In this review, we will be comparing Daedalus DS10 Class D 10" Powered Subwoofer and Monitor XT12, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Aperion and Polk Audio. 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 Aperion Daedalus DS10 Class D 10" Powered Subwoofer and Polk Monitor XT12 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.Both Aperion Daedalus DS10 Class D 10" Powered Subwooferand Polk Monitor XT12 have a single woofer setup however the Aperion Daedalus DS10 Class D 10" Powered Subwoofer's woofer is 10-inch whereas the Polk Monitor XT12 features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Daedalus DS10 Class D 10" Powered Subwoofer has a frequency range of 20-195 Hz whereas Monitor XT12 has a frequency range of 24-160 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 20Hz, the Daedalus DS10 Class D 10" Powered Subwoofer can go slightly deeper then the Monitor XT12's min frequency of 24Hz.
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
Aperion Daedalus DS10 Class D 10" Powered Subwoofer
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Aperion Daedalus DS10 Class D 10" Powered Subwoofer
Cabinet Type
Both Aperion Daedalus DS10 Class D 10" Powered Subwoofer and Polk Monitor XT12 have Bass Reflex type cabinets. 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.
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 Aperion Daedalus DS10 Class D 10" Powered Subwoofer's and Polk Monitor XT12's external dimensions. Aperion Daedalus DS10 Class D 10" Powered Subwoofer has external dimensions of 401.3 x 340.4 x 375.9mm (15.8 x 13.4 x 14.8inch) whereas Polk Monitor XT12 has external dimensions of 418.0 x 408.0 x 485.0mm (16-7/16inch x 16-1/16inch x 19-1/16inch).
Polk Monitor XT12 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 67.6mm wider, 16.7mm taller and 109.1mm deeper than Aperion Daedalus DS10 Class D 10" Powered Subwoofer.
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.
Polk Monitor XT12 needs about 55% more floor or shelf area. Polk Monitor XT12 is 109mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Polk Monitor XT12 is 17mm taller.
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 Aperion Daedalus DS10 Class D 10" Powered Subwoofer is approximately 1279.6cm2 / 198.3inch2 and base area of the Polk Monitor XT12 is approximately 1978.8cm2 / 306.7inch2. The Daedalus DS10 Class D 10" Powered Subwoofer requires 35% less surface area than the Monitor XT12 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 Aperion Daedalus DS10 Class D 10" Powered Subwoofer weighs 18.14kg / 39.9lbs and the Polk Monitor XT12 weighs 17.73kg / 39lbs. This makes the Daedalus DS10 Class D 10" Powered Subwoofer 2% heavier than the Monitor XT12.
Here is a comparison of how Daedalus DS10 Class D 10" Powered Subwoofer and Monitor XT12's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
Aperion Daedalus DS10 Class D 10" Powered Subwoofer
 Low Frequency Response |
20 Hz
vs
24 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
195 Hz
vs
160 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
401mm
vs
418mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1279cm2
vs
1978cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Price per pair* |
399USD
vs
599USD
|
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.
Polk Monitor XT12 needs about 55% more floor area. Polk Monitor XT12 stands 109mm further into the room. Polk Monitor XT12 is 17mm taller.
| General |
Aperion Daedalus DS10 Class D 10" Powered Subwoofer |
Polk Monitor XT12 |
| Brand |
Aperion |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
250 watts |
50 watts |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
20-195 Hz |
24-160 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
250-watt RMS |
50-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Bi-laminate paper |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
401.3mm (15.8") |
418.0mm (16.5") |
| Width |
340.4mm (13.4") |
408.0mm (16.1") |
| Depth |
375.9mm (14.8") |
485.0mm (19.1") |
| Weight |
18.14kg (39.9lbs) |
17.73kg (39lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
3 Years |
No single best subwoofer here. Your room, where the box can physically go, and whether this is mainly for films or mainly for music will settle it long before the specs do.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | A | Aperion Daedalus DS10 Class D 10" Powered Subwoofer goes deeper - 20Hz against 24Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | A | Aperion Daedalus DS10 Class D 10" Powered Subwoofer has the bigger amplifier - 250W against 50W RMS, about 7dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | Polk Monitor XT12 moves more air: 12" against 10" is 1.44x the cone area, not the 1.2x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | evenly matched | Both are ported designs, so they roll off in much the same way. |
| Cabinet size | depends | Aperion Daedalus DS10 Class D 10" Powered Subwoofer is about 38% smaller by volume. In a subwoofer that is a real trade rather than a preference: box volume is how you get output low down without a bigger amplifier. |
| Price | B | Polk Monitor XT12 costs less - $399 against $599, about 33% less. |
A Aperion Daedalus DS10 Class D 10" Powered Subwoofer B Polk Monitor XT12
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?
Aperion Daedalus DS10 Class D 10" Powered Subwoofer is ahead, but on only 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 50% more. Polk Monitor XT12 is the sensible buy unless your room is large enough to need the extra. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - Aperion Daedalus DS10 Class D 10" Powered Subwoofer is the one that will actually go there, and a well-placed small subwoofer beats a badly-placed big one every time.
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.