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Elac Debut Reference DBR-62 Speaker Review

Papaya_X

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Hello all, I'm planning to buy the ELAC DBR62 (or Polk R200/R100) and I'm seeing almost everywhere that they need a lot of power to be driven correctly, if not power, some "grunt".

I have a SMSL AO200/DO200 stack to drive them, do you think it will be sufficient for them to be driven correctly ?
 

pio80

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Hello all, I'm planning to buy the ELAC DBR62 (or Polk R200/R100) and I'm seeing almost everywhere that they need a lot of power to be driven correctly, if not power, some "grunt".

I have a SMSL AO200/DO200 stack to drive them, do you think it will be sufficient for them to be driven correctly ?
Yes without any problems, another thing is how they will play, as for I know elacs can sound a little bit dry, fatique with class d Amp (for example loxjie a30..even audiolab 6000a class ab and dbr 62 - not good connection..), which I dont like!
 

Steve Dallas

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Hello all, I'm planning to buy the ELAC DBR62 (or Polk R200/R100) and I'm seeing almost everywhere that they need a lot of power to be driven correctly, if not power, some "grunt".

I have a SMSL AO200/DO200 stack to drive them, do you think it will be sufficient for them to be driven correctly ?

How big is your room, what is your listening distance?
 

Papaya_X

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Yes without any problems, another thing is how they will play, as for I know elacs can sound a little bit dry, fatique with class d Amp (for example loxjie a30..even audiolab 6000a class ab and dbr 62 - not good connection..), which I dont like!
Thank you for your reply ! Some may argue that DBR62 match very well with good class D amps as they sound kinda warm. Also, by experience, I find AO200 sounding very different as typical class D amp like TPA3255 or even Hypex, it's more warm and it doesn't have this piercing highs. So maybe it will be a good match.

N.B : my AO200 is modded with Silmic caps and with opa2210 or 1692 opamps
How big is your room, what is your listening distance?
It is a little room of 14m² and it will be used as near field monitors at approximately 1,5 to 2 meters distance.
Speakers will be on stands and at 30-40 cm from the wall. I plan to treat the room at one point to improve bass interaction and reflection.
 

Steve Dallas

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Thank you for your reply ! Some may argue that DBR62 match very well with good class D amps as they sound kinda warm. Also, by experience, I find AO200 sounding very different as typical class D amp like TPA3255 or even Hypex, it's more warm and it doesn't have this piercing highs. So maybe it will be a good match.

N.B : my AO200 is modded with Silmic caps and with opa2210 or 1692 opamps

It is a little room of 14m² and it will be used as near field monitors at approximately 1,5 to 2 meters distance.
Speakers will be on stands and at 30-40 cm from the wall. I plan to treat the room at one point to improve bass interaction and reflection.

You have enough power to drive them properly at those distances. Enjoy!
 

Willem

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Enjoy, but don't believe all this nonsense about the sound of class D amplifiers. And don't waste time and money on modding stuff.
 

Papaya_X

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Enjoy, but don't believe all this nonsense about the sound of class D amplifiers. And don't waste time and money on modding stuff.
Thanks for the advice!
I'm only entering this rabbit hole and found a class D amp to be a good entry point for the cost, value and overall quality (also I'm a student). I always loved tinkering with my gear (guitars, amps, pedals, computers,...) and for me it's part of this hobby, and as long as it doesn't cost me more than 8-10% of the price of the gear and the modding can be perceived it is well worth doing that.

That being said, I will definitly evolve in this hobby and buy more mature piece of gear. I think about audiolab A6000a for exemple and I would love to have the possibility to place some Magnat Transpuls in my room, but eh... Chi va piano va sano
 

Willem

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Keep reading here, and it will save you a lot of money (and the science will get you better sound).
 

pio80

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Thank you for your reply ! Some may argue that DBR62 match very well with good class D amps as they sound kinda warm. Also, by experience, I find AO200 sounding very different as typical class D amp like TPA3255 or even Hypex, it's more warm and it doesn't have this piercing highs. So maybe it will be a good match.

