KLIPSCH R52C VS RP250C VS ELAC C6.2 VS ELAC DCR52 VS PIONEER SPC-22 SUNDAY SPEAKER SHOOTOUT!!

[@RobbyW_84]

That was hilarious you nailed cheap audio man's manurisms spot on. Great video keep it up

[@macdaddymac6785]

You......are AWESOME! I laughed....and learned. Thank You and keep it up. (Hope your cat feels better!)

[@TonicofSonic]

Thank you so much for the kind words! 👍

[@madisonsinclair5123]

OMFG this is hilarious! You NAILED it!!! and, yeah, I've been looking for center channel comparisons, big help, thank you.

[@MJHiteshew]

Great video! Here it is 2 years later and I’m in the market for a center channel that’s a model year or two older. Four of these are on my short list. Thanks again!

[@kubohemian]

Great Randy impersonation. Great video. You’ve got the “it” for this job-hi-fi reviewer.

[@vaughanbranch8376]

Actually really enjoyed this! Watched the whole damn thing!

[@TonicofSonic]

Thank you for the kind words!

[@ProudPapaKY]

Thank you for taking the time, and money to do this review. Good job! It's really good to show that you get what you pay for, but at the same time if you choose wisely, you can have a great budget home theater. For instance right now the pioneer is $74 on Amazon. At that price you buy 5, and use them for your 5.1 HT setup, and honestly have a pretty decent listening experience for less than the price of the Elac Debut reference itself. That being said you could do the same with the Elac, and have a blow your mind good HT system.

[@TonicofSonic]

Agreed. I use two of those as mains in my system and the ELAC reference center channel. Although I recently pieced together a 5 channel setup of the elac bs-41 and respective center for $210 from amazon. That right there is the audio bargain of the century. Check out my upcoming review of some bargain center channels, and my recent bargain speaker review.

[@kenshinesca]

Thanks for the center channel comparison. Much appreciated. Since I like bass I think the C6.2 will probably be the one I go with. The C6.2 has been on sale before for like 140.00 on amazon I'm hoping it goes back down to that at some point.

[@TonicofSonic]

Can't go wrong with that speaker. 👍 I had many compliments written down that I did not take the time to mention while faced with the risk of making the video too long and boring. Randy keeps his videos breezy and interesting so I owed it to him to honor that style. Great speaker, and an absolute mammoth in size.

[@jege41]

I have RP-250C in my cart and after watching your video I'm going to check it out, thanks for the review!

[@TonicofSonic]

Let me know what you think when you get it. 👍

[@jege41]

@@TonicofSonic I noticed it had a price drop of 30.00 down to 169.99 from 199.99 so I cancelled and reordered it. I’m replacing my Athena AS-C1-1 with the RP-250C

[@TonicofSonic]

@@jege41 Hell ya never pay full price.

[@jege41]

@@TonicofSonic how are you, I’ve had the RP250C for a while now hooked up to my Sony STRDN1080. My room isn’t the most acoustically perfect by a long shot ( 20’ ceiling ) but it’s been a challenge getting the 250C dialed in. It’s a really deep sounding speaker so I’ve had to set the EQ -3db bass and +2db on the treble. I’m happy with the 250C but not ecstatic. For the price I’m satisfied and I’m sure it and the rest of my system would sound better in a damper room.

[@TonicofSonic]

@@jege41I am well thank you! That sounds about right, I found that many speakers in this price category have more bass than needed. I too generally run -2 to -5 bass after room correction. I do believe that speaker is rear ported so if it is in an enclosed spot or has a wall close behind it that would create an issue. I know this speakers is better than most rear ports with that beautiful flared design.

[@MrLeo7627]

Thank you , Im looking for a new center . I'll look into the ELac . Can you please try to get a hold of the SVS Prime & give your thoughts on it . They got two models , this one I might be able to afford but if you say its not worth it . Im asking because I think the svs may be a 3-way ? not sure . I hope SVS will send you one out to review . Thanks , Happy Trails

[@TonicofSonic]

Make sure you check out my other center channel shootout as it may help you as well. Good luck friend!

[@MrLeo7627]

@@TonicofSonic Thanks , I'll check them out .

[@wiredspeaker5658]

Thanks for doing this. Not enough content on center speakers out there. I suspected the rp 52c was pretty cheap when I saw it at Costco.

[@TonicofSonic]

Especially now with the elac cs41 the r52c is kinda a joke at this point.

