Stereo - Super popular Debut 2.0 B6.2 speaker Review. How good can they be?

[@pauleee54]

I have just bought these Elec 6.2,s and i have to say they have blown me away with the sound, and for the money they are exceptional value, I'm a very happy bunny

[@QuantumJ67]

I really appreciate your balanced review and your criticism is explained well and also put in perspective. Of course, no speaker is perfect, but you explain the performance relative to your expectations. Good stuff.

[@sammavitae114]

This is an excellent, thoughtful review. I appreciate that you gave your thoughts time to develop. You questioned what you were experiencing and checked that against what your friends experienced . And your comment on the impact of negativity in a review is right on. Very much appreciate that you are going to review them again with less expensive front end. Thanks.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thank you. I will spend more time trying these speaker with different front end...just need to find time :)

[@saugghos]

‘Is it a problem with the speakers or is it a problem with me’ - very well said. I very often think same while testing speakers or even amps and wires.

[@alabamacajun7791]

Fourteen minutes that speaks volumes. I have to base the overall experience on the subject of phantom distortion. As @symitrey3086 8 months ago also referred to the elusive distortion. When I'm saying elusive or phantom I'm referring to the way our brains more the audio cortex "reflects" sound that reaches our brains allows us to perceive it. It more than likely some sort of effect the elements of the speaker are adding that normally slips through casual listening. You just have to be in the right position with respect to the drivers to hear it. We also have two ears adding to the spacial effects which is one reason we enjoy music. Fantastic review from someone that thinks MP3 is total poop. When I hear that it sounds WET. I can't wait to dock these to my Fosi V3. Thanks Thomas.

[@utjoseywales]

Love your reviews, and how you're diligent to "fairly quantify" the differences between speakers such as the Elacs (which I own and love) and those that cost 5 times the price. It sometimes boils down to diminishing returns, especially if you don't have the front end components that you have (and few do). That said, you're fair in being up front about that fact, so I appreciate that and respect your reviews as one of my go-to's when looking into different audio options. Keep up the great work!

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Glad you like those speakers. The more budget speakers I try, the more I appreciate them.

[@Chapterrifik]

@@ThomasAndStereo I'm undecided between the B5.2 and the B6.2 what are your thoughts on this.

[@UnitedRedDevil13]

CARLOS GOUVEIA debating these and the Dali Spektor 2. Testing both at home this next week.

[@TrialDeNovo]

I've had these for two months and have never heard the micro-distortion you mentioned. I've paired them with an inexpensive Yamaha RX-V671, and it's capable of driving them to adequate levels with no apparent distortion. I did add Elac's SUB3010 subwoofer which blends in nicely at a crossover of 80 Hz. I'm very pleased with this speaker system.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks for sharing, glad you enjoy them.

[@hormazdirani1431]

It is always fun to listen to your reviews. Thank you!

[@yannick930]

I've heard the same distortion when cranking up the volume. It comes from the cheap parts in the crossover. I replaced all the capacitors and resistor and changed the internal wire buy ofc and ofc/silver for the tweeter. The distortion is gone. The bass has more definition and the sibilance is gone too. The top end is silky smooth. The drivers on this speakers are amazing. The voice is even cleaner. I'm using them with the Atoll In30 and a chord mojo as a dac.

[@astroman269]

Hey, would you care to list the parts you used? I might be interested in doing the same modifications to mine. Thanks!

[@yannick930]

@@astroman269 S.C.R. MKP PB capacitors : 1 x 82 µf, 1 x 22µf, 2 x 1.5 µf. 3R9 5W MRA05 Mills Resistor and 68R 5W MRA05 Mills Resistor. I didn't touch the 2 air core coils nor the iron core coil. Maybe in the future when i learn the maths for calculating the inductance and the ESR.

[@ASSOpid]

You are an idiot. Look up psychoacoustics

[@robertomacabuhay2150]

I bought these speakers 2 months ago, hooked them to my Pioneer stereo receiver SX-10AE with specs less than .08% total harmonic distortion and made them my front speakers. Now that break-in period is over, it leaves me wanting for more dynamic sound that I expect to hear after a month of break-in. The tweeters are amazing, so clear I can hear cling clang sound and littlest sound details of instruments that seems like I'm watching the symphony orchestra perform right on the stage. The voices from the mid range stands out, its clarity is well defined but you are right I hear a micro distortion like a sandpaper sound when I raise the volume to high mid level. I play vinyl records of Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Patsy Cline, Johnnie Mathis on my Audio Technica WN40 turntable, yes, I do hear the distortion, but I don't get bothered by it because I describe it as a reverb sound included in their recording. Not really sure if it 's coming from my receiver or my turntable or speaker. The base is clear very best appreciated when played at low volume but when played at a high mid volume that leaves me wanting for more dynamic hifi sound of the base. From my own listening point of view I rate these speakers at 4 stars. As a result I will move these speakers from the front to the back end and put back my Polk Audio S15 to the front. Oh BTW these speakers are awesome - I rate it at 5 stars.

[@KingCrimson1981]

Thanks for this awesome review. You've sold me on these speakers. I have seen multiple reviews of these speakers and while they are not perfect, everyone I've seen that reviewed them said for the money they sound fantastic. I have a pair of JBL S26 bookshelf speakers, and while they've served me well, I'm listening to vinyl now with a quality table and a detailed cartridge (Ortofon Red) and the JBL's are just too bright, bordering on harsh. I've heard these described as warm, yet retaining clarity. That's what I'm looking for!

[@andtothewestamerica]

"If they don't impress you, spend $10,000 ... and I guarantee you'll be impressed." LOL. I needed that.

[@amazoidal]

Now $300 a pair list. Black Friday half-price - $149 at Audio Advisor, Crutchfield and more. No shipping or tax. A bargain at $75 each. Unlike the UB5 at $500 list, Black Friday $349, which has smaller woofer and rear port which makes the Debut better for shelf mounting. I bought 4 for $300. I like more treble so I use an EQ and they sound really good.

[@cdave2006]

Nice price there, now at 350 at Audio Advisor. Currently 300€ in Belgium, gonna get them soon. Thanks for the complet review.

[@Pitbull0669]

Great review and I appreciate your honesty because when I listen to most of the stuff in his series I feel the exact same way just crazy

[@drewmcauley8725]

Thank you for a great review and your honesty about your feelings and perceptions.

[@itsmekenlai]

Thanks for the review and sharing your perspective. These are amazing from a price/performance standpoint and you review them with that context in mind which is not easy.

[@changsu7384]

Thank you for the honest review! I just ordered my ELAC Debut 2.0 7.1 system. So excited to hear how it sounds!!!

