In this review, we will be comparing DS103 and Monitor XT12, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from ELAC 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 ELAC DS103 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 ELAC DS103and Polk Monitor XT12 have a single woofer setup however the ELAC DS103's woofer is 10-inch whereas the Polk Monitor XT12 features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
DS103 has a frequency range of 31-150 Hz whereas Monitor XT12 has a frequency range of 24-160 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 24Hz, the Monitor XT12 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the DS103's min frequency of 31Hz.
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
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
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 ELAC DS103's and Polk Monitor XT12's external dimensions. ELAC DS103 has external dimensions of 325.4 x 311.2 x 392.1mm () 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 96.8mm wider, 92.6mm taller and 92.9mm deeper than ELAC DS103.
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 ELAC DS103 is approximately 1220.2cm2 / 189.1inch2 and base area of the Polk Monitor XT12 is approximately 1978.8cm2 / 306.7inch2. The DS103 requires 38% 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 ELAC DS103 weighs 10.30kg / 22.7lbs and the Polk Monitor XT12 weighs 17.73kg / 39lbs. This makes the Monitor XT12 72% heavier than the DS103.
Here is a comparison of how DS103 and Monitor XT12's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Height |
325mm
vs
418mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1220cm2
vs
1978cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
24 Hz
vs
31 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
160 Hz
vs
150 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
399USD
vs
479USD
|
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 62% more floor area. Polk Monitor XT12 stands 93mm further into the room. Polk Monitor XT12 is 93mm taller.
| General |
ELAC DS103 |
Polk Monitor XT12 |
| Brand |
ELAC |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
31-150 Hz |
24-160 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
100-watt RMS |
50-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
200-watt RMS |
n/a |
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 |
325.4mm (12.8") |
418.0mm (16.5") |
| Width |
311.2mm (12.3") |
408.0mm (16.1") |
| Depth |
392.1mm (15.4") |
485.0mm (19.1") |
| Weight |
10.30kg (22.7lbs) |
17.73kg (39lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
1 Year |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
1 Year |
3 Years |
A sealed subwoofer against a ported one. That is the most consequential line on this page: it decides how the bass rolls off, how it behaves in a small room, and how much output you get for the size of the box.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | B | Polk Monitor XT12 goes deeper - 24Hz against 31Hz. That gap covers the lowest notes of a five-string bass and a concert bass drum. |
| Amplifier power | A | ELAC DS103 has the bigger amplifier - 100W against 50W RMS, about 3dB 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 | depends | ELAC DS103 is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room; Polk Monitor XT12 is ported - a ported box gives more output low down for its size, at the cost of a steeper roll-off below tuning. Neither is better in the abstract; ported tends to suit films and sealed tends to suit music, and both generalisations have exceptions. |
| Cabinet size | depends | ELAC DS103 is about 52% 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. |
| Warranty | B | Polk Monitor XT12 carries 3 years on parts against 1 years. A subwoofer amplifier works harder than anything else in the system, so this is not a throwaway line. |
| Price | B | Polk Monitor XT12 costs less - $399 against $479, about 17% less. |
A ELAC DS103 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?
Polk Monitor XT12 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take ELAC DS103 if one of the "depends" rows describes your room. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, Polk Monitor XT12 will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, ELAC DS103 is usually the easier one to make sound right. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - ELAC DS103 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.