Having listened to the Debut’s for months using the PS Audio Sprout (see review ), Quad VA-One (see review ), NAD D 3020 V2 (see review ), and my Leben CS600, I can tell you that the ELACs adapt to their mate extremely well. These speakers merely reflect the quality of the signal fed to them rather than try to sweeten it. Wharfedale Diamond 10.1 is surely harder to drive than the Elac. It was designed by Andrew Jones for ELAC's Uni-fi series as an upgrade to the ELAC Debut B5. The Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 speakers use a larger, 16.5cm version of the same revised mid/bass unit found on the Award-winning B5.2s, using a new blend of aramid fibres for the cone, combined with a different shape to improve stiffness and damping. Last-minute Cyber Monday headphones deal sees Powerbeats Pro hit all-time low price, Cyber Monday 2020 Australia: best deals on headphones, hi-fi, AV and more, Best Cyber Monday tablet deals 2020: iPads, Fire tablets, Android, Quick! This is claimed to display fewer resonances and add less distortion to the sound than that found on the previous model. What Hi-Fi? To our eyes these changes have worked, helping to make the Debut B5.2s look more modern. There’s a time and a place for innovation in the hi-fi industry, for tearing up the rulebook, for blank-sheet thinking and all the other exciting-sounding initiatives that indicate a break from the norm. Andrew Jones goes back the be begining, ELAC B5.2 Debut 2.0 Review is up! Improving on its award-winning predecessor was no easy task, but the debut B5.2 sets a yet higher standard, delivering performance in inverse proportion to its diminutive size. – are now on sale for just $200 at Amazon.You can also score that Black Friday price at Crutchfield and B&H Photo.. There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again. There was a problem. The Good The affordable Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 offers class-leading sound along with excellent build quality and attractive looks. Thinking about purchasing speakers from Elac's Debut 2.0 series? It’s now a wide surround design with improved dispersion and a top-end response that extends to a claimed 35kHz. is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Creative Sound Solutions DIY Solution for the high end - CSS Criton 1TD v2 review is up! A The ELAC B5 has a smoother, and wider frequency response than any $229.99/pr. These Elacs are arguably the most capable budget standmounters we’ve heard. The 23 best Cyber Monday speaker deals still live, The best Cyber Monday wireless earbuds deals still live. Tonally they don’t have the sweetness of the Q Acoustics or the luscious midrange warmth of the comparable Dalis, but they’re even-handed and admirably balanced in the way they deal with poorer, more aggressive recordings. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for ELAC B5 Debut Series 5.25" Bookshelf Speakers by Andrew Jones (Pair) at Amazon.com. All rights reserved. I have the same feeling about the new line of petite, inexpensive speakers from German manufacturer ELAC. To be fair to Elac, the Debut B5s are, in terms of their showroom appeal, build quality and finish, entirely competitive. Elac has been in the speaker business since the 1980s and has made many fine products in that time. Bath Everything we do is different. However, it's fairly safe to say that Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 are more popular speakers, based on their 100+ reviews. Shop By Price. They pull ahead of both rivals when it comes to insight and composure. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. We’re impressed by the build of the B5.2s and admire their crisp lines and feeling of solidity. ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 is an upgraded version of a speaker that was released back in 2015. © Exposed pins on the speakers’ front panel for attaching the (black, cloth) grilles look a little prosaic, but the textured/brushed vinyl wrap (just one finish is available) adds a little more tactility than most rivals can muster. Creating a Basic 5.1 Surround Sound System with ELAC Debut 2.0 Speakers Using some of the entry-level ELAC speakers, we have put together a great little 5.1 surround sound system. That the dust-cap is now convex rather than concave will strike most people as a minor detail, but it has benefits at the top end of the driver’s operating range – the crossover is at 2.2kHz – and helps integration with the tweeter. Brief History of ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2. King Kunta also exposes the B5s’ relative lack of scale, and a rather pedestrian lack of drive. And I am very certain that the Wharfedale is not as good as the Elac debut brothers. Please refresh the page and try again. They’re now taller (34cm), narrower (18cm) and deeper (23cm) in a bid to look smarter and be less visually obtrusive. Elac U.S. sent us pairs of the Debut lineup’s flagship F5 tower and the smaller of two bookshelf models, the B5, for surround duties. Visit our corporate site. Visit our corporate site. Dayton Makes a Budget Desktop speaker with a crossover - Dayton Audio MK402 review … Playing some late-period Johnny Cash (his version of U2’s One is poignant and authoritative, even