WHAT IS INSIDE YOUR SPEAKERS?

[@andrewrobinsonreviews]

🔌 This week’s Unplugged with the Elac speakers bit.ly/4dk0ERA or amzn.to/3Xu8qSW! Check the description for all the rest! 🔌Questions about the new Elac Debut? Watch the full review here kzbin.info/www/bejne/eGStfKR7d8tsZ9k 😀If you enjoyed this video, please hit the 👍 Like button! Watch every UNPLUGGED here bit.ly/43NnDkT 🙏Please stay on topic & be respectful. ⬆Channel Policies and FTC Disclosures are available in the description box above.

[@stephenyoud6125]

Why haven’t you accepted Danny Richie’s invitation to visit his facility and evaluate his work on our behalf, whether it’s his open baffle designs as well as the crossover upgrades. Don’t be like Gene Della Salla at Audioholics and wimp out with lame excuses. Danny’s upgrades are all about crossover parts quality as well as ensuring driver integration and smooth response

[@KristiWright]

@@stephenyoud6125 If the "invitation" I believe you are referencing is the one he made in that ridiculous video that he and Ron put out suggesting that before he sent out his product for review, you needed to come to his facility to be trained on how to listen to and evaluate his/any product respectfully, that wasn't an invitation; that was nothing more than a man set out to belittle other reviewers. Even if we were to take his invitation as genuine, why would we travel to a facility (on our own dime, no less) to review his product rather than review it in our space like every other product from any other brand? Would you accept such a requirement from another brand, or would you see it as an attempt to influence the review or reviewer? Rather than ask us why we haven't accepted an "invitation," why not ask yourself what makes his product different from any other. Why shouldn't his product be reviewed in the reviewer's space where it will have the opportunity to be tested and compared to its peers and be treated no differently than any other product, especially since he claims to have superior products or offers a fix for? I can tell you that if Elac had told us we had to come wherever they are to listen and review their product, there's no way we would have said yes. And I have a feeling if that had been the requirement, the audience would not have seen it as a gracious invitation to "visit" their facility. To be clear, this is our policy regardless of the brand or product. From our perspective, "reviews" that take place off-site and are controlled by the manufacturer aren't really reviews but rather advertisements for a product. I take no issue with anyone who feels differently, brands that do them, or reviewers that participate in those scenarios. We simply don't do them, and if we ever did, there would be no confusion that it was any but a sponsored project and not a "review." I really hope this helps explain our position.

[@MaZEEZaM]

Please do include comments on speakers or Amps that you found not to work or had issues. Even if its a quality control or firmware requirement cause, its still very important to know about in case your viewers were considering buying them. Even if its tacked on the end of these Unplugged videos as Unhonourable mentions.

[@Beer_Dad1975]

"Provided the app works"... LMFAO! Yeah, I have about $10,000 worth of Sonos kit - and that's exactly how I'm feeling at the moment.

[@modemmark421]

Thank you Andrew and Kristi; after my $10k (cumulatively over 15yrs) Frankenstein system of carefully selected audiophile separates finally gave up the ghost in 2019, I started looking for replacement. In my research, I was Blown Away by how much the state of the art had improved since the 1990's! After Your review and recommendation, I purchased the Kanto Tuk, with stands, and a sub for less than $2k!!! Tuk sound much more resolving, revealing, spacious, with shockingly cleaner detail than my old system did, for less than $2k! Best speaker purchase I've ever made! I liked the Tuk so well that I've purchased a second pair for my other home.

[@error079]

If crossover components and cone material does not matter then why do speakers sound diffrent? I have upgraded the crossover in my speakers myself just by replaceing the same vaule compenents with better quality ones and now the speaker sounds better. Quality of parts do make a difference. Try building a pair DIY speaker kits, one set with stock parts and the other with upgraded parts and listen for yourself. Or buy a set of comercial speakers and do the same.

[@Bucefal76]

This is mistake so your loudspeakers will sound different. No more as it was designed. Each capacitor has equivalent serial resistance. If you replace electrolytic capacitor with high esr to film one with low esr you shall also correct resistors. Only resistors and inductors can be swap for same values but better quality without measurements and desig work.

[@joonas4427]

If you have to ask why speakers sound different maybe you should find out why. Def not bcouse cables and high end crossover components.

[@danchiasson]

The components inside a speaker are in fact very important to many of us. The 'who cares" attitude is short sighted for such a channel. I'm an engineer and I know for a fact that many of todays mass market products (even well engineered ones) are shipped to market with known manufacturing tradeoffs (cost, supply chain, etc). Some components inevitably fall short in performance or durability. E.g. Cars (lackluster tires, suspension, audio system, etc. on a new luxury car). In many cases, upgrading certain components can have a HUGE impact and improve performance and longevity on an otherwise well designed product. It's not always as simple as simply buying another product instead. Also, many people actually enjoy the process of upgrading and customizing.

[@SuperMcgenius]

At the end of the day, parts matter, if you put crappy tires on a Porsche, you’re not gonna be happy

[@HudyGamer14]

So you're saying if I put Pirelli P zeros on a Camry, that Porsche better watch out because of the upmarket component I just added. 😂

[@whome8192]

Jeez dude. You have some hate against DIY. The hobby is different things for different people. If someone wants to replace cheap capacitors, and inductors in a speaker let them.

[@54tristin]

He does let them, he just not convinced it’s worth it

[@Corndog642]

If they all use the cheapest parts then they use them at all levels. So choosing the next level up doesn’t really solve the problem.