[@brydon10]

Thomas - I got the speakers today and have everything setup. I am absolutely floored by them. The bass is perfect to my taste - punchy and accurate. there was more than I was expecting (which I'm happy about). I don't have a ton of speaker experience, but I have listened to many high end headphones. I can't believe how real everything sounds with these speakers. Having a fantastic time, your review was spot on. Take care!

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Congrats and thanks for coming to my channel to leave me a comment. Appreciate it. Also, if you ever upgrade your front end, you will see these speaker will scale very well and their performance keep improving.

[@flyfisher1649]

Excellent review....waiting on mine this week & will be pairing them with a Denon PMA 600 NE Amp....70 WPC@4ohms....55WPC @6 ohms

[@longmuskox4194]

8:45 I hear imperfections in some audio tracks with my B6's. These imperfections stand out or even disappear depending on the source/quality. The only thing about these imperfections that bother me are static, crackles, pops, and other similar sounds that are usually subtle background sounds with other speakers, but tend to stand out with the B6. I've heard some relate it to studio monitor speakers, but the closest I can relate it to would be electrostatic speakers except not to that extreme. I feel it's more the recording than the speakers. I'm extremely impressed with them no matter what type of music I listen to, and whether it be quiet or loud. Definitely my bargain of the century!

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Are you referring to B6 or B62? In my case, the recording I am using are the newer super clean one that I don't hear any issue with my other 5 speakers. I think it could be the material used in the woofer as I do hear some micro distortion with my other speaker that is made of kevlar. Someone pointed out in a comment and it got me thinking.

[@longmuskox4194]

I'm referring to B6.2. I gifted my aunt my old B6.1 set. She placed the B6.1's inside a solid wood entertainment center below her TV. The speakers are enclosed with the rear port firing back inside the enclosure. It sounds like more hard-hitting bass than I remember at home with her enclosure. Side by side at home the B6.2 sounded like it had stronger bass, but the B6.1 sounded more capable without distortion and cleaner sound with lower frequencies close to 40hz. It could have been the fact that the B6.2's had not been fully broken in yet. I do distinctively remember how the B6.1's sounded better after they had a good 40-50 hours of medium to high-level sound put through them.

[@longmuskox4194]

*Is the BBC dip still used in speakers?* kzbin.info/www/bejne/eX7CqHSKadd1gck

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Yeah, I saw that, really great video.

[@longmuskox4194]

I thought that maybe the concept discussed by Paul in that video could explain the distortions you may be hearing. This other video by Paul explains better what I was referring to in respect to bad recordings rather than poor sounding speakers. *What can be done to better recordings?* kzbin.info/www/bejne/mXLTZJ15h6dqfcU

[@hi-fihaven2257]

Great work on the review. Great commentary, thanks for all the hard work that you put into your videos. Very glad to see a review on this speaker model.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks, glad people enjoy it.

[@jshanker2005]

I come from the Logitech Z625. It is thumpy and loud. Voices sound like the singer has cupped his mouth while singing. I just bought the Elac B6.2 along with the Denon AVR-X250BT receiver. This is my first foray into a good quality music setup. Can't wait until Saturday !!

[@manzanaresantonio]

Hi, Thomas I am a big follower of your videos. The way I describe These Elacs is "Giant Killers" . They don't look refined, but they sound refined. I used to play with highly modified 4x4's doing offorading and there was a car, the Suzuki Samurai that was only 1,500 to 3,000 USD and with min modifications. It did better offoroad than way more expensive trucks, Jeeps, land Rovers, Toyotas and Hummers. That's the same way I see these Elacs, they outclass way more expensive speakers. I see some negative comments once in a while from people that probably got cheated by buying way more expensive speakers! ;))

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks for the comment. The Elacs definitely has changed the budget speaker world and am glad you liked them. If someone is looking a speaker in this budget, it's a no brainer.

[@sudd3660]

its the wire mesh grill that's the problem, one reviers manage to remove it and it had a positive effect. look it up and see how it works out for you.

[@nox1cous654]

The grills are there for a reason, they were voiced with them.

[@Chiroman527]

Excellent thorough and human honest review. I just got these speakers at a good price of $279. I see others got great bargains last year at $149 a pair. Wow. I listened to Sony CS (?) and Fluances Signature Series . These Elacs blew the Sonys right out of the water. Better than the Fluances (which are very good , but still not the caliber of the Elacs). I am so pleased that i came upon your review. And even more pleased that I got them. Keep up the good work

[@johnpolizzio2583]

I purchased a pair of these on this past Christmas day for $150 delivered from amazon. A/B with my towers in my LR and the Elacs sound better. Better detail and precision, and solid bass reproduction. Now use the Elacs 6.2s at my desktop pc and a mini Fosi amp with bass boost (read 2-3 feet from my ears). No need for a sub....they flat out ROCK. I'd buy another pair for 150 in a heart beat, but I guess I'll have to wait to next Christmas.

[@johnpolizzio2583]

And to add Elac site states bass to 44hz, but they will easily go down to 30hz utilizing test tones at my pc. Down a few decibels @ 30hz no doubt but the 6.2s are so sweet sounding overall. I have owned Klipsch towers but horns are harsh, much prefer the Elac 1" cloth dome tweeter and wave guide.

[@leomignonneau1765]

@@johnpolizzio2583 wait!?? what, 150? How?

[@johnpolizzio2583]

@@leomignonneau1765 They were on sale @ amazon. It was after Christmas sale. I purchased them 12/27/18, just looked up receipt. $150 delivered...super deal. Elac has on their website occasional B stock sales too, returns I believe. Great way to score a deal also.

[@johnpolizzio2583]

@@leomignonneau1765 -- elacdeals.com/

[@scottlowell493]

A little trivia about silk dome tweeters for the naysayers. Vifa makes a few models, up to $350 a pair. They are db matched within 1/2 db of each other. They can reach well beyond 30khz in a linear manner. They deliver 100% of the detail of metal domes without any resonance, noise, breakup etc. Zero fatigue. TRIAD audio uses the $350/pr Vifa silk domes in their $7000 a pair monitor golds (mated with a scan speak Revelator or equivalent Sb acoustics mid depending on year.) I have heard them firsthand. They are magnificently detailed and transparent. There is virtually no downside. The ELAC could use something equivalent to Vifa's $25 (Peerless by Tymphany D27TG35-06 1" Silk Dome Tweeter) tweeter, which is very good, especially for the price. The debut has great performance at the price point, but not a heavy hitter as can be expected. The elac+ a sub will destroy any $1500 tower. Vifa silk tweeter at parts express: www.parts-express.com/peerless-by-tymphany-d27tg35-06-1-silk-dome-tweeter--264-1022?gclid=Cj0KCQjww47nBRDlARIsAEJ34bk2zxOAHS33N5tLnmhkl8vyOrvEYrpWFOZtBE85FM882phWogUuNFkaAghZEALw_wcB

[@ThomasAndStereo]

some of the best soft dome tweeters I heard are Dynaudio Special 40 and the Esse quadro I reviewed. My earthquake titan tigris are also pretty ok.