if the Elacs do on occasion make his dentures all too apparent), the sound is sweetly communicative through the midrange and has just enough bite at the top end to prevent it becoming sugary. IT was back in August 2016 that ELAC’s first-generation Debut B6 made its “debut” here in audioFi.net; in 2018, the company revised the range with the Debut 2.0 series.. © Feed the speakers Madonna’s Ray Of Light and they have no trouble coping with the album’s dense instrumentation and complex rhythms. They work best a little out into the room – we start at around 30cm and experiment – but will still deliver relatively balanced results if not optimally placed. speaker has any business having, and its off-axis response, at least based on listening and not measuring, is smoother and better-behaved than any $229.99/pr speaker has any right to produce. … As Andrew Jones returns to sprinkle magic dust on ELAC’s Debut range, HFC checks out the 2.0 standmount makeoverAs a market, the budget loudspeaker sector is a hectic one at the best of times and most companies realise that to sit back on their laurels after a successful product launch is a bad move. It’s fair to say that these new Debut B5.2 speakers should be considered one of the company’s finest efforts, particularly when their price is taken into account. The ELAC Debut 2.0 B5.2 offer up a picture of music that is limited only by physics and our ability to connect with music. Switch to Kedrick Lamar’s altogether heftier King Kunta and the B5s’ powers of focus and integration come to the fore. *When nominal/RMS power isn’t specified by manufacturer, we use an approximation of ~30% of the specified peak/dynamic power for comparison purposes. For our test we received from the Benelux importer Servi-Q an extensive ELAC Debut 2.0 system, consisting of the F5.2 floorstander (349 euro / piece), B5.2 bookshelf speaker (159 euro / piece), the C5.2 center (249 euro) and the SUB 3010 (559 euro). The best OLED TV deals: LG, Sony, Vizio, 55, 65 and 77-inch TVs, Huge Beats headphones deal! All rights reserved. Easy-to-drive 8-Ohm nominal impedance - Compatible … Any shortcomings of the partnering electronics aren’t hidden, but thankfully, not exaggerated either. For all their sprightliness and ability to differentiate low frequency textures, there’s a palpable disinclination to sink their teeth into a beat and properly force the issue. They have the dynamic expression, detail resolution and tonal sophistication to handle it all, and enough stretch in their abilities to get better even when the rest of the system is upgraded. In short, Elac has changed almost everything about the new Debuts. What Hi-Fi? They’re only available in one finish though – the decent, but slightly drab looking, black ash vinyl as used on our review sample. Receive news and offers from our other brands? The dust cap is now convex rather than concave, benefitting the top end of the driver’s operating range and helping integration with the tweeter. They’re just as likely to be fed by a budget micro-system as they are quality separates, and so need to be balanced to work well with both. They established a new value proposition, with build quality and performance never before attainable at such an affordable price. It's … For my review setup, ELAC sent me a 5.0 configuration consisting of a pair of the F5 floor standing speakers, the C5 center channel, and a pair of B5 bookshelf monitors for the surrounds. This is an excellent for these bookshelf speakers, which have ranged between a $230 sale price and their $290 MSRP for much of this year. Gift Guide. Jones was also the name behind Pioneer's powerful speaker designs. This is a wide, busy and relatively dense recording, one that requires real midrange dexterity and detail to properly transmit the malevolence of the vocal. Frequency Response: 46Hz – 35000Hz There’s a time and a place all right, but the budget end of the loudspeaker market is not it. As with most rivals, the bass is tuned by a reflex port. Move to quality entry-level separates or higher – the Elacs positively sing with the likes of the Marantz PM6006UK (£299) or Rega Brio (£599) with a suitable source – and it becomes clear that these boxes are something special. Ideally they should sit on rigid stands to get the best sound. $120 off wireless Solo Pro at Best Buy. They’re now taller (34cm), narrower (18cm) and deeper (23cm) in a bid to look smarter and be less visually obtrusive. So with configuration and build well up to the norm, all the Debut B5s need do is show the competition a clean pair of sonic heels and the job’s done. Elac's engineers have done a decent though not class-leading job here. Debut “changed the game,” and now it’s changed again with the Debut 2.0 Series—proof that ELAC can’t leave well enough alone. Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2018 Style: Pair Verified Purchase This was my second order of ELAC B5.2 speakers completing a set of 4 to use them as surrounds. If the established budget speaker brands aren’t worried about these boxes, they should be. That why Elac’s Debut B5 standmounters look the way they do. The cabinet is a similar volume to before but its proportions are around 2cm different in all directions. The 13cm mid/bass unit is thoroughly revised too, using a new blend of aramid fibres for the cone, combined with a different shape to improve stiffness and damping. Holiday Gift Guide 2020. ELAC Debut B5 - speakers overview and full product specs on CNET. For those of you new to surround sound, this means five main speakers (front left, center channel, front right, surround left, surround right) and a single subwoofer. Like i said the B5 has a great discount this week on that store (the B6.2 not … Receive news and offers from our other brands? BA1 1UA. The cabinet is taller, narrower and deeper, which makes them look more modern and less obtrusive. COVID-19. The tweeter may be hidden behind a distinctive grille, but it marks a major change from the previous version. While they are available, ELAC did not send me the line's Dolby Atmos speakers or one of their subwoofers. The Elac's original Debut speaker range was launched around three years ago to a fair amount of acclaim. The cabinet dimensions are … Sign up below to get the latest from What Hi-Fi?, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox! Established budget superpowers such as Q Acoustics and Dali could rest easy knowing their respective products still held the upper hand. The cabinet dimensions are utterly unremarkable for a product of this type. Please deactivate your ad blocker in order to see our subscription offer, ELAC B5.2 Debut 2.0 Bookshelf Speakers deals, We check over 130 million products every day for the best prices. Authentically dynamic recordings like Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue or Underworld’s Push Upstairs simply don’t have the attack or scale required, leaving the field open for the Elacs’ more assertive rivals to make their case. The 5.25cm mid/bass unit is thoroughly revised too… It consisted of the Debut C5 center channel speaker ($180), two Debut B5 bookshelf speakers ($230 per pair) for the surrounds, and the Debut S10EQ subwoofer ($500). Their shortcomings, though – while hardly numerous – are significant. Elac has been in the speaker business since the 1980s and has produced many good products during that time. Connection to the amplifier is through a pair of solid single-wire terminals. ELAC B5 Debut Series 5.25" Bookshelf Speakers by Andrew Jones. The original bookshelf speaker, the B6, is also the brainchild of Andrew Jones who previously worked as a designer at Pioneer. You can enjoy a wide range of music too. You will receive a verification email shortly. This time around we’re not so sure, for the new Debut 2.0 B5.2 speakers are brilliant performers for the money. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Receive mail from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors? We tested the entry-level Debut B5s (£250 at the time) and liked their combination of fluid midrange and timing, though found dynamics and drive fell short of that delivered by the class leaders. The front-facing bass port allows them it … Watch this video and find out more about them. ELAC Electroacoustik GmbH Debut B5 It may not have escaped your attention that high-end audio has gone slightly mental. The 5.25cm mid/bass unit is new, while the bass reflex port has moved, and the tweeter has a new design too. Andrew Jones, the messiah of budget audio. The Elacs, though, simply sound smaller than they are, which isn’t that much help to anyone. Receive mail from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors? ELAC Debut 2.0 C6.2 Center Speaker, Black. A rear-firing bass reflex port and single pair of chunky speaker cable terminals complete a predictable and sensible picture. New Scores for all reviewed speakers - Compare and sort for fun! He will deliver us from the old testament hell of bad speakers to the promised land of ELAC … The old one topped out at a mere 20kHz, so we’re expecting a lot more top-end sparkle and openness than before. The B5.2s are a big improvement on the original Elac B5 (below) – in fact, almost everything about them has changed. Elac has its work cut out to stand out from the pack. Probably if i get this "Elac's" or whatever is like a big jump for me Yes i'm referring the older B5 and i'm thinking about buying a new sub and receiver later, when a good price appears. There are seven models in the Debut 2.0 lineup and the B6.2 sits just below the ELAC F5.2 floorstander. ELAC Electroacoustik GmbH Debut B5 So, a small speaker then, the B5 translates as a bookshelf speaker with 135mm bass/mid driver while the F prefix on larger models in the range indicates a floor-stander with the following number describing the main driver size. Rounding out the system are the C5 center-channel speaker and the middle of three subwoofer options, the 10-inch S10EQ. The deployment of a 25mm cloth dome tweeter (safe behind its fixed metal grille) and 13cm woven fibre mid/bass driver is fairly standard too. In short, Elac has changed almost everything about the new Debuts. These speakers prove unfussy about placement. In terms of balance, integration and timing, the Debut B5s are among the best pound-for-pound speakers around. The Elacs are more-than up to the task, following the sinuous bassline faithfully and giving Lamar’s complaints real expression. Protected by a shapely grille, that tweete…