Polk ES12 Signature Elite 12" Subwoofer

Deep, controlled bass for movies and music

The Polk ES12 Signature Elite 12" Subwoofer pairs a 300 watt Class D amplifier with a 12 inch long-throw woofer to reach genuinely low, down to 18 Hz. Polk's Power Port design and onboard DSP keep that output tight and clean rather than boomy. The ported cabinet stays compact enough to sit close to a wall.

Why You'll Love It

• 300 watts of clean power. The Class D amplifier fills even large rooms with dynamic bass that stays clear at high volume.
• Reaches down to 18 Hz. The high-excursion 12 inch woofer produces the kind of low end you feel through the floor, not just hear.
• Tight, not boomy. Dual internal Power Ports cut turbulence and distortion so the bass stays accurate wherever you position it.

Under the Hood

• 12 inch long-throw woofer. A mineral-filled polypropylene cone moves plenty of air for deep, defined lows.
• Advanced DSP control. Time-Smart Phase Control, an adjustable 4th-order low-pass filter and precision limiters keep the sub blended and protected.
• Braced, ported cabinet. Internal bracing and an acoustically optimised ported enclosure reduce unwanted resonances for cleaner output.

CHT Insider Verdict

The ES12 is a lot of subwoofer for the money and a natural match for Polk's Signature Elite range, though it will strengthen almost any system from stereo to Dolby Atmos. The combination of a 300 watt amplifier, a 12 inch driver and proper DSP gives you both depth and control, which is the hard part at this price. If you want bass you can feel without it turning to mush, this is an easy recommendation.

Pro Tip: If you run it from an AV receiver, feed the sub from the LFE (RCA) input and set the low-pass filter to its highest setting so the receiver's bass management controls the crossover.

Specifications