[@scottlowell493]

@@ThomasAndStereo Dynaudio knows how to make a driver, and I like that they do it in-house.

[@califmike2003]

Listen to them today in the Best Buy Magnolia Sound Room I was blown away I have to say I was blown away and I have to agree with you 100% the vocal clarity is absolutely amazing like the singer is in the room with you and there is pretty decent bass on them to you cannot go wrong for $299

[@scottlowell493]

Most speakers, especially towers under $600 a pair are thump and sizzle. Sloppy bass, tinny tweeter or both. Elac is easily the best for the bucks.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

They are great and it makes me want to try other highly regarded budget speakers.

[@dchron8565]

I really enjoyed your review and commentary. Good choice with the B6.2! I've only seen one other subjective review on the net. If you keep your reviews honest and real, you'll have quite a following in the future. Here are some other 'budget' speakers to consider: - KEF Q100 / KEF Q150 / KEF Q350 - Monitor Audio Bronze 2 - Q Acoustics Concept 20 - Q Acoustics 3020/3020i - Ascend-CBM-170 SE - Dali Spektor 2 - Dali Zensor 3 - PSB Imagine XB - PSB Alpha B1 - Polk S15 - Polk S20 - Emotiva Airmotiv B1 - Wharfedale 225 - Wharfedale 10.1 - Mission LX2/QX2 - Rega RX1 - Revel Concerta2 M16 - JBL 230 - Acoustic Energy AE100

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Well, my review is my experience and I am not selling anything so I keep it real.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks for the list, what is you favorite?

[@dchron8565]

Thanks for taking the time to reply, Thomas. For less than $500 US (and with music by Yao Si Ting and Sarah McLachlan), I like three speakers on the list: the KEF Q150, Concept 20, and Wharfedale 225. For less than $1000 US, I like the Revel Concerta2 M16. I'd consider the Quad S-2 and Dynaudio M10/M20, too (not listed). Sincere thanks again for your videos, your insight into high-end audio, and, of course, your experience. I look forward to your follow-up review of the B6.2.

[@geraldcrook9504]

A very fair review Thomas . In the beginning i thought you did't like them that you were going to slate them. But after watching all the video i realised you just love sounds , And you probably have a good ear for quality sounds. So yes i can see were you are coming from. Still a very well portrayed video. many thanks Gerald south wales UK

[@htprimeaux8570]

Guarantee, it’s you. I hear no distortion. I just got my pair (8/23/2024) - open box - like new perfect condition for $200 I love these speakers.

[@benpatrick4889]

Just ordered these! Can’t wait! Thanks for the video 👍🏻

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks for the heads up, let me know what you think.

[@TADDs101]

So, how do you like them?

[@benpatrick4889]

I’m really happy with them. Could use a sub for more bass-heavy music, but overall they sound fantastic.

[@53patsfan]

So these are for anyone who does not want to spend $10,000 on a set of speakers, that means 99% of the population. What is bad for you, is once you hear something bad, YOU ALWAYS HEAR IT. The average person will not as you have a trained ear. I do not even know what MICRO-DISTORTION is!! GREAT REVIEW you are honest and have me convinced to buy them, even though I am not in the market for speakers. I am especially confident I will like them, and not expect them to be the last speaker I buy, but good enough for me in my bedroom. They seem to get most things right. THANKS

[@ThomasAndStereo]

i think they have it at best buy, why not drop by and listen. they work amazing with high end frontend , but with normal frontend, it's just ok.

[@brydon10]

Thanks for the review. Just ordered a pair for a price I couldn't refuse.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Especially when they go on special.

[@alanl2550]

Got mine for $150 U.S. dollars. Excellent deal on great speakers!

[@Tearial311]

Same experience. When I first heard them, I was blown away!

[@sdtx1112]

Great review. I paired these with an Emotiva TA-100 for a low cost entry level system and I couldn't be happier. Originally I had them placed on a table but when I put them on stands and about 18" from the wall, it made a huge difference despite them being front ported.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

I hear some many nice things about Emotiva TA-100, I would love to get one to try too. Yeah, I don't use them close to the wall too when I had them.

[@dpfreedman]

Dunno why, but these speakers are currently (Nov. 18, 2018) on sale everywhere (in the US) for a ludicrous $150/pair. I wasn't shopping for speakers but, at this price, who can resist? My just-purchased pair is now ready for pick up at my local Bestbuy.

[@fantom29comp]

David, i got my speakers from Crutchfield for around 300. They went on sale for 150.00. They refunded me the difference but i was like you, why are they doing this. At this price i can buy some for the garage as well. Ive got to buy a new 2 channel integrated amp. Thinking of NAD 326BEE. Cheers

[@arpeemac]

A Pathos preamp into a Mcintosh amp. These are top caliber equipment. I think any decent bookshelf speakers out there would sound great.

[@lakatster]

These are currently $299.99 CAD on Amazon right now, and I can’t sleep because I want to buy them (but don’t need them). I currently have PSB Alpha B1s, which to me are already wickedly good - I’m only a budget audio fan.

[@lakatster]

Forgot to say thank you for the detailed review.

[@TechEtrix]

Hey Thomas, The issue you are having with distortion is interesting, as I can totally relate. I own the more expensive Elac Carina BS243.4 with an AMT, but I sometimes / often do experience distortion that truly nobody talks about or even realizes. After some months, I believe I can clarify something here: it's neither our hearing nor the others' hearing. The issue relies with height clarity and listener's tolerance for distortion effects in music. The Elacs are so precise and highly resolving towards their top end that they present micro distortion effects "loud and clear" that other speakers cannot reproduce or reproduce at a way lower level. Even when other speakers manage to resolve these effects, they played more smooth, which made the distortion effect sound like purposeful distortion instead of a technical issue. This has gone so far that I thought I'm going crazy with some songs, I even switched the L and R channels, my amp and re-checked my Topping D90 MQA DAC. However, those purposeful distortion effects are there with other speakers and my Sony MDR-Z1R headphones, but they are "overpronounced" on the ELAC speakers. So I assume this overall is a tradeoff to make for the incredible height clarity.

[@wayneenterprise463]

One of the best $300 I've spent. Beautiful sound!

[@vicg5323]

Yes for 100 bucks in material they are awesome. That's is why Jones is a rock star. Even DIY can't beat it at that price in drivers along. I tested it with my 10K front end and did not hear any micro issues. Sound stage is huge. Only negative is that the speakers are power hungry.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

I would not be surprised they cost less than $80 USD to make! Recently they were on sale at Amazon for $149. It's just mind blowing how good they are for the price. Yes, they are power hungry and the micro issue, it's weird but I was able to replicate it with the Sony SSCS5 speaker with one specific cd. It's one of those audiophile recording.