N.B : my AO200 is modded with Silmic caps and with opa2210 or 1692 opamps

It is a little room of 14m² and it will be used as near field monitors at approximately 1,5 to 2 meters distance.
Speakers will be on stands and at 30-40 cm from the wall. I plan to treat the room at one point to improve bass interaction and reflection.
Dont get me wrong , there is a thin line between classes in present and You have to try this combination for sure and Your perception of hearing tells You more..
 

Willem

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Do you have data for such differences? Hypex and Purify amplifiers have measured far better than just about any AB designs.
 

Papaya_X

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Do you have data for such differences? Hypex and Purify amplifiers have measured far better than just about any AB designs.
I'm afraid I don't have any data to give you but only my experience which is worth nothing on this forum.
 

Willem

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I asked PIO88, by the way. We like measurements or controled listening tests. Of course, ears matter, but you have to listen blind, very precisely level matched (i.e. electrically rather than acoustically), and the switchover should be near instantaneous. Experience has shown that once listening tests are done in this scientifically correct way, differences between properly designed electronics tend to disappear. See here for the classic research paper: https://linearaudio.nl/sites/linearaudio.net/files/Valves versus Transistors DCD.pdf
 

pio80

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I asked PIO88, by the way. We like measurements or controled listening tests. Of course, ears matter, but you have to listen blind, very precisely level matched (i.e. electrically rather than acoustically), and the switchover should be near instantaneous. Experience has shown that once listening tests are done in this scientifically correct way, differences between properly designed electronics tend to disappear. See here for the classic research paper: https://linearaudio.nl/sites/linearaudio.net/files/Valves versus Transistors DCD.pdf
Thanks for a deeper explanation of the matter! Science is very important and in this case knowledge is required factor but really I am not able to do these things right - controled listening tests. I'm just switching stuff and listening...and it has to sound good to me..

P.s. first I rely on this forum and professional tests, thanks for that
 

Willem

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The good news is that you don't have to worry with properly designed electronics, of which there is a lot if you avoid the audiophile stuff.
 

Steve Dallas

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Yes without any problems, another thing is how they will play, as for I know elacs can sound a little bit dry, fatique with class d Amp (for example loxjie a30..even audiolab 6000a class ab and dbr 62 - not good connection..), which I dont like!

Please explain how speakers can sound "dry" or "fatique" [sic] with Class D amplification. (Those are apposing adjectives in terms of music.)

With the exception of tube amps and very few solid state amps, the vast majority of solid state amps sound exactly the same in blind testing. You are relying on sighted testing, which is hopelessly flawed.

What about Class D makes it so worthy of these popular descriptions? Specifically what about the ultra flat frequency response of the amp in question would cause that?

202108061349064883.jpg


Source

I know you are new here. This site is about debunking these silly myths.

Amplifier and speaker matching is barely a thing at all.
 

pio80

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I have got some difficulties how to describe...This is something what we hear and things which bother us I mean some delicate, different frequences ( maybe the timbre of the sound, I dont know) which have an influence on our perception (there is no proof in measurements and test results I know), maybe this is just our brain and attitude and we are in the bubble of our beliefs (like You said, rather You have given me to understand)
It seems that we have to exercise the right patterns beacause of facts. Ok I am switching to the Loxjie A30 and closing my eyes...
 

Triliza

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When people say that they can hear small or big differences between two components, be it amps, dacs or even cables, when measurements indicate that there shouldn't be any, at least audible, personally I am open minded to their claims. Things go south though when it is proposed to the claimer to have a blind/controlled test to provide some data about that. You get all kind of reactions then, we trust our ears and don't need any test, some will get offended, and what have you.

That's what I find most strange, you'd expect it would be a peace of cake for people to demonstrate the striking differences, but we (the participant in this forum, that is) almost never get any documented case of such outcome. I wouldn't undertake testing two amps though, it seems to me too complicated, so there is that.
 

JazzKhan

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I finally decided to order a pair and did that last night from Elac Canada. I was so excited but then I got the email today that order was cancelled because it's out of stock in Canada. Oh well...☹️
 

fragzone

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I am skeptical that one needs a lot of power to drive these adequately. Hear the same old story in the headphone world too. Where are the measurements that prove more 'quality watts' into these speakers produces a better FR?
 
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