[@jameshastings6538]

Have you listened to the Klipsch RP-450C and 504c center channels?

[@arena_rock_man9030]

Buwahaha the impression is spot on! OH MY WORD! Hey at least you have Atmos, Dolby DTS HD etc, Bluetooth, HDMI SACD, 4k upscaling, 5 more watts per channel, and a better DAC than the Yamaha RX-V367 I was gifted.

[@TonicofSonic]

I do love me some atmos, and dtsx is generally even more fun! I might consider doing an atmos speaker review. But only if Randy the cheapaudioman himself will not.

[@Enemji]

The CheaperAudioMan 😎

[@TonicofSonic]

😅

[@tsvetoslavivanchev4014]

Loved the content. Could you recommend some decent (also less than 700-800$ if possible) receivers for 5.1HT setup for elac b5.2 speakers as front and rear, c5.2 center and svs sb1000 subwoofer.

[@TonicofSonic]

Thanks for the kind words!👍 I am a huge onkyo and pioneer fan when it comes to affordable quality receivers. I can't speak on prices but I always start reciever shopping with those brands. In my experience both have proven to be outstanding quality for the money. About 6 years back I picked up my 7.2 pioneer on a crazy holiday/ last of the model run sale at best buy for about 300$! I highly recommend buying all major electronics during the holiday sale season for two reasons. 1. Price(Durrr) 2.extended Return period. #2 cannot be underestimated with compatibility and quality issues of modern electronics. I once bought and returned 7 television's during a 2 month period before I settled on one. I ended up on a Vizio p55f1. Great tv, 6 years old and no issues.

[@tsvetoslavivanchev4014]

@@TonicofSonic Alright I'll look into those brands. Also what's your opinion on Yamaha? I also need to ask are there any specific characteristics i should look for in a receiver if i want my speakers to sound clear even at high volume.

[@TonicofSonic]

@@tsvetoslavivanchev4014I hear good things about Yamaha but I have no experience with them. In my experience the higher you go in a lineup the better it will perform at higher volumes.

[@michaelllewellyn525]

THANKS - I NEEDED DAT! Bought the Klipsch 52C to get Clear Dialogue, got that, but miss the FULL sound of my previous Big BIC Center, just ordered the Klipsch RC 62ii, but then watched an AUdio man share his findings honestly about what you are really getting with one of them, I just asked Amazon to STOP Shipment......I had been reviewing ELACs because I had heard that they are the REAL Deal.....after your reviews, I am going now to chk out the ELAC DCR52....I want to hear the Voices + everything else too! TKS

[@TonicofSonic]

Make sure to consider the cheaper ELAC cs41 center channel. That little guy offers a full sound for a tremendous value.

[@michaelllewellyn525]

@@TonicofSonic TKS Definitely more in my Price Range, might be da ONE! Do you think the Debut 2.0 5.2 would not have the problems you found with the 6.2?

[@TonicofSonic]

@@michaelllewellyn525 TBH I am not sure why I had issues with the treble on that unit, and the only other complaint I had was the excessive SPL which makes sense, that is a big girl and she likes a medium to large size room. I would have been better off testing the 5.2 in that setup. After trying other ELAC stuff, I think the treble harshness was likely a quality control issue with the tweeter or crossover as the cheaper cs41 with the same tweeter has no issues. No issues with the bs41 sets I own either, nor the reference center channel which also has the same tweeter only mounted in a different waveguide. I am suspect of the grill on these, and should have removed it on the 6.2 to see if it was causing the issue during testing. Edit: to clarify I mean the grill over the tweeter on the 6.2, 5.2 and cs41. I am not so sure it should be there especially considering it is barely held on some units. The reference do have a better version that I leave on.

[@michaelllewellyn525]

TKS! One more question, please share your input, since u have used the Klipsch R - 52C, which I am using now, and u liked the ELAC CS41 - - - Please tell me your opinion/comparison of those two! I think I actually like my R-52C better than u did yours.....mine is actually doing, for me, what I needed, I'm a Senor and my hearing has gone down hill, so it does put the emphasis on voices - I can/do hear and understand alot more than using my ol' BIC Monster! TKS

[@TonicofSonic]

@@michaelllewellyn525 The cs41 has lots of bass, lots of midrange, a slightly vieled upper mids in comparison to others, but still great, and fantastic treble. So not as crystal sharp as you may now have, but overall more full sound and a more natural sound. Ears are a factor indeed. Room is a factor especially going from non ported to rear.