[@cnhhnc]

Interesting review. I have a pair. And you are right! They are clean and the vocals are realistic if a bit too forward. Compared to the Jones cheaper Pioneers, the vocals are clearer and forward whereas the Pioneer SP-BS22s have less definition up high, less low end, do not image as well BUT they are very very very EASY to listen to. And the vocals sound good! They are not as clean as the Elacs, BUT, to be honest I find the Elac vocals while more realistic, a little less pleasing. The Pioneers do not offend, they are flatter, more neutral, less detailed and far less fatiguing! Most audiophiles would find them dark or flat, but then again, you can listen to these boys 24/7 with no fatigue. I find that omission may be important. For example, I cannot imagine your McIntosh amp WITHOUT that TUBE pre. I find Mcs too bright for me. Their old tube gear though, is REALLY nice! The Elacs to me, and I don't play a lot in the Hi-End, though I have heard high end bookies, move in that direction. They are more of an audiophile speaker than not, or they try to be. And, I believe they largely succeed. You might get yet more detailed and defined highs, even tighter faster bass, cleaner mids for $2K-4K and above but I find a lot of those taxing to my OLD ears! I'm not sure I'd like to hear, own something that is a LOT more detailed than these Elacs. I believe these are at my threshold of distaste! Though I have heard some Focals that have a very nice holographic sound stage that aren't too bright! Dynaudios tend toward bright IMO! So do some Focals. Especially once we get to the Beryllium tweeters. Sure they're fast, image well, are detailed, and so on. But I actually like the implementation of the Al/mag tweeter on the old Focal Profile series better? And better than all the new series that use that tweeter, don't know what they changed! As to the Elacs. The BASS is very dependent on amplification. You are NOT going to hear a lot of bass off a Sony $400-$500 receiver, though the clarity, hi-end and imaging are still OK. I had them on a 75 watt x 2 old school vintage integrated amp that weighs over 40 lbs with MOSFET output transistors and WOW what a difference in the low end and general fullness of the Elacs. What a shame that a $299 speaker needs serious amplification to shine. That is WHY I fault Jones in his DEMOS (he's NOT the only one who does this). When you have thousands of dollars to push your NEW speakers and you've carefully matched all variables to make them sound the BEST. Why should anyone be surprised that they do! I bet if I had some top of the line GamuT gear on my cheapo Pioneers, I'd be astonished! Let me put it this way, I heard a pair of Polk LSi-7s on an all GamuT system when I was in China, and WOW, just WOW. I've never heard those Polks sound like that ever again. Though they are a pretty good speaker (at $800 a pair). It would be more honest to run the Elacs on something like a $600-$800 NAD or less and a $500 Marantz CDP or less. That way we can get a better feel for what the AVERAGE consumer will hear-and, to be honest, even those are a little pricey for the average Joe who makes less than six figures? And there should also be a test with the best $500 surround receiver in stereo, because a lot of people will not be going higher than that! Your Arcam must have been USED. You can't buy Arcam gear new for $600? I've done the test with the Sony. OK, but no cigar. Good but not great. Still a little cleaner than most cheap speakers, but not much more than that. Wish I had a pair of Wharfedale Diamonds to run on that Sony and compare. I REALLY wonder if the Elacs are heads and shoulders above those and others in that category. I do have a test I can conduct. I have a pair of Energy RC-10s. Two way 5 1/4" bookie. A fairly mellow speaker with a good bottom end, good imaging, sound stage, enough detail, not too bright for a metal dome, more efficient than Elacs. A well-reviewed $550 MSRP speaker. And one that I "like"! Unfortunately, I have so much stuff that rewiring the Energys to the Sony would take half a day, lol! So, have I heard micro-distortions on the Elacs. I have heard minor distortion, I believe from the tweeter but only on FM stations-which because of the added resolution of the tweeter, might just be radio frequency issues?

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Love your feedback. You clearly have a passion for audio and I enjoy reading comments like this. You made a lot of good points and I feel the same. If you have not seen my unif elac review, please check it out kzbin.info/www/bejne/fnLFeZ95mK9gm6s Regarding the brightness issue, I hear you. I think you would like sonus faber toy which I had, those are more roll off and easy on the ear.

[@cnhhnc]

Thanks, I'll take a look. I am familiar with that brand, but, to be honest. I've never heard them demoed.

[@dangatton7138]

GR Research took off the screen mesh and it improved the distortion a easy fix .. great review on them there. thx for yours. im sending for sale now 259.00 awsome !

[@dangatton7138]

what cables were you using for them?

[@Audfile]

I like your reviews because you also have experience with speakers and systems costing multiple tens of thousands.

[@bobe3250]

I own a full set of Eggleston Works speakers Andra, Rosa and center and cant wait to buy these Elac's. Thank you for the review.

[@maze400]

I am replacing my center channel and was wondering how this would pair with my front (Wharfedale Valdus 400SE) speakers. Amp is an AVR, Onkyo NR7100 is a 5.1 configuration.

[@geeknproud321]

My first step into audiophile sound was powered monitors. I had a pair of Edifier S1000DBs and a pair of JBL LSR305s. Both still really excellent values. So I started out a bit underwhelmed by these speakers but they were basically a "safe bet" placeholder I could build up a component system around. I wanted to build a setup to support much higher dollar speakers(~$1000+) in the future after I had time to trial a few pairs. However, as I added components the B6.2s came into their own. Especially when I got my Schiit Bifrost 2/Lokius/Jotunheim 2 stack and a NAD C316 amplifier which is super overkill for them. In the end, I liked them so much I ended up matching my system to support them instead of them being a stand-in for something better. After removing the super restrictive grills and adding a subwoofer, they're easily enough to satisfy my audio needs. Their transparency and clarity was awesome for picking out my components BTW. I've got maybe ~$2000 in gear supporting a $400 set of speakers and I don't want to give them up now, lol. Trickle down technology works out sometimes. And yes, the grills are very restrictive on these particular speakers and Alex Jones himself says he voices his speakers without them. You can hear the difference immediately just moving the grill back and forth over the speaker face. The already grilled tweeter is pretty telling as to the intended design of the speaker. The walnut versions look fantastic with the grill removed BTW. For the money there definitely isn't anything better, and I'd argue they compete pretty well above their price point. I'd be considering these vs a $500-600 pair of speakers as well.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

I am glad you have experienced what I have experienced with them.

[@carlingtonme]

I love these speakers ,very neutral hits all the right stuff in my smallish listening room...don't obsess about your comments just tell it like it is. I enjoy these speakers with a 120 watt 1980s amp/preamp

[@RainbowCharade]

interesting, and intriguing!! Would love to revisit these speakers with another review and comparison test...