[@stevejenkins-rq3fq]

I spent many years designing crossovers for high end 3 way transmission line speakers , even though I tried to be budget conscious these would regularly cost £200 /300 per side.... and that was making compromises. So its easy to see why a 3k commercial speaker just cant have a decent crossover, those of us that have experimented with crossovers foy years realise its what makes or breaks a speaker.. drive units are actually not that expensive... its the crossovers. Wrong Audience though Andrew.

[@jimhart7553]

So does not tube rolling matter??? Your thought process seems rather narrow minded.

[@Rockit66]

I think you guys are missing the point with crossovers. you can tune it like a EQ as you like the sound. Some are good at it, and some are less good at it. But with the cheap parts you are just getting that, and not all the clarity or should I say all the noise that is there. The majority are probably not aware of it, but you wont understand it if you don't know what to listen for. All in all we are not talking about things that everybody will notice, but it is there and when you have discovered it you might rather have that and opt to use EQ on your stereo instead if you want some extra extra something. Don't get me wrong, I have had speakers that are tuned like this, and have slite distortion and such, but they still sound fun and really good than cheaper alternatives. None the less after hours of listening there is always something more relaxing with a good crossover that has the least amount of stored energy and so on. So seeing the crossover can immediately tell us who do care how that speaker will sound on certain aspects of the entire soundstage.

[@joemalone7385]

I have a pair of Stradivari Amorat floorstanders, current cost is around £12500 in the UK. Imagine my surprise when I found they contained a pair of cheap VIFA tweeters costing around £40-£50 for the pair and the thing is, I knew the higher frequencies were not as good as they should be. After a bit of research I found a pair of new scanspeak illuminators costing 10x the price of the original. They needed to be soldered in but were perfect in terms of size and specification. These have transformed my listening experience. You can talk abouy diy speakers but dont think that just because you buy expensive speakers you are getting expensive parts. As I now know, many contain cheap parts that can be improved upon.

[@audiogear6978]

Very tough one to swallow, parts are critical! I can tell you after many ,many crossovers upgrades, is night and day difference. Manufactures cuts a lot a costs in parts, maybe you have a very speaker design and potential and the upgrade will take it to the next level.

[@joonas4427]

Ive compared countless parts and capasitors and there is 0 difference if values are the same. Just use cheap poly caps and you are fine. Cant get any better.

[@mikehartigan2703]

There's another way to look at this. Think about people who buy cars. Some people buy a car and think of it as simple transportation. Some people buy really nice cars and enjoy really nice transportation. Then there's people who buy a car, maybe even a really nice, expensive, and fast car and immediately pop the hood and start and swapping or adding parts. There are countless companies out there who have been selling aftermarket performance products for years.... Nobody considers that strange. Nobody says that companies that sell hot rod car parts are tricking people into thinking their cars are no good. To me it's the same thing. I don't understand the difference.

[@Brandonbuilt]

GR is basically saying many popular speakers are flawed out of the box and people are buying inferior products and basically getting ripped off, unless of course, you buy and install their upgrade kits. This is the impression I got from their videos almost immediately.

[@SuperMcgenius]

Yes Andrew, don’t spend $200 on Modifying a $ 400 speaker, but I there are two examples of successful companies using really cheap parts that Compromise Sound. The two standouts in this category are magnapan and Klipsch. Both use poor Quality crossover parts, and both lack attention to proper bracing for economical reasons. I have modified both the speakers brands for friends that have made a worthwhile improvement. Now, for reference, I have built many loudspeakers. A few were terrible when I started the rest, pretty good to great, but I did come across a pair of Vandersteen fives that I could not improve on.

[@318ishonk]

My holiday speakers: Buchardt A500SE. Active, wireless, go down to 25 Hz, easy to set up & adapt to room acoustics, plenty loud if needed and not too big to transport. Took them to multiple airbnbs and that showed me how much room acoustics differ from room to room.

[@jamesmckeehan7935]

I got here from the GR Research video. I kind of think it like this. You buy a car you can afford and after a while you would like a little more performance out of it. Same with speakers. There is a lot of fun actually getting in there and working on something yourself. I don’t begrudge anyone for trying something out and getting a little experience with it and possibly learning something in the process.

[@Brandonbuilt]

Upgrading or tinkering if you want to is fine, but GR is sorta coming from the viewpoint some speakers are flawed and only sound good once those flaws are corrected by installing their kits.

[@chinmeysway]

if he showed adequate testing before and after then sure ppl would be able to trust it’s more than just free advertising and arrogance. changing a value of a component changes design which changes sounds and it ga easily go either way could sound worse. like his magic cable he has placebo testing things for you. talks down to scientific thinkers by a associating us w flat earth ers which is great evident of his manipulative insecure scammer confirmation biased ways

[@rangerrecon]

If you want to tweak and expirement, there is nothing wrong with that - I get into that myself. You just have to be aware of two things: 1) It can easily be a rabbit hole that goes deep, fast. This means you can start spending a lot of money and that can influence, subconsciously, your opinion as to if the tweaks have made improvements. Some people don't mind this as they love to tweak and experiment. There is nothing wrong with that. 2) Marketing hype can influence people into thinking more about what components and engineering went into a speaker (or any component) vs the sonic profile it will have when you listen to it in your space. And that is the point of this video. You should be open minded and buying what sounds good to you, which mitigates the need to tweak to begin with.

