 25Hz. That's not too bad for such a small in-wall sub.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a quality in-wall sub, your options aren't extensive and they aren't cheap. At $1400 a pop, the Triad InWall Bronze/4 SlimSub is promising extension down to around the 25Hz mark from an enclosure that is only 4" deep. That means that not only will the Triad InWall Bronze/4 SlimSub fit in a new construction, but it can be retrofitted into an existing wall without much problem. With Triad's grille matching program promising you a perfect match to your wall color, a DSP amplifier with integrated room correction, and the Triad name behind it, the InWall Bronze/4 SlimSub is sure to sell.

For more information, please visit www.triadspeakers.com.

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.