Short answer: the Polk Audio Signature Elite ES10 Subwoofer. Both are rated 3.7/5 for sound quality (#112 and #105 of 212 subwoofers), and the Polk Audio Signature Elite ES10 Subwoofer costs $559 against $624.44 for the REL Acoustics HT/1003 MKII, so with nothing between them on sound quality, price settles it.
What the Polk Audio Signature Elite ES10 Subwoofer does well: The 10” subwoofer of Polk’s Signature Elite range and the replacement for the Polk Audio HTS 10. The catch: No independent measurements yet, so its output can’t be compared directly with ranked subwoofers; the rating is estimated from the measured Polk Audio HTS 10 it replaces, which reached 114.8dB in the 40 to 80Hz CEA-2010 bands but only 86.1dB at 20Hz.
The case for the REL Acoustics HT/1003 MKII: Dedicated home theater design with a front-firing 10-inch CarbonGlas driver and NextGen5 300W Class D amplifier. The tradeoff: Omits REL traditional high-level speaker wire input, connecting exclusively via line-level RCA/LFE.
Buy the Polk Audio Signature Elite ES10 Subwoofer. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $65.44 less than the REL Acoustics HT/1003 MKII.
About the ratings: neither speaker has been measured yet, so both ratings are estimated from measured siblings and predecessors (likely ranges: Polk Audio Signature Elite ES10 Subwoofer 3.3 to 3.9; REL Acoustics HT/1003 MKII 3.5 to 3.9). Treat this verdict as provisional.
Want more options? Browse the full Subwoofers rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Polk Audio Signature Elite ES10 Subwoofer | REL Acoustics HT/1003 MKII | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $559.00 | $624.44 |
| Ranked | #112 of 212 in Medium Home Subwoofers (30-75 lbs) Estimated | #105 of 212 in Medium Home Subwoofers (30-75 lbs) Estimated |
| Country | United States | United Kingdom |
| Warranty | 5/3 | 3 |
| Enclosure | ported | sealed |
| Drivers | 10” mineral-filled polypropylene woofer | 10” (250mm) CarbonGlas cone, inverted carbon fiber dust cap |
| Amplifier Power | 200W | 300W RMS (NextGen5 Class D) |
| Frequency Response | 28-250Hz (manufacturer specified) | 24Hz at -6dB (manufacturer specified) |
| Dimensions | 17.3”H x 13.1”W x 18.5”D (439 x 332 x 469 mm) | 14.3”H x 14.3”W x 15.5”D (362 x 362 x 393 mm) |
| Weight | 39 lbs (17.7 kg) | 34.2 lbs (15.5 kg) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to REL Acoustics HT/1003 MKII:
- REL Acoustics HT/1003 MKII vs Sony Bravia Theater Sub 9
- REL Acoustics HT/1003 MKII vs Klipsch RP-1000SW
- Polk Audio Signature Elite ES10 Subwoofer vs Sony Bravia Theater Sub 9
- JBL Stage 220P vs Polk Audio Signature Elite ES10 Subwoofer
- Jamo C 912 SUB vs PSB Speakers SubSeries 250
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
Polk Audio Signature Elite ES10 Subwoofer: $559.00 Estimated Amazon eBay
Same family: the Polk Signature Elite ES10 (smallest bookshelf, estimated 3.1/5), the Polk Signature Elite ES15 (bookshelf, rated 3.5/5), the Polk Signature Elite ES20 (largest bookshelf, rated 3.7/5), the Polk Signature Elite ES50 (smallest floorstanding, estimated 3.8/5), the Polk Signature Elite ES55 (floorstanding, estimated 4/5), the Polk Signature Elite ES60 (largest floorstanding, rated 3.4/5), the Polk Audio Signature Elite ES30 (smaller center, estimated 3.5/5), the Polk Audio Signature Elite ES35 (larger center, estimated 3.4/5), the Polk Audio Signature Elite ES8 Subwoofer (smaller subwoofer, ranked lower, estimated 3.2/5) and the Polk Audio Signature Elite ES12 Subwoofer (larger subwoofer, ranked higher, estimated 3.8/5). See every Polk Signature generation.
Pros: The 10” subwoofer of Polk’s Signature Elite range and the replacement for the Polk Audio HTS 10. A 10” mineral-filled polypropylene woofer and twin internal Power Ports are driven by a 200W amplifier with DSP and Time-Smart phase control, rated to 28Hz.
Cons: No independent measurements yet, so its output can’t be compared directly with ranked subwoofers; the rating is estimated from the measured Polk Audio HTS 10 it replaces, which reached 114.8dB in the 40 to 80Hz CEA-2010 bands but only 86.1dB at 20Hz.
Full Polk Audio Signature Elite ES10 Subwoofer review and specifications →
| Released | Nov 2024 (1 year ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 200W |
| Country | United States |
| Dimensions | 17.3”H x 13.1”W x 18.5”D (439 x 332 x 469 mm) |
| Drivers | 10” mineral-filled polypropylene woofer |
| Enclosure | ported |
| Frequency Response | 28-250Hz (manufacturer specified) |
| Warranty | 5/3 |
| Weight | 39 lbs (17.7 kg) |
- 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 HT/1003 MKII: $624.44 Estimated Amazon eBay
Same family: the REL Acoustics HT/1205 MKII (larger subwoofer, ranked higher, estimated 3.9/5) and the REL Acoustics HT/1510 Predator II (larger subwoofer, rated 4.1/5).
Pros: Dedicated home theater design with a front-firing 10-inch CarbonGlas driver and NextGen5 300W Class D amplifier. Delivers energetic, punchy bass response down to 24Hz (-6dB) in a compact, braced sealed cabinet.
Cons: Omits REL traditional high-level speaker wire input, connecting exclusively via line-level RCA/LFE. Sealed 10-inch cabinet runs into compression on sub-25Hz movie bursts compared to 12-inch and 15-inch models.
Full REL Acoustics HT/1003 MKII review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 300W RMS (NextGen5 Class D) |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Dimensions | 14.3”H x 14.3”W x 15.5”D (362 x 362 x 393 mm) |
| Drivers | 10” (250mm) CarbonGlas cone, inverted carbon fiber dust cap |
| Enclosure | sealed |
| Frequency Response | 24Hz at -6dB (manufacturer specified) |
| Warranty | 3 |
| Weight | 34.2 lbs (15.5 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