[@sweeler3216]

If I’m spending more than $400 on a pair of speakers I want to know what’s inside of them and that I’m getting my moneys worth. If you don’t care about what’s inside the speaker, find a different hobby

[@diakojim1977]

Realistically, the price you set as standard, i think is a little bit low for us to expect better components, but if i go for more than $999 on a pair.. Well, i definitely care!

[@stevenshelp1107]

Moneys worth is if they look good in my environment, and I enjoy the sound. I could care less inside of the speaker that I don't see, sounds like this hobby might not be for you.

[@HudyGamer14]

Just google for pics then. I think most people wouldn’t care what’s inside a $400 pair of speakers. Just trust that the sound signature of the speaker is as intended by said company. I’ve had $2000 speakers and currently have $30k speakers and I was never intrigued as to what’s inside. I like the sound and the looks and that’s all that matters. I’ve seen my father go down the rabbit hole with tinkering with crossover parts. All a waste of money. Though I am talking about 30 years ago so maybe we have more knowledge of what works and what doesn’t now

[@bencarignan2711]

Of course parts matter. If they didn't, no manufacturer would bother including high quality components. Every speaker is made to a price point and some manufacturers put that money into making the speaker enclosure attractive, while others put it into the drivers and crossovers. Which do you think performs better?

[@rangerrecon]

Wow - this video really blew up. Danny responded as have others that are throwing their hat into the ring. I think that people are responding to this video too literally. I'm sure none of us would be happy with a crossover comprised of a paper clip and a buffalo nickle, but your point is valid that the real issue is if the sound is what you want to hear and you can go down a rabbit hole of "tweaking" you speakers (or anything in the audio chain) and then you subjectively decide if the tweaking has improved anything and if there was an ROI on it. The problem with this rabbit hole is that it goes deep fast. First it is new crossovers, then tweeter swaps, then better speaker cable, then speaker cable stands, then premium connectors, etc. Where does it end? To your point, buy something that sounds great to you; whether the tweeter is silk or diamond is irrelevant if it sounds right to you.

[@wagnerlopez9451]

Andrew’s rants are so hilarious, the crossover one made me laugh so hard 😂

[@BryanRuby]

I'll be the first to invest in a startup that creates the first papercup crossover!

[@crossoverchef]

Cone materials matter : Crossovers matter : Number of drivers matter : just make sure you know how to make it all work together to achieve the sound your looking for. *Diaphragms have a sound signature *Crossover parts/ topology have a sound signature *Driver count / enclosure / layout have a sound signature Then it comes to the designer to get the sound voicing they are looking to accomplish by combining all the variables.

[@JC-iz2lv]

Guys, both Andrew and Danny are both correct. You can either judge a speaker on it's merits, or chose to upgrade it. Pretty simple.

[@SeanMaisonneuve]

100%

[@juy3541]

Andrew doesn’t care what’s inside, Danny does. It’s his livelihood. Audio Science will prove your speaker is good or not.

[@katie_0258]

If you like to tinker, tinker! If you like DIY, do it! If you don't care about what's inside, but the sound alone, Don't care. Don't let anyone tell you how to hobby. You see, it isn't always the upgrade worth having. Like the Linton's or the 600m mk2. If I understood Andrew right here, you might be dragged into a change that really isn't as good as promised, and you're several hundred bucks short. However, you are free to do whatever you want in this hobby.

[@robertmear]

People try to pick apart products they've never heard in an attempt to justify the money they spent on something else.

[@robertpollak6572]

I can see both of your views. I'm not going to buy someone's upgrade kit for my Sony sscs5's, but if I thought that a pair of speakers sounded natural enough, but just needs a bit more refining and is in a good enough cabinet. Then upgrading crossover makes sense. Modded Honda Civic or buy a new car?? People do both. Both are right.

[@robertjoseph47]

13 years ago I bought a Sony budget home theater system. The sound wasn't bad and the speakers just held it's own. Then, in 2022 I bought a NAD 701 receiver and connected the Sony SS MSP3000 speakers to it and oh my goodness the sound that came out of those speakers were so good.

[@azar3006]

There is something wrong to think speaker designers are “gods” and their designs can not be improved ! Some people just like to improve any product they buy and get great enjoyment to make improvements. If you don’t have a technical mind and can’t figure out things you shouldn’t look down on people who can !

[@Animaled]

If we're vacationing somewhere by car, we take the Beosound A5 or as my partner calls it, "the lunchbox." Really like that it connects to both Bluetooth and wifi and it's super easy to carry to the backyard.

[@andrewrobinsonreviews]

We call our A5 the lunchbox, too!

[@BostonMike68]

A lot of high end speaker companies have what is called a mass loaded speaker. They use sand or concrete and put something heavy on the top. I'm a fan of that design and I make my speaker cabinets tops and bottoms 3" thick and multi layered. My whole cabinet is multi layered.75 MDF flexible industrial adhesive and I cover that with solid hardwood 75" thick. And they are like knocking on concrete . The best portable Bluetooth speaker I have ever heard is a full range 3 way with 2" 4" aluminum reference mids #2 1" titanium tweeters and a 5.5 subwoofer that has 9mm x max with a 8 " passive radiator on the back that goes down to 35 hz. , it's solid oak with the baffle wrapped in leather. I wanted a speaker I could take with me that was full range and sounds beautiful with separation and sound stage and I couldn't find anything that just wasn't a bass box so I designed and built it.

