In this review, we will be comparing HT 1205 MKII and HT 1003 MKII, two Powered Subwoofer speakers by REL. 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 REL HT 1205 MKII and REL HT 1003 MKII 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 REL HT 1205 MKIIand REL HT 1003 MKII have a single woofer setup however the REL HT 1205 MKII's woofer is 12-inch whereas the REL HT 1003 MKII features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
HT 1205 MKII has a frequency range of 22-200 Hz whereas HT 1003 MKII has a frequency range of 24-200 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 22Hz, the HT 1205 MKII can go slightly deeper then the HT 1003 MKII'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
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 REL HT 1205 MKII's and REL HT 1003 MKII's external dimensions. REL HT 1205 MKII has external dimensions of 387.4 x 412.8 x 485.8mm () whereas REL HT 1003 MKII has external dimensions of 341.3 x 365.1 x 435.0mm ().
REL HT 1205 MKII is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 47.7mm wider, 46.1mm taller and 50.8mm deeper than REL HT 1003 MKII.
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 REL HT 1205 MKII is approximately 2005.4cm2 / 310.8inch2 and base area of the REL HT 1003 MKII is approximately 1588.2cm2 / 246.2inch2. The HT 1205 MKII requires 26% more surface area than the HT 1003 MKII which gives it a small disadvantage 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 REL HT 1205 MKII weighs 19.60kg / 43.1lbs and the REL HT 1003 MKII weighs 15.51kg / 34.1lbs. This makes the HT 1205 MKII 26% heavier than the HT 1003 MKII.
Here is a comparison of how HT 1205 MKII and HT 1003 MKII's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
22 Hz
vs
24 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
341mm
vs
387mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1588cm2
vs
2005cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
649USD
vs
899USD
|
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.
REL HT 1205 MKII needs about 26% more floor area. REL HT 1205 MKII stands 51mm further into the room. REL HT 1205 MKII is 46mm taller.
| General |
REL HT 1205 MKII |
REL HT 1003 MKII |
| Brand |
REL |
REL |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
22-200 Hz |
24-200 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
500-watt RMS |
300-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
|
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
387.4mm (15.3") |
341.3mm (13.4") |
| Width |
412.8mm (16.3") |
365.1mm (14.4") |
| Depth |
485.8mm (19.1") |
435.0mm (17.1") |
| Weight |
19.60kg (43.1lbs) |
15.51kg (34.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
|
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
3 Years |
Siblings in REL's HT 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 (22Hz vs 24Hz). |
| Amplifier power | A | REL HT 1205 MKII has the bigger amplifier - 500W against 300W RMS, about 2.2dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | REL HT 1205 MKII 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. |
| Cabinet size | depends | REL HT 1003 MKII is about 30% 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 | REL HT 1003 MKII costs less - $649 against $899, about 28% less. |
A REL HT 1205 MKII B REL HT 1003 MKII
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: REL HT 1205 MKII measures better, REL HT 1003 MKII costs about 28% 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 - REL HT 1003 MKII 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.