[Sound Battle] ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 vs Polk Audio XT20 Bookshelf Speakers w/Arcam SA10 Amp

[@saxxman]

I've watched a few of your comparisons and this one has probably the most glaring difference in sound signatures between the two that I've heard. Don't normally comment. I know that I'm hearing this on my own headphones but the difference is so great, I think you'd hear it on any source. The Elacs open up the sound so much over the Polks, it's crazy. Sounds like the Polks are under water compared to the Elacs. Compared to the Elacs, the Polks are muddy and sounds like treble and mids are cut quite a bit. Really prefer the Elac sound. It's chrystal clear, almost chimes.

[@williammiebach1798]

The DB62 is the more transparent and refined of the two. It borders on being a bit bland, so I understand why some might prefer the meatier sound of the Polks, but to me it comes at the cost of slightly spitty treble and overly thick mids and bass.

[@elcheapo9444]

I own the Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 with a Denon Z250BT AVR and Yamaha NS SW300 sub. It absolutely rocks. For the price, I don't think the Elac can be beaten. I wish I could play it at full volume without neighbours complaining. I come from the Logitech Z625.

[@jimbo4203]

I've had the xt20 's for a few weeks and they sound fantastic , lots of bass too , they have broken in great and sound better with the grills off

[@jimbo4203]

@Sleeping Kevlar you don't need a sub with these , they have a crazy amount of bass and great treble too

[@jimbo4203]

I've hooked up mine to a fosi bt 20 AS and it sounds great

[@IMGhee]

Both speakers are good with Arcam. B6.2 well balanced, but a little 2D imaging. XT a little coloring, little lack mids, but well imaging.

[@plitshb9338]

I'd love to see more Elac B6.2 comparisons. Please 🙂

[@bryce1934]

Pickup the ELAC Unifi Reference. But also, I really really really appreciate the inclusion of the ELAC b6.2. My first (and current) set of speakers

[@williammiebach1798]

The Elac is the more transparent and refined of these two. It can come across a bit bland so I understand why some might prefer it to the XT20, but to me it comes at the cost of slightly spitty treble and overly fat midrange and bass.

[@bucketseats007]

Could I get your honest opinion. I am torn between these 2 speakers. They will be used for everything. Which would you pick if you had to? I’m also a little confused by what you mean by spitty treble and fat mid range bass. They both seem to have positives and negatives depending on what music genre is thrown at them.

[@shipsahoy1793]

No contest.. if you’re serious about sound, but are cost limited, you’d have to go with the Elacs. The Polks will forgive bad recordings, but make everything sound closer to the same; they just lack detail and balance significantly more than the Elacs.. this is certainly a case of being worth an extra $40 a speaker. Unless, of course, you dig the veil imposed over the audio range by the Polks. At $300, the b6.2’s are worth it, but at full price, other speakers should be considered before taking the plunge. 👨🏻

[@frankg.7361]

Me gusta mas el polk

[@LaciDoszka]

I have a pair of Polk XT-20 with a Fonestar AS6060 amplifier

[@DougMen1]

In case anyone is interested, both of these are on sale at Crutchfield, $199 for the Polk, and $279 for the Elac, and their baby brothers with 5" woofers are $129 for the XT15 and $229 for the B5.2. If the XT15 sounds anywhere near as good as the XT20, it's a steal for $129, and I don't imagine there's another speaker anywhere that can touch it at that price. Also, the KEF Q150 is still $349, the MA Bronze 50 and 100 are still $439 and $539, tje Elac UB52 is back on sale at $489, and the Polk R100 and R200 are still $549 and $649

[@34332]

Like ASR measured, the Elac is kinda flat, but peaks at its top-end. This gives the speaker a bright sound, which seems clearly verified in this demo.Too bright for my likings. Weight seems absent, therefore I much prefer the Polk here. EQing the Elacs seems to give better results.

[@streamcnoremorse3323]

ELAC is not bright. Id decreased at highs. I owned them. they can`t be bright at all. They are recessed at highs

[@34332]

@@streamcnoremorse3323 ASR: "...the designer Andrew Jones tried to add some more highs to this second iteration of B6 speaker. I find that change unwelcome as it made the speaker a bit bright. I can see why that may sell speakers but I did not like this change. The main issue with the speaker is the dip in response in important 1 to 2 kHz range".

