If you’re on a budget, REL is still a great place to go to get yourself a brilliant subwoofer for your home. The REL Acoustics HT/1003 MKII Subwoofer is our top pick for a budget option from the REL range. It’s powerful but won’t cost the earth. If you need a great quality sub at a very reasonable price, the HT/1003 MKII is one you should be thinking about.
If you’re still unsure whether this is the best REL subwoofer for you, carry on reading and we’ll go into more detail about each one and help you decide which is the ideal pick for your home audio setup.
Let’s get into it and find out more about the HT/1003 MKII Subwoofer.
REL HT/1003 MKII Subwoofer Review
REL Acoustics HT/1003 Subwoofer
If you’re looking for a REL subwoofer that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, the HT/1003 Subwoofer is the answer. It’s designed for large spaces and offers some of the same features as other HT or T/x series subwoofers without a premium price.
This one can easily cover a home theater space of up to 300 sq. ft. For larger rooms, you can combine two of these, and even then, the price tag would be less than what it would cost to buy just one of the more premium models.
Specifications
| LOW-FREQUENCY EXTENSION | -6dB at 24Hz |
| AMPLIFIER TYPE | Class D |
| AMPLIFIER POWER | 300W |
| DRIVER | 10” (250mm) CarbonGlas™ |
| INPUTS | Low-Level stereo RCA or .1/LFE RCA inputs |
| HEIGHT | 13.8″ |
| WIDTH | 12.5″ |
| DEPTH | 13.7″ |
| WEIGHT | 28.0 lbs / 12.7 kg |
| FINISH | Line Grained Black Composite |
Key Features
- 10-inch, front-firing driver that’s reasonable enough for small to medium-sized rooms
- Cost-effective construction that’s durable yet lightweight
- Class D PerfectFilters amplifier with 300W that ensures the subwoofer isn’t reliant for amp on speaker
- Compatible with HT-Air Wireless input
- Beautiful exterior with branded rubber feet
The HT/1003’s driver is adequately sized for the space it can cover. Although its sound may lack the definition some of the more premium models offer, it’s still a quality option for home theaters.
What makes it a viable option as a budget-friendly subwoofer is its 300W amplifier. All REL amps are RMS continuous. So even though 300W may seem less, it’s like a 300W monoblock amp. In simpler words, the amplifier provides all the power and doesn’t rely on the amplifier in the speaker it’s connected with.
This can work with REL’s HT-Air wireless input, which ensures the signal strength and quality is just as good as a wired connection.
Pros
- Affordable price tag
- High-quality, aesthetically pleasing built
- No high power demands
- Three-year warranty
Cons
- No high-level input
- Not ideal for bigger spaces