[@anthonygenx5943]

Klipsch R-52C kicks ass and is definitely not a cheap center channel!! I run a Emotiva A3 3 channel amp and Yamaha RX-A820 with it. Not as good as the RP line but it's up there pretty decent. It has awesome clear dialog when watching movies and sounds pretty damn good when jamming to music.

[@TonicofSonic]

Glad you enjoy it but I have to respectfully disagree on its performance. Though you are correct it is not cheap as it is properly overpriced. Since doing this review I have found a handful of cheaper center channels that have better performance than the r52c.

[@swllz]

Glad that I found your shootout, I just bought an ELAC DCR52 from BH for a good price. Looking for reviews for it. Not many KZbinrs review center channel speakers. I have a decent subwoofer, so I want a center just perform the function of center, "CLEAR DIALOGUE", leave bass to subwoofer, otherwise, dialogue will be muddy. Agree with your assertion that "missing a word in a dialogue in a movie" is unpleasant event you do not forget.

[@TonicofSonic]

I do love that speaker. Just looking at it is a treat. I am glad you got a good price, the current full price is alot to swallow, especially when you consider just how good the much cheaper elac cs41 is. Sacrificing a slight amount of upper midrange clarity and the front port placement saves you around 300$ and nets you more low end extension, which as you mentioned, is not necessarily what alot of people want or expect from a center. For those without a sub however, it would be an affordable secret weapon.

[@swllz]

@@TonicofSonic , I have to remodify my TV stand to accommodate a center speaker. I was eyeing on Diamond 12C because of good reviews on Diamond 12.1. I saw the good price on DCR52 I can not resist. Aesthetically DCR52 is not my liking. The front grill should cover side ports also. The color of grill should be black to match the most TV. Center speaker should not draw attention of TV viewers from TV. It should just anchor the sound to the TV.

[@TechNick50]

I am getting the R52c delivered today to replace my aging Kef TDM 23c, wish me luck

[@TonicofSonic]

Can't blame you, the price of the rp500c that replaced the rp250c in this video and the elac reference are well over $400 r/n! 😳 even the elac c6.2 is around $350. I didn't pay over 300 for anything in this video. You will enjoy the r52c so long as you don't directly compare it to anything more expensive.

[@TechNick50]

@@TonicofSonic I have been running in the R52c for a few days now. It still lacking dynamics, impact and hard chest thumping bass compared to my Kef tdm 23c and my mordaunt short 905c centre speaker's. It's build quality is not good too. I paid £250.

[@reggieburris]

Funny bro, straight funny!

[@speedycerviche3653]

17:10 a ghost orb

[@TonicofSonic]

Wow. I never noticed that before. Good eye!

[@ZackyDaley]

At first I thought you were ripping him off but the impression is so spot on how can you be mad?

[@TonicofSonic]

😅 na, no interest in doing audio equipment reviews for a hobby, just wanted to give Randy a little motivation to pay more attention to center channels.

[@RealFakeRyan]

YOU ARE A HERO

[@anthonyc.5427]

Bro I don't why this made me laugh so freaking hard...thanks for that. This really did help me make some choices though thanks

[@TonicofSonic]

Hey thanks for the comment. For what it is worth, the klipsch stuff has been going on some really good sale prices lately, including the rp500c that replaced the rp250c in this video. Aside from having to bump the mids using an eq, noone seems to have any complaints about the rp500m, rp600m, and rp400c and rp500c. My point is, recently you could get the rp600m bookshelfs and rp500c for around $600 total vs the $900-1000 for the elac reference bookshelfs and matching center. If I was faced with the decision of sale priced klipsch vs full priced Elac, I would not go Elac unless you are like me and fell so deeply in love with the pioneers that Andrew jones designed that you have an itch to get nicer stuff that Andrew also designed or have some other live affair with Elac or Andrew Jones. The savings could be used to invest in a decent reciever or whatever else makes you happy. That said full price vs full price it is elac reference all day.

[@anthonyc.5427]

@@TonicofSonic Yeah what led me here was trying to figure out all klipsch jargon...I am sorely tempted to jump in and go for the RP504C since it is just under $500 at Best Buy at the moment. Problem is my current cabinet simply does not have the space to handle the size, so I was trying to look at the smaller options. Unless I want to get a whole new cabinet I am going to be choosing between the RP-250C for $300 or the Elac Reference for $400. Considering I already have 2 Klispch tower speakers I will likely stick with Klipsch but I cant find reviews/info for the Elac Reference hardly anywhere so it has been somewhat frustrating.