[@mikeb1039]

I got the floor model 6.2 for $369ea (amazon, bookshelf are $279) . 6.3 are $550 ea. Hella deal and wow! Left them solo for first couple of hours and then turned on the sub. Wow :)

[@celestial_sound]

Thanks for sharing with us @Thomas! According to stereophile lab results www.stereophile.com/content/elac-debut-b6-loudspeaker-measurements this speakers are not heavy load for the amp. The measurements reveals that the minimum magnitude is 6 ohms and that the impedance remains above 8 ohms for almost the entire audioband. Despite its low sensitivity, this speaker will be very easy for amplifiers to drive! Also, the electrical phase angle is high only when the impedance magnitude is also high meaning that this will be a very easy load for the partnering amplifier to drive.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Ah, that is great to know. Thanks for sharing.

[@bryandavis3582]

I removed the grill on the tweeters and put dynamat on the back of the woofer speaker basket "legs" and it made a world of difference.

[@floydloonie4880]

I can't say I've ever heard that statement before... "If you are not WOWed by these speakers, go spend 10 grand on a front end (amplifier setup) and you will be impressed!" LOL!! That's one way to look at the situation I guess! I'm a new visitor to your channel, having been sent to your videos on the recommendation of another You Tuber that I enjoy watching. The fact that you even spend time considering the quality of these speakers, says a lot about the way they sound, when I take into account the relatively high end speakers that you spend most of your time listening to that beautiful McIntosh stack through. I'd love to hear what my Bob Carver Platinum series Amazing Loudspeakers would sound like when lit up by your McIntosh rig!!

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks! Welcome to my channel. Yeah, the mcintosh rig is nice. I have since moved on to other setup and can't wait to share those in a future video. These Elacs are very good and they scale very well. The better frontend you give them, the more better they perform.

[@TastySanchez]

Great review thanks for posting. I'm looking to pick these up but the 5.2

[@WiliiamNoTell]

I enjoyed your review. just purchased a pair. My first impression was similar to yours I noticed some Distortion in the vocals. Not all the time, but sometimes. I've heard stereo systems that cost $250,000. And one question came to mind when listening to these speakers do we really need to spend that much money. My opinion go over budget on the amp under budget on the speakers and you'll be happier. I know a lot of people disagree, personally that's how I feel. But for $350 I truly was amazed at these speakers. Great review Thanks for Sharing. The one thing that upsets me more than anything in the audio industry is how overpriced equipment is. Good or even great audio does not have to break the bank

[@glennbmendoza]

Can you please compare that to "Monitor Audio Bronze 2" ? They have exactly the same price and also known for clarity. They say that it's one of the best speakers in relation to price ratio. I'm thorn between this 2 speakers for starting audiophile. Your opinion would save me a lot of money at the long run. Thanks

[@froggyemail]

Interesting how I swap the B62 with the Bronze 2, I prefer the B62, it seems to be more speaker than the Bronze 2, and less harsh.

[@jackallen6261]

First I wish to thank you for a VERY no nonsense, very critical and informative review!! I get so tired of the snake oil salesman reviews that just say it costs 10k so it's good and it costs 500$ so it's shit reviews. I have a pair of ELAC B5 speakers and I am BLOWN away by them so I can only imagine the B6 is a serious step up!! Just subbed!! Thank you!!

[@pufarinu]

would you choose these over Triangle Borea BR03?

[@MrSnakepit82]

Same question...😃

[@iwng54]

Thank you so much for reviewing an affordable pair of speakers. I do have a decent pair of floorstanding speakers with ribbon tweeters, amt midrange 3 woofers ( two eight and one ten inches) etc... but i am also always looking around for a pair of bookshelf speakers for my desktop computer. These days I am spending a lot more time on my desktop computer watching youtube channels like yours rather than listening to my full audio "grade" setup in my living room.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

have u tried the ls50?

[@reinervenegas875]

I am a fan of buying used gear, but I also recap and refurb audio gear. one of the things i do is double check gear before plugging in and connecting to my Magnepans. Checking for DC offset is so critical to make sure I am not frying my speakers with DC! That said, there are other people out here like me that refurb/modify/tinker with gear. The fact that it is used, you never know how each used item was used by the previous owner, for all you know, they have been overdriven with a low wattage amplifier that may have caused some minor damage(in this case, to the high frequency unit). With any item I buy used, I never assume it hasn't been abused, the opposite really. I think another review pair would rule out a defective unit, to be fair.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Ah, I see what you mean. Thanks!

[@larsv6144]

Excellent review. Please make a sound demo. Preferably against KEF LS50 and Klipsch RP600M or ELAC Uni-Fi UB5

[@ThomasAndStereo]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oWbZhIl5eamZrdk kzbin.info/www/bejne/r2nOc5dnjKp5mMU

[@leungkong]

Hi Thomas, I’m using KEF iQ10. The amplifier is SMSL DA9 or TEAC A-R630. If I change to B6.2, is it better? Thanks a lot.

[@chrisgblues]

I’ve had these for about a month now. I’ve never noticed any micro distortion. These are fantastic sounding speakers...for any price. The only thing I can think of causing your problem is the metal grille on the tweeter, try taking it off.

[@ProfessorJohnSmith]

chrisgblues they're not fantastic for any price. Only for the price they sell for. A high end speaker would use much more rigid bracing and cabinet. And better drivers.

[@1mykalfury]

Agree'd...that's why ELAC makes Adante series for $5k a pair. Note how much of a price split there is between the 2. JBL Studio series is a far better line in the same range give or take $50. ~ peace

[@cruzingrsx4484]

Thank you for the review, well done.

[@hugoarbucias5380]

hi there , I have them and they sound amazing, i have a Cambridge Topaz 20 , Bluesound Node 2, and a Project Debut Carbon turntable.

[@tariqwright5065]

Have you compared Andrew Jones' ELAC bookshelves to Andrew Jones Pioneer Elite bookshelves (SP-EBS73-LR)? What's your opinion?

[@ThomasAndStereo]

I never heard his pioneer bookshelves so no idea. Sorry,

[@philosopher0076]

Great review. Impressive speakers it seems. Question: Could I these be driven well enough with only a 50 watt Yamaha stereo reciever? It eould be for my friends very small studio apartment and she doesn't play music very loudly. I want to give them...and the budget Yamaha reciever...to her for Christmas. Thank you for any feedback.

[@vinny9875]

This was a great, thorough review. I think I need to grab a pair!

[@ThomasAndStereo]

They are only $149 when on special.

[@vinny9875]

Thomas & Stereo that’s an amazing deal!

[@puffdragon55]

A D makes some great for the money speakers love his stuff sounds good and is affordable

[@petertys]

Love your reviews. Which one is meet the audiophile level triangle borea br03 or Debut 2.0 B6.2 ?