[@randolphblack2554]

This episode is a fantastic episode! The "What do you want from us" rhetorical remark from Kristi was suitable for most any situation, except maybe going through the drive-thru of a fast-food restaurant! And I whole-heartedly agree with Andrew about who cares what is inside the box! If you are questioning that then I advise you to build your own speakers and join a speaker -building website or group. I shall quit while I am still civil before my '70s upbringing comes into play...

[@34332]

Yes, epic. lol

[@EMSHWILLER86]

Bought a pair of Dynaudio Special 40s last year...best speakers I've ever owned! I only listen to LPs, and these speakers are perfectly designed to reproduce that beautiful vinyl warmth. They're driven by a Yamaha AS-1200 amp...great show, by the way. Always enjoy your content.

[@AnythingwithAneesh]

One of the most enjoyable audiophile episodes I’ve seen till now on YT. As an ELAC debut 6.2 floorstanders, my entire setup (and the room playing a major part) sounds better than most rooms I’ve heard at audio shows.

[@JulioCSolar]

I don't know why, but Kristi is always on point. I agree 100 percent with her comments on the ELAC speakers.

[@BrokeGuyBBQ]

Thank you for this episode, it was really needed for some to hear. One of my favorite speaker lines is the NHT super line original designed by Ken Kantor. Silk dome tweeter and a paper cone woofer. The whole line sounds great. All be it basic cabinet finish, still looks good. For the price I don't care what parts NHT used or what crossovers they use, I love the sound and performance. That's after owning speakers from Energy, SVS, definitive technology, and yamaha NS 690ii. I'm not a speaker designer and i dont care to pretend be one. Thank you guys for doing what you do!

[@VeerMaharaj]

So this is kinda why i remember Andrew Jones became famous. This was during the bit of hubub in the early 2010s where rare earth minerals skyrocketed in price and Andrew had moved over to Pioneer Consumer and he made the best speaker he could with the affordable materials he had on hand. Ceramic magnets instead of neodymium and the like. The home theatre speakers ended up winning awards left and right. And that is when he kinda became the champion for high quality audio not needing to cost an arm and a leg.

[@gregsunderland6394]

Just starting the "look of the speaker" part, if looks weren't an issue, speakers would definitely sound better at a given price point. Everything is a tradeoff. If an aesthetic improvement costs $20 to implement, you've just increased the MSRP by $100. Which do you do for a certain price point? Make it look better or use better quality parts that aren't obvious in a picture or showroom? Which sells more speakers?

[@MightyUnlikely]

Andrew, Your comments about Elac speakers, and budget speaker construction made me smile from ear-to-ear! I had a pair of ENERGY 3 speakers (mid-80s vintage) that simply out performed MANY of my friend's more "bespoke" bookshelf speakers (above 80 hz). Their components lasted about 25 years before having issues. A great (!) investment of mere $250/pair. Thanks for your channel and both of your perspectives.

[@cremersalex]

People like Andrew Jones and Peter Comeau are 'famous', not only because they are good designers, but also because they are charismatic representatives for their brand.

[@andrewrobinsonreviews]

That is very true, and that can make a difference. Appreciate you watching!

[@stevengagnon4777]

Kevlar is a specifiic formulation of a generall classification of para aramid polymer fibers patented by Dupont . In other words aramid is a type of plastic.. Aramid fiber has an excellent tensile strength to mass ratio due to its long chained molecular structure .

[@terrycain1811]

I like ur brain space

[@paulf.5261]

Just wanted to say..... I really appreciate that you put up images for us to see. Adds to my enjoyment seeing the visual that goes with the name. Thank You 😁🙏

[@hifitommy]

for travel, Cambridge Sound (a Henry Kloss company) had a suitcase with L & R satellites, a woofer built into the suitcase (which became its cabinet) with space for a small cassette deck or portable CD player. it was affordable and excellent.

[@brooklynknightss]

I always say speakers are very very subjective!! Cost doesnt mean a speaker will be good or not, you expect more from higher end and more costly speakers

[@IanMacDonald-u1v]

LMFAO!! "What do you want from us?" 😂 love it. Your new hashtag... hahaha

[@andrewrobinsonreviews]

No kidding. I still laugh about that phrase.

[@FelixtheMetalcat]

It's fantastic!

[@824tonimarie]

That's a good one 😂😂😂

[@joseph-ow1hf]

What makes a good box speaker? It's not a difficult formula. A stout, well braced non resonant box w/ rounded edges. Drivers w/ smooth responses that roll off gently and have little stored energy. Tweeters closely spaced to mid woof to maintain vertical phase alignment. Crossover w/ quality poly caps and air coil inductors and quality resisters designed to blend drivers properly and maintain phase. And no damn ferrous metal anywhere in the signal chain. Paint it w/ truck be liner and sell affordably or wrap in exotic veneer and sell for serious money. but it will sound good.

[@stevewheeler2722]

Thank you Andrew and Kristi for all of your hard work. I currently run a 2.1 setup with a Denon X3700 with Polk R600 and a SVS SB-3000. I enjoy my speakers and cannot replace them even if I wanted to. They are grandfathered in (WAF) to our space. If I replace the X3700 with the Marantz M1, would the R600 sound/perform significantly better? Our listening is 70/30 movies/music. Also, please try to review the Denon Home Amp. I, and I’m sure many of your viewers, would love to hear your comparison to the M1. Thank you for your insight.

