In this review, we will be comparing Varro RS500-SB and Varro RS700-SB, two Powered Subwoofer speakers by ELAC. 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 Varro RS500-SB and ELAC Varro RS700-SB 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.
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Drivers
The efficiency of a subwoofer is directly proportional to the total radiating are squared hence the woofer quantity and diameter.Both ELAC Varro RS500-SBand ELAC Varro RS700-SB have a single woofer setup however the ELAC Varro RS500-SB's woofer is 10-inch whereas the ELAC Varro RS700-SB features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Varro RS500-SB has a frequency range of 18-150 Hz whereas Varro RS700-SB has a frequency range of 17-150 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 17Hz, the Varro RS700-SB can go slightly deeper then the Varro RS500-SB's min frequency of 18Hz.
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
Cabinet Type
Both ELAC Varro RS500-SB and ELAC Varro RS700-SB have Acoustic Suspension type cabinets. Acoustic Suspension aka Sealed type subwoofers have enclosures that are sealed hence no ports or holes exists on the cabinet. Sealed designs helps to provide more accurate and tight bass responses compared to ported 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 ELAC Varro RS500-SB's and ELAC Varro RS700-SB's external dimensions. ELAC Varro RS500-SB has external dimensions of 381.0 x 361.0 x 388.0mm (15inch x 14-3/16inch x 15-1/4inch) whereas ELAC Varro RS700-SB has external dimensions of 439.0 x 418.0 x 420.0mm (17-1/4inch x 16-7/16inch x 16-1/2inch).
ELAC Varro RS700-SB is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 57mm wider, 58mm taller and 32mm deeper than ELAC Varro RS500-SB.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of ELAC Varro RS500-SB and ELAC Varro RS700-SB in scale.
Comparison image of ELAC Varro RS500-SB and ELAC Varro RS700-SB Size and External Dimensions
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 Varro RS500-SB is approximately 1400.7cm2 / 217.1inch2 and base area of the ELAC Varro RS700-SB is approximately 1755.6cm2 / 272.1inch2. The Varro RS500-SB requires 20% less surface area than the Varro RS700-SB 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 Varro RS500-SB weighs 20.85kg / 45.9lbs and the ELAC Varro RS700-SB weighs 25.35kg / 55.8lbs. This makes the Varro RS700-SB 22% heavier than the Varro RS500-SB.
Here is a comparison of how Varro RS500-SB and Varro RS700-SB's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
What's in the Box of ELAC Varro RS500-SB?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Varro RS500-SB:
- Grill
- Power Cord
- 4 Spikes
What's in the Box of ELAC Varro RS700-SB?
Here are the items that come with the Varro RS700-SB:
- Grill
- Power Cord
- 4 Spikes
 Height |
381mm
vs
439mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1400cm2
vs
1755cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1299USD
vs
1499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
17 Hz
vs
18 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
ELAC Varro RS500-SB |
ELAC Varro RS700-SB |
| Brand |
ELAC |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
500 watts |
700 watts |
| Frequency Response |
18-150 Hz |
17-150 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
500-watt RMS |
700-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
1000-watt RMS |
1400-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Aluminum |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
381.0mm (15") |
439.0mm (17.3") |
| Width |
361.0mm (14.2") |
418.0mm (16.5") |
| Depth |
388.0mm (15.3") |
420.0mm (16.5") |
| Weight |
20.85kg (45.9lbs) |
25.35kg (55.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Finish |
MDF |
MDF |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| USB Port |
USB-A port for firmware updates |
USB-A port for firmware updates |
| Ethernet Port |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
1 year |
1 year |
| Labor Warranty |
1 year |
1 year |
Siblings in ELAC's Varro range - same design thinking, different size. It comes down to your room and your budget.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | evenly matched | Effectively the same reach (18Hz vs 17Hz). |
| Amplifier power | B | ELAC Varro RS700-SB has the bigger amplifier - 700W against 500W RMS, about 1.5dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | ELAC Varro RS700-SB 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 sealed designs, so they roll off in much the same way. |
| Setup and tuning | evenly matched | The same tuning tools on both (room correction, onboard DSP and app control). |
| Driver placement | depends | ELAC Varro RS500-SB fires down and ELAC Varro RS700-SB fires front. A down-firing driver is more forgiving of a grille-less look and of a hard floor; a front-firing one is the safer choice on a thick carpet or a suspended timber floor. |
| Cabinet size | depends | ELAC Varro RS500-SB is about 31% 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 | A | ELAC Varro RS500-SB costs less - $1,299 against $1,499, about 13% less. |
A ELAC Varro RS500-SB B ELAC Varro RS700-SB
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?
The usual trade-off: ELAC Varro RS700-SB measures better, ELAC Varro RS500-SB costs about 13% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - ELAC Varro RS500-SB 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.