[@איציקדנן-ב1ר]

Hello Sir. Is the Elac's B6.2, as a part of the 'Ps Audio' bundle offer, 999US$ Retailed (with the Spruce100 versatile digital int.amp & cables) is really may consider as 'Budget Hi-End grade' setup ? My current setup is the Mistral Audio(Napa Acoustic brand in the US: MM-6 hyb.int.amp with internal usb dac + the Reg-565 floorstanders).. thank's!!

[@cmkilcullen8176]

I think I hear what you are talking about. I am using them with a Yamaha AS 801 amp. I can not tell yet if that sound, that micro distortion has to do with the source or production of the recording or how the speaker handles the musical genre being played. It might reveal something or - not be able to clean up something in the recording. I hear it on some tracks from vinyl and compact discs. The sound you are referring to, or I think you are referring to, reminds me of a sound that I was getting from a speaker once where there was a connectivity issue with the speaker jack. What I mean is that the banana plug from the speaker cable plug was not making full contact within the jack, and so there was this slight "break up" of sound coming from the tweeter when I was playing certain types of music at a moderate to louder level. I am not suggesting that this is the cause or the source of what you are describing- but a reference to, in a milder and transient way that which you are referring to. It seems to have to do with a certain blending of recorded frequencies. I heard it playing a live lp by Eric Clapton (new clean vinyl), cd by Robben Ford and on a Rock station on Satellite Radio. I did not quite detect it when listening to jazz recordings, however. It may be a sound that the recorded musical genre brings this out for me - if it is indeed what you are experiencing. It can be annoying. I bought these speakers in an effort to get a speaker within budget limits that were not as harsh as the Klipsch line - which I have been a fan of for quite a while. These days I was trying to get a clean, detailed, but warmer sound. These were recommended or Polks. The Wharfedale diamonds simply did not do it for me. For me those were too "warm". These are closer. Well ... for what it is worth. I am not a hi budget audiophile. I do not clearly know what the qualifications are for an audiophile (hi or low) - but - I have been into what was once called Hi Fi for a while. The gear I play music on consists of the aforementioned Yamaha amp, nad cd player, onkyo direct drive turntable with an ortofon red cartridge, Klipsch sub and Sirius Satellite tuner. Peace -

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Thanks for the comment. In my case, I later found out it was the recording cause I heard it on another speaker with the same issue with the same song. That record was very high resolution and sharp.

[@shardie78239]

Ok after seeing this video I know understand the power of influencers on the Internet. I was so impressed I ordered them on my phone from the car driving home. When I saw the price I was laughing so hard. I had them overnighted. Going to be interesting to see if I hear what you here.

[@miken9449]

Now on sale for $149 a pair at selected retailers (for Black Fri I'm guessing). Just got mine today at BBuy. Sound great for price. Remind me of my old Small Advents!

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Glad you enjoyed them and you got yourself a great deal.

[@amb3cog]

Thanks Thomas. Another great video! You've really got me thinking about Elac speakers. I need to find somewhere that has some I can listen to. I don't think these would be the ones exactly, but maybe the Uni-Fi's would do. As I like a warmer sound. Either way. The review was very much appreciated. Hope all is well in your life. Best wishes to you, and yours.

[@i.am.Crispin.Crunch]

The Uni-Fi UB5 has much tighter bass with no boom bloom and warmer still detailed but much less fatiguing tweeter than the B6. Not sure about the B6 version 2. The UB5 image like bandits several orders of magnitude better than the B6, and the soundstage is much bigger. The only caveat: the UB5 need a strong current 4ohm amp to really get them sounding their best.

[@amb3cog]

Crispin Crunch Thanks for the reply. Very much appreciated. I've been thinking about these for a while. I have the electronics already, and quite a few nice vintage speakers. But I've been thinking that I want to try something new, and I've been looking at these smaller speakers. So I bought a used pair of small ones to try. They're NEAR 15m's. Considered very nice, very neutral, and very revealing. Not really my cuppa, but figured for $85 it's worth a shot. Tried them on my setup with a audiophile type SS preamp, the Holographic Audio Pre 25. And my AVA Omega Star 250EX amp. Which sounded nice with my old KLH Model 33's, but I hated them. Very thin sounding. Then I tried them with a tube preamp, a lightly modified Bottlehead Quickie. And oh man. Wow! So now I'm more interested then ever in trying these. But I'm still unsure if I should go with the towers, or the bookshelves. I need to do more research on these, but that's fine. I'm not in a hurry at all. Because I use a low power tube amp in my room also, and don't have much space. I'm thinking I should get the bookshelves. That way I can put them on top of my other speakers. But I don't want to be lacking in the bass. So I'm still up in the air on it. But of course every bit of info helps, including your comment. And this review. Even though I'm probably not buying these. It was certainly nice to hear the bass was good on these. Gives me hope for the UB5. Especially after you saying they're tighter. That's what I like. Time to get Googling I think.

[@i.am.Crispin.Crunch]

Trust me, the UB5 are not wanting for deep tight punchy musical bass. They easily dig deep into the 40Hz range. I got the bookshelf as a secondary to my reference system. Holographic Audio, wow. Sometimes people in Europe are so lucky.

[@i.am.Crispin.Crunch]

Zero Fidelity here on KZbin gave the Holographic Audio stack (PRE 25 + AMP 17) a really good review, and he doesn't really like the sterile audiophile sound. However, in comparison I could see where the warmth of a DHT pre would be no match for Holographic Audio's ethos of neutrality. Is it the Holographic Audio PRE 25? I would love to buy it if you are ever going to sell it, especially if I could also find the AMP 17.

[@amb3cog]

Crispin Crunch Yup that's why I bought it. His was the only review I could find. And I'm a big fan of his channel. His review was spot on. But I'm fairly new to this. So I wanted to try a SS preamp (it's the only one I've owned), and I obviously seriously underestimated what I had already. I really a tube guy at heart, but want more power without spending a fortune. So I'm playing around to see what I like. And I've found I'm okay with SS amps when I have a tube preamp in front of it. Although I think I need to play around with my gear more. And I'm pretty sure I can get it to working to where I can enjoy it. But I must say. It's tempting to sell it. Only because there's so much other gear I want to try. It is really good though, and I'm not quite sure I've really given it a fair shake. I've only tried it with two of my speakers, and one amp. One DAC too. Let me think on that one. I'll get back to you in the next few days. I work all weekend, but have Monday off. So say by Tuesday at the latest. I'll let you know. I can post on here, or if you want to post your email on here maybe?

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Hi Everyone, I mentioned that i was going to do some test with entry level integrated amp but I recently sold it and did not have the time to do it. Sound Demo : kzbin.info/www/bejne/oWbZhIl5eamZrdk

[@tootoottoot]

Thomas & Stereo I can't wait for your review. Hopefully it all goes well.