[@streamcnoremorse3323]

@@34332 It is fantasy. Measurements show no brightness. Even DBR62 is brighter. The 6.2 are dark as Game of thrones death. Deep after 10kHz

[@streamcnoremorse3323]

@@34332 Anyway DBR62 is better

[@34332]

@@streamcnoremorse3323 Well, that seems in contrast to what everyone (see comments) is hearing. It's def. not a dark speaker. But if you feel it is, that's OK. 😄

[@charlesramey6392]

Considering a 42 percent price difference of 170 dollars. And 38 - 40,000 hertz and hifi certification. Polk wins. A sony strdh190 and some xt20s for the same price as the elacs just to put it into perspective.

[@jkroemer2685]

Haha literally just picked this combo up last night and been playing music all day!

[@jimbo4203]

I love my XT 20 's

[@primopierre]

Elac B6.2 vs. Polk Signature Elite ES20 vs. Q Acoustics 3030i - which of these three?? Can’t decide 😭

[@BhavikPatelhr]

Can you please make sound comparisons video between Elac debut B6.2 and new Polk ES20

[@DougMen1]

I'd like to hear both of them with the Yamaha S301 to see if it can improve them the way it has some other speakers compared to their sound with the Arcam

[@DougMen1]

the Elac has better clarity, treble extension, and air, but not enough to have to put up with its weak and thin bass. The kick drum in Punkd is positively anemic. It's too bad. If it weren't for its embarassing lack of bass, the Elac is the better speaker. But, I couldn't live with that. The win here goes to the Polk

[@BhavikPatelhr]

Polk rock

[@5675492]

Yes the Elac's do sound a little thin here but I don't think it's the fault of the speaker per se . It might be the set-up or the amp or some combination but , having owned these same Elac's for 2 years , I can asuure you they're not lacking in bass ( for a smallish 6 1/2in bookshelf that is ) . Here's a good youtube video of the Elac's handling some drums : " ELAC DEBUT 2.0 B-6.2 TEST / The Sheffield Track/ Drum Improvisation 1 "

[@DougMen1]

@@5675492 It could be that it's recorded too low, because some speakers are unbalanced at low volume levels, and don't open up and sound balanced until they're turned up more. It's definitely not the Arcam, 'cause it has plenty of bass with other speakers

[@5675492]

@@DougMen1 Yeah they definitely like power and sound best when they're at louder volumes . I'm using a vintage Adcom GFA-555 at 200wpc and the Elac's aren't intimidated at all lol .

[@williammiebach1798]

Lot's of reviewers have commented that the Elacs are not at their best at low volume, and they lack a bit of detail, sounstage and bass authority until you get them up to moderate volume, when they come alive. That said, he is using moderate volume on these demos, and everything else about them sounds just fine, and as you say even better than the Polks. Maybe they havn't been run in enough, from the one or two videos he did with them. Some speakers need to be well run in before they start making good bass. Just not the Polks appearently. And I've heard enough demo's of them and never felt they were bass shy, or bass heavy.

[@davidcarr2216]

Hard to pick a winner since they just different flavours of unflat.

[@spywithme]

Did you use your phone to record the samples?

[@charleyweinhardt]

wow, everything's better with the polk except the vocals are bad, dry-hollow-sharp. Elac singing the vocals, everything else is meh 7:33 woof

[@erwinaui2534]

Yes, I agreed with you.

[@thecockflock]

I was lucky enough to score a pair of the "B Stock" ELAC Debut 6.2's from the ELAC Outlet last year for $210. I have paired the speakers with an ELAC SUB1010 and the sound is very impressive. Be mindful that the ELAC's are a bit unforgiving when used with a lesser quality amp and source material.

[@gregarioussolitudinist5695]

I think the Polks sound better and half the price. NEXT.

[@gk51171]

xt20 sounds good for jazz, not so much for rock

[@j.d.2779]

Highs are different. Elac has a better tweeter.

[@RP-ms7lu]

Vocals better on elac 6.