[@TonicofSonic]

@@anthonyc.5427 Ya any klipsch center of rp400 and above should do the job as well as you would want it too. I wouldnt junp into another brand unless planning on replacing the towers. Timbre match is not a huge deal but it can be noticable when brand swapping.

[@deusern]

You should do this more often, that talent is obvious!

[@gbmwaz]

Phhheewwwww just in time!! Adorama has the Klipsch 52C for $129 - I was ready to pull the trigger to possibly upgrade from my Pioneer SPC22 - uhh i 'll pass now....Thx

[@TonicofSonic]

I knew the pioneer was a bargain, but I never understood how good it really is until I tried these other more expensive speakers. Unless you go for a $300 center its really not worth the $$$ to upgrade the pioneer, and even then you will have to talk yourself into keeping the more expensive speaker. Klipsch rp500c is $300 these days, elac reference is up to $400 now, making the rp500c an even more appealing purchase. I am trying to convince myself I should buy the elac reference bookshelves for my fronts to match the new center, before inflation goes through the roof, but the darn pioneer are just so good with proper eq, and without, that everytime I listen to them they make me forget about wanting to upgrade. 🍻 Soon though I will pull the trigger and then make a video on the front three pioneer speakers ($240 total) vs the front three elac reference ($900 total). Going by the center channel, I expect the pioneer to be around 75% as good for around 30% of the price.

[@pe456nj]

Same here

[@duanejohnson2026]

Could u make a video with less talking, and more letting us hear the speakers play Please?

[@TonicofSonic]

I appreciate the feedback but as on now I am not set up for playback. Without the proper equipment and room it would be pointless. Maybe someday!

[@waltervanlille2263]

Hahaha! Love your intro...

[@TonicofSonic]

Thanks so much!

[@allanblyth6150]

Ha ha you shouldn't like this but you do! It's weird. Nice one mate 👍

[@nickvecco6117]

Nailed it! I was dying lol

[@TonicofSonic]

So glad you enjoyed it! This video was fun to make. Fun fact, all my content to date was recorded on a lgg6, edited on a lgg6(no editing in this video), and uploaded on the lgg6. (And yes, the phone is held upright using a fork stuck in a box, for every video) I have a pc, but it is just too much fun to take the challenge of building a channel on just an old phone. 💪😂

[@elio173]

lmao same person, I love it.

[@vv8949]

Elac c6.2 top speaker!!! 👍🏻😉

[@TonicofSonic]

It is a great speaker, and watching this I realised I forgot to mention how amazing it was. The darn grill cover was such an irritation it kinda tainted the review on it. Especially considering now the b6.2 are half the price of the equivalent reference series, the c6.2 might be the better choice unless your very close to the speaker while also being sensitive to tweeter imperfections. That said, I also see the klipsch rp500c going for the same as the c6.2, and the rp500m going for less than the b6.2. You cannot go wrong with either setup. So many choices so few listening areas...

[@mpaj1900]

Great review. Rice bag it is.

[@TonicofSonic]

At this point in time I highly recommend you check out the ELAC cs41 for 65$ shipped by Amazon (last I checked) for a full package speaker (literally reads as a large speaker on my room correction). Or the sony sscs8 when under 100$ on sale for a crystal clear center experience that lacks the thick mids and bass as the ELAC, keep in mind that matters very little running crossed over at 80hz or the like. Pick your poison. But at 65$ that ELAC is probably the new bag of rice (Sony too when on a good sale) since the pioneer have become hard to aquire new for a reasonable price. (Old product line)

[@mr.bookshelfs]

😆😂😂

[@thatman4752]

😅 nice

[@chucke.7141]

This was painful to watch. I couldn't finish it.

[@TonicofSonic]

Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment! 👌

[@edithboozy1000]

Is this dude wasted? 🛀

[@TonicofSonic]

Nope, I don't even drink alcohol.

[@anthonygenx5943]

Lmao

[@MJHiteshew]

Listening to speakers on KZbin makes no sense.

[@tech4life884]

Dude, stop copying "Cheapaudioman"!. It's disrespectful and it will keep you from getting subscribers.

[@TonicofSonic]

Nailed it.