[@wim1983]

Try Wharfedale Denton, kinda a close mid range HiFi speakers, very nice heritage value both in sound and design, though I hope they would make it more special in future

[@suntoryjim]

I'm using these speakers with a $50 TPA3116 "100WPC" mini amp and $29 Berhinger UCA202 DAC (can't get more budget than that!) and I can tell you that they sound phenomenal (compared to my previous speakers: Polk Tsi100). I listen to music all day long with these on the desktop about an arm's length away and I never get fatigued. When I push the bass on these at high volumes, I have to look around and make sure I don't have a sub woofer somewhere that I forgot I had installed. ; ) Deep, clear, defined bass without the boom. Bottom line: if you need a sub-$300 speaker system and live in an apartment or other noise-restricting scenario where a sub-woofer is out of the question, then you won't find a speaker that delivers as much musical spectrum as these do. The B6.2s really exemplify "bang for buck".

[@alexanderg26]

Thomas, I got these based on your review (it also didn't hurt that they were $149, no tax, free ship.) They sound great right out of the box. Can't wait to break these in and really enjoy their full glory. I just wanted to say thanks for your hard work in putting these videos together.

[@dayatdylon7011]

@@wim1983 do you have the Denton 80th? which do you prefer? these are some that i'm considering, but it will be used with simple integrated all in one amp that does radio, spotify, and maybe even a cd player.

[@erikbarsingerhorn4485]

Did i saw there the Asus Xonar HDAV 1.3 ... does it still sell.. This card was one of the first to send HDMI image and sound to your Amp without extra spdif, along with the Auzentech X-Fi HomeTheater HD Both really good for that time, was it 2011 .. There is also a Slim version of the Asus Xonar HDAV. I still use this in my HTPC.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Yup, i got that so long ago, Works great.

[@ExploringWorldYouTube]

Thanks to share this interesting video. I need to ask a question please. I need 2 speaker to listen TV. I make video editing and I make documentaries with narrator voice. I'm thinking to buy Elac Debut b5.2. In your opinion are there other better speakers with the same price and for this purpose? I thank you.

[@johnsanders9688]

As mentioned before I have these speakers but in walnut color and hard to come by! Very rich looking! I have them driven by a Naim Nait 5si 60 watt integrated amp. My front end is an Arcam Ir dac using Kimber Silver Streak interconnects with Naim NACA A5 speaker cables sitting on 20" Pangea speaker stands. They sizzle! I think you can get every last note, etc when paring with a high current amp! Ultimately you can pair very inexpensive speakers with high quality amps and a get great sounding experience! But for me its always the amp first, speakers second!

[@hiu35]

Thank You for this Video 🙏 Hi from India 🇮🇳

[@TADDs101]

$229 free shipping on Amazon (as of today 9/28)

[@mcjonner]

So these would play better in a large room compared to the ub5's? I really like the idea of a 3way bookshelf and center for my fronts.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

I would be more concern with which type of sound works for you, these are brighter and might not be for everyone.

[@bluematrix5001]

how they compared against the Buchardt S300 or S400?

[@iwng54]

Pairing the MC452 to these affordable Elac, that is something i would totally do. I started my audiophile journey back in the days when people in audio forums were talking about building a system by choosing the amplifier first. Back then I thought that was insane. Sound comes form the speaker and that should be where I should start building my system around. Laws of physics! But after going through so many different brands of speakers, I wish that I started picking a good amplifier first.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

i will touch on that topic one day and its interesting i kind of ended up doing the same....

[@citycafe291267]

hi Thomas. you are right, this speakers has micro distortion on treble, i have a new pair, bought last week , for certain music, example: James Black, i felt sometimes a distortion when the highs are very pronounced. But They are a awesome speakers, not for the price, but they really exceptional , more transparent, more tridimensional than Kef Ls50 and i hope with more time the bass improve.

[@MulksBikes]

I'm building an audiophile setup as a beginner, and I've narrowed down my speaker choice to these and the Klipsch rp-500m. I assume the obvious choice is the Klipsch, but I keep seeing these pop up. What's your choice? One of these two , or perhaps something else?

[@erickyu1191]

Can't wait for the normal system review! I've just started getting into the budget audiophile bandwagon with an emotiva basx a-100, ifi nano dsd black, and a pair of Polk rti4 bookshelves. I'm curious if the elac b6.2 would be a worthy upgrade from the rti4s.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Although I would guess that it is an upgrade, I would however suggest you upgrade to something way more if you want a super upgrade. A full tower would be better. Or at least the LS50 KEF.

[@tomhamilton6377]

Rarely see reviews and comparisons of vintage speakers with newer ones. Would love to hear your opinion on jbl l1 bookshelf compared to modern speakers like elac etc. Pair of Used jbl l1 can be found for around $300.

[@ajawalkure]

Don't doubt your ears and intuition.

[@dougg1075]

Try those new Klipsch bookshelves Guttenberg just gave speaker of the year. I’m curious if they would be a good match for my vintage flea watt amp. Would love your opinion.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Hmm, only thing you might want to be conscious about is that those are horn design and in my opinion, it might be not for everyone. I have to listen to it to really know though. THhs is just an opinion from my limited experience with horn speakers.

[@efthimistiligadas129]

very nice review what amplifire you could suggest for these speakers???

[@ThomasAndStereo]

BC acoustique EX214 which I will review soon or IOTAVX as well as Yamaha WXA50

[@efthimistiligadas129]

@@ThomasAndStereo the Denon PMA-600NE would you think that is ok for these speakers?

[@stronty]

Hi Thomas, I wonder how an 8 inch UniFi version of the debut 2.0 would compare to the HSU CCB-8. The CCB-8's are very fun to listen to and have their own wow factor.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Those HSU are very surprising. I wonder how they wound. 8 inch Unifi? Not sure it's material used can handle 8 inch without being too slow.

[@mikeoleksa]

I'm looking at these Elac Debut 2.0 B6.2 speakers and the Polk Signature S20 for fronts and rears in a 5.1 setup. My choice of center will just be something that matches. I already have a BIC V-1220 subwoofer and a Yamaha RX-V479 amplifier. My source is HDMI from a high end graphics card in my $4,000 USD custom built computer. I like my music and like it loud. I also watch a lot of movies. All of it is stored in very high quality on my hard drives in my computer. I've heard great things about both speakers. I just can't find anything that pushes me toward one or the other. Any suggestions or feedback would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

I think Sean at Zero fidelity reviewed both. If I remember, the S20 is brighter and more detail. For some, that is a deal breaker if they can't stand the brightness. At the same time, some call the Elac dull and those are the people who love bright speakers. Really depends on if you like bright speaker or not.