[@andrewrobinsonreviews]

If you use the X3700's room correction, there's a chance the M1 would sound very different and may lead you to believe it's not as good, or that your speakers sound "different" through it (the M1) versus the Denon. If you don't use Audyssey for room correction, the M1 might sound more controlled and authoritative. But you will give up room correction and that could be the difference maker if you're used to your speakers being better tailored to your room. Thanks for your support!

[@GautamChatterji]

I agree with all being said about upgrades. Crossover upgrade can provide small amount of improvement but at the end of day drivers are same you can only upgrade so much. If it’s only about network then ATC would be out of business. Crossover network is just one component. If you really want to improve then best to make your own complete speaker.

[@timothyfreeseha4056]

I do think you have that right, Andrew. 500 to 1200, across a number audio products. And probably because that price tier is very competetive, just a bump above entry level and at a place - particularly, where consumers do have expectations about what their money should get them...realistically or not. I actually it's a good place to start.

[@great100m]

LOL, good video Andrew/Kristi. With old ears & damaged hearing, my audio perceptions of different DACs, amps, speakers, hi-rez music, etc are very limited, let alone being able to detect an audio improvement of a more expensive capacitor or a resistor over cheaper brands. But I do subscribe to a popular DIY channel for the entertainment and educational elements. On the other hand, HT dialog clarity is very important to me and I will spend $ in search of improved vocals.

[@andrewrobinsonreviews]

There is room for everyone. Appreciate you watching.

[@juy3541]

Just build an open baffle no inside parts 😊

[@shaunyweaver1144]

When Polk released there Turbine woofer it was hailed as a break through!! Only JVC made the same type woofer 50 years ago, if audio has moved forward, speakers are still on the starting line ..

[@johnd5669]

Well, since you asked “what do you want from us“, here’s my question. The interior architecture of the new Onkyo RZ 70 is completely different in appearance from the RZ 50. I’m wondering if you have any knowledge if this was designed by a new group of peopleto fight the overheating and HDMI issues that Onkyos have had for a while? I’ve been hoping for better quality and higher dependability for a while and I’m wondering if this is the first step? Thanks!

[@andrewrobinsonreviews]

The RZ70 was designed by a new team at Klipsch/Onkyo and is an all-new design for Onkyo, whereas the RZ50 had some carry-over from the previous teams or generations.

[@fonkenful]

@@andrewrobinsonreviewsThe RZ30 from the new regime as well ?

[@johnd5669]

@@andrewrobinsonreviews Thanks Andrew! Have you heard any feedback or gotten any information about whether the new design is more dependable, more effective, or generally better to make it worth the nearly 3K msrp?

[@andrewrobinsonreviews]

@@fonkenful I believe so, yes.

[@chulwoo00]

Slightly off the price point, but.. Which would you choose: MartinLogan vs. Magnepan + a sub, and why is it ML? ^^

[@robinsonmac]

Great episode & I agree 100% about people just wanting to pick apart a product out of context. On that note... It seems that a lot of people are misinformed about these speakers & where they fit into the overall Elac speaker range. During the video when Kristi was talking about past Elac speakers you reviewed, the photo you showed was the Debut Reference 2.0 which is one tier above & $300 more the new entry Debut 3.0. It seems that a lot of people think these are the only speaker Elac makes. They have 4 speaker lines in their "Home" or budget range & 6 speaker lines in their "Premium" range. The home range retail prices top out @ $1199 for a pair of bookshelf's & $1199 each for the floorstand. The premium range tops out @ $3499 for the pair of bookshelf's & $42,999.00 for the Concentro floorstand......... Context really matters!!

[@BostonMike68]

I know what is in my speakers because I built and designed and built them and I like them to look like a piece of furniture. I think Andrew Jones is well known because he does interviews and most designers are interverts. My opinion on cones is that I like a paper blend. I paper sounds natural and the blends are lighter and faster. Aluminum and other compounds ring more when they break up. I don't like polypropylene, I think it sounds like Tupperware.

[@glenncornwall4331]

Materials used in speakers definitely have a sound signature of their own. Now I will have to say that paper still has a following most notably look at the Wilson audio speakers and also Steynem speakers, and they are totally state of the art and preferable by good amount of homeowners and also reviewers that have them in their homes that has to be saying something. as a matter of fact, my speakers are the Wilson audio MAXX V ‘s now I’ll have to stay there many speakers out there that they I could easily live with that use of course different materials. I love Planars and electoral statics. Everything is a balancing act and of course personal preferences.

[@DonnieMulligan]

Bazooka Gum Wrapper! (mic drop).... Love it!

[@gges1605]

There is a fairly big diy speaker community so often people are looking for a good starting place that they can upgrade as they can afford to

[@toddt5562]

Regarding inefficient budget speakers, I would add that typically budget speakers are smaller bookshelf type speakers, in part to save on cabinet costs. More difficult to get outstanding efficiency from a small two-way, regardless of the price point.

[@DouglasMilewski]

I've had some fun in the speaker rebuilding arena. It is its own hobby, but it's not a cost-effective hobby. However, modding is an accessible hobby, where so much tech in the electronics arena requires considerable skill. Also, most of the changes to a speaker are reversible. It's best to play with older speakers, where who cares, but modding a new speaker is definitely a head scratcher.

[@kenbbaker]

Many cannot build a nice cabinet, but can upgrade parts or slopes in crossovers, add bracing, better insulation, add a damping layer, reglue boxes (yes, some companies do this poorly), and it makes sense to start with a modern speaker with fresh drivers… I have fixed a lot of old speakers and also completely rebuilt two pair with new drivers, x-overs, and all - the rebuild can be fantastic… Many of the recent modern retro style speakers prove that people want classic design and current drivers and parts

[@Mars33172]

Loved the 'paper cup crossover' rant. So true.

[@MisterJDavis]

The best part of Friday's! Thank you for my lunch break viewing pleasure!

[@KristiWright]

So glad you could join us!

[@scruffy8861]

Here's my Friday thought, buy the speaker with the sound you like and be happy.

[@KristiWright]

He's a genius.☝

[@ccadp1219]

Good video and head to head comparisons……what is your take on the Kanto YU 5.25 speaker vs this ELAC?

[@KristiWright]

The Kanto speakers are fantastic. We didn't listen to them side by side, so I can't say with 100% certainty whether the YUs will perform as well.

[@Moonplant432]

I love my bone stock Forte Fours. I'm sure there is a kit provider who would pick them apart, but I like them.

[@ccdccd8615]

I agree and disagree with you. Disagreement: parts do matter and driver differences is all marketing. Good example on the parts front are the Purifi midranges and woofers. These are high excursion, low distortion drivers as in higher excursion with lower distortion than previous drivers have been. These are expensive drivers and I think there are applications where these drivers can make a big difference (like 2-way bookshelf designs). Are they a game changer? No. Drivers like these can simplify the crossover by operating over a bigger frequency range or playing lower into the bass area than other similarly sized drivers. At the end of the day, these drivers are one more option a designer may have, depending on the price point he or she is designing to. I will grant you this, most speaker driver development has been restricted to refinements of well known driver topologies. I don’t see any particular one as necessarily better, more as options for a designer. Where I totally agree is that no one should get caught up on parts, be they drivers or crossover parts. As an audiophile, your concern should be how well whatever is in your speaker has been implemented. And you judge that with your ears. I also agree that upgrades are questionable. You may be unhappy with your speakers, but you may not know why and certainly not how to fix it. The easiest path is either to just live with your speakers or buy a new pair more pleasing to your ears. Instead of parts/materials, audiophiles should focus on basic design configurations, not in terms of sound, but in terms of whether it will work in your listening room. Open baffle speakers are a good example of this. They can sound great, but they need to be out in the room. If you don’t have the space or the SAF to get them out into the room, they won’t work for you because they simply will not sound good placed close to the wall. Rear ported speaker can offer enhanced bass performance due to the bass reinforcement from the back wall, but you need some placement flexibility to find the position where the bass works best in your room. The point is that some designs will work better in your room than others and you need to understand what those designs are. This is overlooked FAR too often.

[@AirBudProMax]

The tweaked discussion resonated with me because it’s something I like to do. But not to brand new speakers. It’s fun to tweak used budget speakers that you can find on Marketplace for pennys on the dollar. Some mad men on the internet swapped out a tweeter and rebuilt a crossover and then open sources the whole entire thing. Like conversion of the Pioneer BS22 to the Philharmonic Audio Affordable Accuracy Monitor. When you’ve bought the speakers for $20-$40 what’s about $60-$70 in parts? When you’re only in it for sub $150, are you really going to find something new at that price point to best what you’ve modified? Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, it’s not a lot of money at risk. But it is all relative.

[@Carl-bd1rf]

OMG, you and Danny at GR Research would not see eye to eye with each other on crossover theories!!😂

[@ganck1147]

I do agree with Andrew’s analogy on cars compared to speakers…

[@Carl-bd1rf]

@@ganck1147 I get it and can’t argue if it sounds good who cares about what kind of parts are used in the crossover. But you know that kind of talk is blasphemy among audiophiles!😂

[@johnloupis9344]

I have to go part way and agree with Danny on this one. Part way in that you don't need to spend $250-$500 on upgrades to hear the improvements. A $50 investment in better parts for a 2 way speaker like this can help a lot! Why don't the company's just do it and sell them for $75 more and really impress the hell out of everyone? Oh that's right, nobody would upgrade to the $1,200 speakers.

[@Carl-bd1rf]

@@johnloupis9344 Personally I’d rather see the manufacturers invest the money in making the cabinets more inert versus upgrading crossover components. I definitely hear cabinet issues long before capacitor type!

[@Carl-bd1rf]

@@johnloupis9344 Lol, ya pretty much!

[@richardpeterson5838]

I can see both sides here - you get what you pay for, and some speakers are incredible value for the money. But not all speakers are designed well or have the same performance to cost ratio at a particular price point. I've had many speaker/amp/preamp/integrated/source combinations over the years, and have had some disappointments. I prefer to build my own, from kit (CSS, GR research, Curt Campbell), knowing what I am getting for the money, and putting in the sweat equity to avoid that disappointment.

[@TimvanGinneken]

Hi Andrew and Kristi, I like your approach on your reviews, I have seen a few so far, and it looks like you always use the same speaker cables, I am curious what cables they are, looking for a good pair without braking the bank, do you believe in cable diffrences to sound?

[@GuiltyRocker]

Paul Klipsch was also a famous designer, there is also Dave Wilson and, Andy Payor and quite a few others.

[@davep2945]

Famous to those of us who nerd out on this stuff but not to most listeners or even average knowledge reviewers.

[@phildavis3105]

For the record, I do like my Unifi Reference speakers; and yes, they are crammed against the wall. That said, I’m using them with an AV receiver. Their lack of personality is a great match for all the DSP modes Yamaha can throw. Yes, I do use the AVR’s pre-outs for a separate amp for them.

[@MDFGamingVideo]

The simple fact is, if you have the basic skills, you can EASILY take a budget speaker with good drivers and a solid cabinet, spend a LITTLE money on better electronics, and make it OUTPERFORM a much more expensive retail bought and assembled speaker, WITHOUT the massive retail MARK-UP for the parts and labor. And this is NOT unique to audio. The same is true for building your own computer, doing your own home improvements, maintaining your own car... So, whenever I hear someone suggest this is not a worthwhile endeavor, and instead you should just "buy better, buy right", I ALSO hear "A fool and his money..." following right behind in rebuttal.

[@robertwoodward9231]

Youre not gonna get all the efficiency out of those elacs with a wimm amp unless you mono block somehow. I tried the elac unifi ub52 2.0s with a yahama as801 and it didnt work for me.

[@bootneylee9802]

I have the Carina's and the RZ50 won't run them. They're quite a bit harder to drive than the debut's. It's fine for movies, but stereo listening forget it. I invested in the OSD Nero HTA7200 and 🤌 Magnefiique!

[@NathanMaharaj]

I know it's not much of a field given spacing, but the Level is technically capable of playing in stereo. So that saves a little space in this speculative suitcase.

[@dylanemeraldgrey]

Not to state the obvious, but Andrew Jones is the rare engineer who is also a natural born salesman. That's the difference. He goes out and sells whatever he designs. He likes taking to people and he likes talking about his metier. Not your typical engineer. ;)

[@sweeler3216]

Doesn’t really seem like an engineer

[@dylanemeraldgrey]

@@sweeler3216 Exactly my point.

[@mwcarde]

Not available new but can be found used. I still have mine and used it extensively when I was traveling, Cambridge SoundWorks Model 11/12. And it comes with the suitcase. I enjoy it for the convenience and sound.

[@buki231]

The waveguide on the tweeter for the Elac 3.0s is not as big and deep as the Arendals but I think that type of waveguide is something we will see more of from speaker designers. It just gives so much better off axis performance. I'm a bit turned off by the vertical jewelry on the Elac tweeter waveguide but if Kristi likes it, I love it lol

[@JonasEliasson.]

Andrew & Kristi you are one of those KZbinrs that make me look forward to next ”episode” Awesome! 👍🏼 I would be super duper happy if you could answer this question. I have a high end dedicated home theater. But for my budget tv/2ch system. Which one would YOU choose, Elac Debut 3.0 B6.3 or Klipsch RP-600m ii? Ignore any price difference. I like a dynamic sound with clear dialog. But as i said, which one would you choose? Happy weekend./From Sweden🇸🇪😊

[@andrewrobinsonreviews]

The more dynamic and contrasty of the two speakers, that is, the sensation of greater bass with perhaps "higher" highs is going to be the Klipsch. Will it be more intelligible, that I can't say for certain. The better all-round speaker that is likely to be more agreeable or neutral, that's the ELAC all the way.

[@marklloyd4153]

I love the Focal Theva . I’d buy the Elac and a sub . When Focal replaces the Theva with a new model I’ll buy the Thevas for half price just like I did with the Choas you showed us . I’m still loving my R700s too . Thank you 🙏 both so much for showing us and sharing with us all these things you both do such a great job with this I hope to follow you to much higher success that you both deserve . Buying the Elacs with 2 REL T5x subs for my mom’s room . 🎉❤

[@timpit164]

I care about what’s inside of a speaker. You can spend 5-10 grand on speakers and have poor cheap crossover parts inside. I prefer some quality. I can hear a difference in parts and cables.

[@burner8959]

If you care about quality parts and you prefer quality, why would you buy speakers built like that in the first place? So if you can hear the difference in cables can you prove that in a double blinds test reliably and consistently over time? Because you need to, to be able to claim you actually hear the differences in cables. I also hope you kept copious and well organized notes so you can write a paper to be reviewed by peers so they can try and repeat your abilities with someone else. Since, as I'm sure you will know, no human, as of this date, has ever, reliably and consistently detected differences in cables. Congratulations! You are a super-human. OR you just have what we all have, confirmation bias. Good luck.

[@RichardOzOuzounian]

Hi AR & KW! I was hoping for a Klipsch comparison. I have a friend who wants to set up a small 5.1 system (his first) and was wondering which speaker you would go with on a budget system. Thanks!

[@sean_heisler]

Andrew Jones absolutely knows who you guys are, make no mistake about it. He knows.

[@andrewrobinsonreviews]

You say that like you have some insider info 😉

[@sean_heisler]

@@andrewrobinsonreviews ha ha. I wish I could say I do. I've chatted with him at a show, seen so many interviews and it's very clear that he's well dialed into the reviewer scene here and elsewhere for sure. He is aware of all the KZbin reviewers, he searches for reviews of his stuff. He's not the type that is a hermit buried in a dark lab working on designs 24 hours a day. He's connected to the KZbin reviewer community, he learns from reviews and comments. He knows you guys, there is no question and has seen the reviews you have done of his designs.

[@neilrobins3329]

Please, please take up GR research offer and go and visit him and listen to his equipment, let's find out if he is full of bullshit or a genius?

[@videobandit]

Bought new speakers and wondered in respect to your reference music tracks that you use to test speakers for review, are they streamed or vinyl?? At what volume (db) do you generally listen?? Thanks

[@andrewrobinsonreviews]

We use all types of music, both streaming and physical media (usually vinyl). I listen at volumes ranging from 50dB to 90+ dB in room with an average falling close to 75/80dB range.

[@JulioCSolar]

I do have a crush on AJ. However, I don't like guys, but I've had 2 of his designs. Seriously speaking, he's a nice guy who answers when you have a question. For real.

[@thomasfi1275]

Andrew, did ever came across Pearl Acoustics Sibelius speakers? Maybe u are able to review them in the future… Harley Lovegrove seems to be a nice guy and will send you a pair 😉

[@JJ452]

Hoping you get your hands on the Monitor Audio Gold 6G series for review!

[@becomeawindowtinterpro7670]

Andrew Jones is known by me because Pioneer, Elac, and now MoFi tell the public that he designed them. Why did they do that? I don't know but it wouldn't surprise me if he made doing so a requisite for taking the job. Also, I would love to hear Jones' opinion about crossover and speaker materials mattering and his take on making speakers to a price point.

[@anthonyperez_audiophile]

Sandy Gross can't be overlooked as a designer. Polk, Def Tech and Goldenear. 😘

[@andrewrobinsonreviews]

Totally agree! Sandy is a legend.

[@Cy_AV]

@@andrewrobinsonreviews Speaking of Goldenear, I don't recall seeing you review one of their products yet. I have always been intrigued by them. Do you have any contacts with Goldenear regarding review product? I have been eyeballing the ForceField 30 subs for future upgrades when I recover from my recent Paradigm and Emotiva upgrade.

[@Cy_AV]

@@andrewrobinsonreviews Would it be possible to see a Goldenear speaker review in the future?

[@manitoublack]

always remember that there are great deals on second hand kit. don't need to buy new

[@michaelrossmaessler200]

Andrew Jones is known for maximizing what a design can do, no matter what the budget for development of a speaker is. When it comes to electronics Schiit heads in a similar direction.

[@jeffjohn9898]

Welcome back Kristi

[@KristiWright]

Thank you!

[@jaredhylton6591]

Suitcase question is easy for me, a pair of Morel Biggie Powered Bluetooth speakers with battery power that would be super useful on an island. These speakers sound fantastic from their 7"×7"×4.5" profile. Best of all, a pair is only $600.

[@j_navarrete1]

Since Definitive Technology and Polk are part of the same company, can I mix those 2 brands for my 2 fronts and center. The Reserve line is pretty similar to the current Def Tech line.

[@Matwiej19]

Great episode:) I got wharfedale diamond 230 floor standing. Spend £300 on sale in UK brand new. And love them. They sound so but so nice.

[@bblimediamostlyspeakers]

Based on the title, I know exactly what's inside my speakers. I built two pairs based on the Parts-Express house brand, Dayton Audio. Anyone else heard of D.B. Keele, a speaker designer from way back? My Electro Voice horns were designed by him.

[@timturkkan]

Have a question about something not related to speakers or ELAC in particular. Have been following your channel for a while and have a question. When you test some of the newer generations of avrs, you mention that the manufacturer only rates the output as watts into one or two channels even though the product may be a 7.2 channel product. In understand that the manufacturer's release that as part of the technical specs but is there no reliable way to actually test the power output with multiple channels driven? Even peak vs. continuous?

[@BULZAYE]

The brofest with Andrew Jones comes down to one word… PRESENTATION. Andrew Jones gives the best presentations by far of any other audio designer. If you’ve never been to one of his presentations then do yourself a favor. Then you’ll understand. By the way, he’s a twin. Most people don’t know that about him.

[@kevin_m]

Question for anyone here. Older DBR62 vs DB63 3.0 if available at same price?

[@sage11x]

That’s been a ‘thing’ with Andrew Jones speakers. The irony of the Pioneer run (which I still own) is they are super budget speakers but the bookshelves are borderline 4 ohm nominal and the entire range have somewhat middling sensitivity. They really need a powerful amp and that’s kind of an oxymoron as this is a budget product that you would expect to be powered by a budget (low cost) amp.

[@theoracleprodigy]

LOL on the crossover parts, but here's the kicker they matter... Try it yourself, I have. A sand cast resistor on a tweeter is an easy part to change out. The irony is it makes a huge sonic difference. Had a pair of bookshelf polk speakers back in the day and the crossover was the size of the binding post. Never understood why it sounded horrid till I saw that. Of course it was probably the mix of parts and probably didn't measure well either. Still I have a high end diy speaker and didn't think it mattered either till I change a resistor on the tweeter. Just one resistor opened it up sonically in a way I'll never forget. So I moved on and replaced some capacitors on the woofer. Here is the thing I didn't hear a change there and went from clarity caps to mundorfs (expensive change). It didn't make much if any difference to me. So it depends on the network and what is changed. The reality is that everyone builds to a price point. No one has great parts at an amazing price. It just doesn't happen. I have a set of 15k speakers that still have sand cast resistors. They also have steel core inductors as well which hold a magnetic charge. I'm not saying boutique parts make all the difference in the world, but they do matter. The issue is you get to the point of diminishing returns very quick. Maybe one of these days I'll rebuild my bookshelf speaker with junk crossovers and put it up so people can hear the difference.

[@Powerpickle68]

While parts and overall construction matters, the point is that when the sound is great or what someone desires, then what does it actually matter? If you change parts in your speakers I hope you like them more but that difference doesn't equal better for all. The same applies to cables and measurements

[@theoracleprodigy]

@@Powerpickle68 sort of what I was saying by the law of diminishing returns. It's not that they don't make a difference though because they do.