In this review, we will be comparing No.36 and Monitor XT12, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from REL 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 REL No.36 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 REL No.36and Polk Monitor XT12 have a single woofer setup however the REL No.36's woofer is 15-inch whereas the Polk Monitor XT12 features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
No.36 has a frequency range of 15 Hz (-6dB, in room) whereas Monitor XT12 has a frequency range of 24-160 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 15Hz, the No.36 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to 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
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Cabinet Type
The REL No.36 has a Sealed type cabinet. On the other hand the Polk Monitor XT12 have Bass Reflex type enclosure. 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 REL No.36's and Polk Monitor XT12's external dimensions. REL No.36 has external dimensions of 541.0 x 743.0 x 816.0mm (21-5/16 x 29-1/4 x 32-1/8inch) 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).
REL No.36 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 335mm wider, 123mm taller and 331mm deeper than Polk Monitor XT12.
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.
REL No.36 needs about 206% more floor or shelf area. REL No.36 is 331mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. REL No.36 is 123mm 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 REL No.36 is approximately 6062.9cm2 / 939.7inch2 and base area of the Polk Monitor XT12 is approximately 1978.8cm2 / 306.7inch2. The No.36 requires 206% more surface area than the Monitor XT12 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 No.36 weighs 91.80kg / 202lbs and the Polk Monitor XT12 weighs 17.73kg / 39lbs. This makes the No.36 418% heavier than the Monitor XT12.
Here is a comparison of how No.36 and Monitor XT12's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
What's in the Box of REL No.36?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of No.36:
- Subwoofer
- Grille
- 6 ft AC power cord
- 32 ft Neutrik Speakon cable
- User manual and warranty information
- Reference remote
- 2 AAA batteries
- Line Array mounting hardware
What's in the Box of Polk Monitor XT12?
Here are the items that come with the Monitor XT12:
- Black powered subwoofer
- 6.5-feet AC power cord
- Grille
- Owners Manual
- Online registration card
 Woofer Size |
15 inches
vs
12 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
15 Hz
vs
24 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Handheld Remote |
Yes
vs
No
|
Control the speaker by the included RC |
 Wireless Operation |
Optional
vs
No
|
Connect your subwoofer to your system wireless |
 High Frequency Response |
160 Hz
vs
Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
418mm
vs
541mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1978cm2
vs
6062cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
399USD
vs
12000USD
|
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 No.36 needs about 206% more floor area. REL No.36 stands 331mm further into the room. REL No.36 is 123mm taller.
| General |
REL No.36 |
Polk Monitor XT12 |
| Brand |
REL |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
1000 watts |
50 watts |
| Frequency Response |
15 Hz (-6dB, in room) |
24-160 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1000-watt RMS |
50-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
15" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Carbon fibre |
Bi-laminate paper |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
541.0mm (21.3") |
418.0mm (16.5") |
| Width |
743.0mm (29.3") |
408.0mm (16.1") |
| Depth |
816.0mm (32.1") |
485.0mm (19.1") |
| Weight |
91.80kg (202lbs) |
17.73kg (39lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Sealed |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Piano Black Lacquer, 12 coats |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Black |
n/a |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
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 | A | REL No.36 goes deeper - 15Hz 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 | REL No.36 has the bigger amplifier - 1000W against 50W RMS, about 13dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | REL No.36 moves more air: 15" against 12" is 1.56x the cone area, not the 1.25x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | REL No.36 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. |
| Wireless option | depends | Only REL No.36 offers a wireless link (as a paid option). It decides where the sub can go if you cannot run a cable, and is worth nothing if you can. |
| Cabinet size | depends | Polk Monitor XT12 is about 75% 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 $12,000, about 97% less. |
A REL No.36 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?
The usual trade-off: REL No.36 measures better, Polk Monitor XT12 costs about 97% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two. 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, REL No.36 is usually the easier one to make sound right. Two small subwoofers beat one big one in most rooms - a pair evens out the room modes in a way no single box can, whatever its specs. At $399 each, two Polk Monitor XT12 cost about $798 against $12,000 for one of the other, which is worth a thought.
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.