[@mikeoleksa]

@@ThomasAndStereo, I do have a BIC V-1220 sub to fill the lows. With your response here I'm wondering if the Polk S20 would be a better fit. Getting some higher highs to go with the lower lows. Giving it an even fuller sound. I'm currently using some Boston Acoustics HD7 speakers and I like them, but they are only on loan until I get my own speakers.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

@@mikeoleksaPerhaps ask the question at Sean's video? Someone else might answer. Good luck to your search and let me know.

[@kidowmer]

Hi Thomas, can I ask your opinion on pairing these speakers with Marantz pm6006? You mentioned that they are not easy to drive. Would pm6006 be good enough? Appreciate your opinion. Thanks.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

I never try that Marantz class amp so don't know. Sean from Zero fidelity did a review recently and you should check it out. 60w@ 4 ohm is decent. Marantz has a warm sound from what i heard so it depends if you like that kind of sound or not.

[@kidowmer]

@@ThomasAndStereo Thank you for your reply & suggestion. Yes, I will check out the video you suggested. Love your analysis of this speaker btw. It's true that some of us will not be able to afford top end amps & cd players, so regrettably, the potential of a speaker is limited.

[@leapers124]

Detailed and informative as usual

[@TADDs101]

So how would these speakers be with a vintage fully restored Marantz 2245 ?

[@ThomasAndStereo]

I did not try it on my friend vintage Marantz but would guess it's fine. I would wish it had a bit more power but if you are truly interested, then buy from a place where you can return if it does not work for you.

[@tpr299]

They should sound great. I used the original Elac B6 with my Marantz SR 2000, and it was impressive.

[@williaml1570]

Good review man. I've have both the original and the 2.0s. The originals were fun rock and roll but these are very refined. You can have a really hi-fidelity experience on a budget that working people can afford. The worst thing that will happen is that you'll slap them in your office or an extra TV speaker if your expectations are so low... but my guess is that you will use them in a more serious manner when you listen to them. Everyone who has listened to these believe they are much more than 280 dollars. This I can say with confidence. It's a consistent surprise. Very versatile; can play intricate detailed music but I can also push enough bass from those 6.5's to feel the port wind from 6 feet away with 140 watts...

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Yes! The port wind, that is exactly what I feel from 6 feet away. Yeah for $280 US , can't go wrong. The only fear I have is people not driving it with good enough front end and end up dismissing it as mediocre.

[@williaml1570]

I actually have these on a Harmon Kardon 3490, which is their heavy 2008 design and a Pinnacle Baby Boomer sealed 8 inch opposing driver sub. Its a very speedy combo of drivers and the freakin elacs will do 42? hz flat by themselves. Im including a few links at the bottom with some interesting stuff you might like to experiment with. This is a good time to be an audiophile- consumers have gotten more informed and a lot of very tech savvy consumers seem to be in the market- starting with headphones but the science and data is always demanded by the public now. they want to know why something sounds good, why their design is anything but a gimmick. I like this a lot, because as you said: these technologies are trickling down from high end R&D and at the same time you have a wave of people demanding some of the better performance, especially in the speakers themselves. There is going to be a lot of new, high performance affordable audio in the future. It's exciting because like you said- you have such low expectations and some of these new products just blow your mind. Budget audio to me is a totally separate but fun market to always be exploring because they too can innovate in some strange ways. These new cheapo class-D amps are even listenable. I have one of the SMSL 80 watt guys for my patio speaker and I think they do like 60 watts @ .1% whereas a few years ago 30 watts was 10% THD. Really crazy stuff, these are good for experimenting too: www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-apa150-150w-power-amplifier--300-812 www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-dta-120bt-class-d-mini-amplifier-60-wpc-with-bluetooth-and-power-supply--300-3802 www.amazon.com/SMSL-50Wx2-TDA7492-Amplifier-Adapter/dp/B00F0H8TOC/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1530841951&sr=8-8&keywords=class+d+amp (not affil. links) I had REALLLLY good luck with these guys, the outdoor OSD (another brand I thought was BS until I bit the bullet. The are ported and under and eve to bass trap and ROCK out but cheap) www.amazon.com/6-5-Inch-Architectural-Outdoor-Weather-Resistant-Speakers/dp/B001X50OPM?ref=ast_p_pc_bs&th=1 Cheers

[@amb3cog]

Bill I agree. It's a great time to be into HiFi. And those speakers look very interesting. I would love to enjoy nice music on my deck. Very good specs too. As for the Class D stuff. I've been researching that a lot lately. And if you're enjoying that stuff. You need to check out what else is out there right now. From my reading the SMSL stuff is just the beginning, and some of the Dayton stuff is real nice too. But there's much better, and in the same price range according to what I've read anyway. Especially if you don't mind a little DIY, and I do mean a little. TPA3251, TPA3255, TPA3116, etc. Are supposed to be great. And check out the Allo Volt (there's more then one version), and if you want to go big time. The Hypex Ncore's ratings are off the charts. I'm definitely going to try one of these soon. This enormous thread has tons of info, and reviews from people that enjoy Class D. It's what got me interested in Class D. And I've found a lot more info since. audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/tpa-3116-vs-the-tripaths.574806/

[@williaml1570]

Scott Thanks for the links. I've been delving a tiny bit into a electronics- I've even gotten quite good with the soldering iron. I think it may be time I go directly to building around chips myself. It certainly makes many concepts much more concrete just by having the hands on experience. PS. Those speakers come in that body, but the woofer is aluminum and the tweeter is still a silk dome but without the guide cover. This version seems to have an upgraded waveguide as well. According to the manufacturer this was an a materials upgrade. just thought i'd throw that out there for ya. Also, sample these elacs if you havent had the chance!

[@amb3cog]

Bill I really want to hear them. But need to save up funds first. Had car issues recently that sucked up a bunch of my money. And those speakers look really nice to me. I would have balked at the plastic in the past, but I own some Canton Quinto 540's I found on Craigslist. And doing research on them I came across people that are in love with some of these style speakers built into a plastic housing by Canton. And they go for decent money too. So I know these can sound good. Besides it's Amazon. You can send them back if you don't like them. I doubt I would do that, but you could. As for the chip amps. The ones I'm talking about are amp boards. No need to do much at all. Just wire in a power supply really. They can be sensitive to RF noise, and such though. So a case may be a good idea. But I'm just going to mount one to a board, or something to try it. Before I spend money on a case. And they supposedly sound good with reasonably priced switch mode power supplies. So very cheap. Although I would recommend spending a little extra on a Mean Well brand one. Nelson Pass likes them a lot, and that's good enough for me right there. All in the future though. Got to pay them bills first. Then we'll see. The hard part with all this is deciding where your money is spent the best. So many small things I want to buy, and/or try. So I save up, and every month, or so I get something. But every month it's the same. Which should I get first? What's going to make the biggest impact/give me the most enjoyment? First World problems though right? LOL

[@dsartain3404]

Thanks for an excellent and balanced review.

[@ThomasAndStereo]

Glad you enjoyed it!