Short answer: the REL Acoustics T/7x. Both are rated 3.6/5 for sound quality (#144 and #143 of 212 subwoofers), and the REL Acoustics T/7x costs $1,199 against $1,399 for the ELAC Varro RS500, so with nothing between them on sound quality, price settles it.
Why pick the ELAC Varro RS500: Sealed reference enclosure with a 10-inch aluminum sandwich cone and HEX surround powered by a 500W RMS BASH amplifier. The tradeoff: Sealed alignment requires significant power down deep, resulting in lower maximum burst SPL than ported counterparts at 20Hz.
What the REL Acoustics T/7x does well: Sealed subwoofer with a front-firing 8-inch driver and a down-firing 10-inch passive radiator, driven by a 200W Class A/B amplifier. The catch: No independent measurements yet, so its output can’t be compared with ranked subwoofers.
Buy the REL Acoustics T/7x. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $200 less than the ELAC Varro RS500.
About the ratings: neither speaker has been measured yet, so both ratings are estimated from measured siblings and predecessors (likely ranges: ELAC Varro RS500 3.4 to 3.8; REL Acoustics T/7x 3.4 to 3.8). Treat this verdict as provisional.
Still deciding? The full Subwoofers rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| ELAC Varro RS500 | REL Acoustics T/7x | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,399.00 | $1,199.00 |
| Ranked | #143 of 212 in Medium Home Subwoofers (30-75 lbs) Estimated | #144 of 212 in Medium Home Subwoofers (30-75 lbs) Estimated |
| Country | Germany | United Kingdom |
| Warranty | 3/1 | 3 |
| Enclosure | sealed | sealed, passive radiator |
| Drivers | 10” (254mm) aluminum-sandwich cone with HEX surround | 8” driver + 10” passive radiator |
| Amplifier Power | 500W RMS / 1000W peak (BASH) | 200W (Class A/B) |
| Frequency Response | 18Hz - 150Hz (in-room, manufacturer specified) | 30Hz (-6dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Dimensions | 15”H x 14.2”W x 15.2”D (381 x 360 x 387 mm) | 12.6”H x 14”W x 14.3”D (320 x 356 x 363 mm) |
| Weight | 45.9 lbs (20.8 kg) | 38.6 lbs (17.5 kg) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for ELAC Varro RS500:
- Q Acoustics Q SUB120 vs ELAC Varro RS500
- ELAC Varro RS500 vs MartinLogan Dynamo 12
- ELAC Varro RS500 vs Neumann KH 750 DSP
- REL Acoustics T/7x vs Rythmik F12
- REL Acoustics T/7x vs MartinLogan Dynamo 1100X
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
ELAC Varro RS500: $1,399.00 Estimated Amazon Crutchfield eBay
Same family: the ELAC Varro RS700 (larger subwoofer, ranked higher, estimated 3.8/5).
Pros: Sealed reference enclosure with a 10-inch aluminum sandwich cone and HEX surround powered by a 500W RMS BASH amplifier. Provides excellent transient accuracy, lower group delay, and AutoEQ room correction down to 18Hz.
Cons: Sealed alignment requires significant power down deep, resulting in lower maximum burst SPL than ported counterparts at 20Hz. Premium pricing over the PS series.
Full ELAC Varro RS500 review and specifications →
| Released | 2023 (3 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 500W RMS / 1000W peak (BASH) |
| Country | Germany |
| Dimensions | 15”H x 14.2”W x 15.2”D (381 x 360 x 387 mm) |
| Drivers | 10” (254mm) aluminum-sandwich cone with HEX surround |
| Enclosure | sealed |
| Frequency Response | 18Hz - 150Hz (in-room, manufacturer specified) |
| Warranty | 3/1 |
| Weight | 45.9 lbs (20.8 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- No independent measurement review is linked for this model; it is ranked from hands-on listening and comparison against similarly priced speakers.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
REL Acoustics T/7x: $1,199.00 Estimated Amazon eBay
Older models: the REL Acoustics T/7i (ranked lower, estimated 3.6/5) and the REL Acoustics T-7 (ranked higher, rated 3.6/5). See every REL T Series generation.
Same family: the REL Acoustics T/5x (smaller subwoofer, ranked lower, estimated 3.5/5) and the REL Acoustics T/9x (larger subwoofer, ranked higher, estimated 3.9/5).
Pros: Sealed subwoofer with a front-firing 8-inch driver and a down-firing 10-inch passive radiator, driven by a 200W Class A/B amplifier. REL rates extension to 30Hz at -6dB. A high-level speaker-wire input and an RCA/LFE input can be connected at the same time for music and movies.
Cons: No independent measurements yet, so its output can’t be compared with ranked subwoofers. There is no app, EQ or room correction, and an 8-inch driver limits output in a large room.
Full REL Acoustics T/7x review and specifications →
| Released | Apr 2021 (5 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 200W (Class A/B) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Dimensions | 12.6”H x 14”W x 14.3”D (320 x 356 x 363 mm) |
| Drivers | 8” driver + 10” passive radiator |
| Enclosure | sealed, passive radiator |
| Frequency Response | 30Hz (-6dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Warranty | 3 |
| Weight | 38.6 lbs (17.5 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons