Elac Carina BS243.4 Review (Bookshelf Speaker)

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Would they benefit on resonance control , if I have them on isoacoustics stands (Eg aperta)? I have them on a tv furniture right now( 20 inch height below tweeter level, not able to put them on stands due to space constraints) . If yes in what way? They are raised by design and at the bottom of the base there is some kind of fabric material.

 

[yllanos]

I cant see a reason why one should buy those speakers .
There are better alternatives.
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Like what?

 

[bachatero]

Like what?

Kali LP-6v2 is a lot flatter and has almost as good distortion performance and includes the amplifier, all while costing a fifth as much. There's also numerous other passive speakers without that AMT issue, so why even think about this one?

 

[DMill]

Kali LP-6v2 is a lot flatter and has almost as good distortion performance and includes the amplifier, all while costing a fifth as much. There's also numerous other passive speakers without that AMT issue, so why even think about this one?

They do not cost a fifth as much. Kali is $400 pair. Elac at full retail are $1k, but can be bought for less. Speakers are a very personal thing. Based on measurements the Kali speakers you mention offer a lot even compared to high end Revels and a frequency response measurement, but there is more to it than that.

 

[bachatero]

but there is more to it than that.

What else might matter to someone in the market for a speaker like this?

 

[yllanos]

Kali LP-6v2 is a lot flatter and has almost as good distortion performance and includes the amplifier, all while costing a fifth as much. There's also numerous other passive speakers without that AMT issue, so why even think about this one?

Oh I see. I thought you were going to suggest another passive speaker.

Thanks anyway.

 

[GiBo61]

What else might matter to someone in the market for a speaker like this?

That they sound reality nice. Have you ever heard them?

 

[DMill]

What else might matter to someone in the market for a speaker like this?

Looks, warranty, already have amp you like, like the way they sound, bottom ported so pretty flexible in placement, horizontal dispersion, they have matching stands, just like saying ELAC, have a weird thing for German companies, want an Andrew Jones designed speaker. Lots of reasons. The Kali’s are nice too.

 

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I give zero chance for kali to sound better

 

[bachatero]

@GiBo61 @DMill @ads_cft222 What about the Neumann KH120 ii? Same price, but super duper flat response and low distortion while still bundling the amplifier with digital and analog inputs too, plus slick looks and great build quality and great directivity.

 

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@GiBo61 @DMill @ads_cft222 What about the Neumann KH120 ii? Same price, but super duper flat response and low distortion while still bundling the amplifier with digital and analog inputs too, plus slick looks and great build quality and great directivity.

Neumann seems better and it has easier integration with a sub if you want to achieve better distortion and higher spl.

 

[Daniel4IEM]

Anyone have experience with this speaker on desktop for nearfield listening?

 

[Daniel4IEM]

Anyone have experience with this speaker on desktop for nearfield listening?

I picked these up for $600 new but for a desktop setup and am wondering if even worth going through the effort to buy power amp, set up, etc. if they don't perform well at close distance and low volumes. I have a great R2R dac and a sub as well

 

[panther]

I picked these up for $600 new but for a desktop setup and am wondering if even worth going through the effort to buy power amp, set up, etc. if they don't perform well at close distance and low volumes. I have a great R2R dac and a sub as well

I've had them twice now. I didn't like them the first time but I was pretty new to getting what I would call a real hifi speaker, had only had cheaper powered speakers and yamaha active monitors.
I used them right on my desk the first time and found them really bassy, but I was also probably to close to the back wall also. I bought some of the FS for my living room and love them.
I bought a brand new set again this year and have them on stands off my desk a few feet further away now, not sure I would call them nearfield anymore. I also went from using a Yamaha wxa-50 to a Schiit Ragnarok 2 and Bifrost 2/64 for what that is worth. I've really come to enjoy them now on the second go around.

 

[Daniel4IEM]

I've had them twice now. I didn't like them the first time but I was pretty new to getting what I would call a real hifi speaker, had only had cheaper powered speakers and yamaha active monitors.
I used them right on my desk the first time and found them really bassy, but I was also probably to close to the back wall also. I bought some of the FS for my living room and love them.
I bought a brand new set again this year and have them on stands off my desk a few feet further away now, not sure I would call them nearfield anymore. I also went from using a Yamaha wxa-50 to a Schiit Ragnarok 2 and Bifrost 2/64 for what that is worth. I've really come to enjoy them now on the second go around.

Very helpful- thank you for sharing your experience!

I’m also considering powered monitors as alternatives- Kali IN5/8, Dynaudio LYD5/7, others in that class and price range.

Feedback and recommendations welcome!

 

[Daniel4IEM]

I have these set on Iso Acoustic stands that are hollow in the middle where the bass port fires down, effectively creating a lot of space between port and desk. I experimented with them directly on the desk and my perception is more / better bass response. Does this theoretically make sense to you all given the design and physics? If so, then I will want a stand that has a solid bottom. If I got creative and placed something between the stand and the stand and speaker would wood or metal be better?

 

[Roland68]

I have these set on Iso Acoustic stands that are hollow in the middle where the bass port fires down, effectively creating a lot of space between port and desk. I experimented with them directly on the desk and my perception is more / better bass response. Does this theoretically make sense to you all given the design and physics? If so, then I will want a stand that has a solid bottom. If I got creative and placed something between the stand and the stand and speaker would wood or metal be better?

First, test whether it isn't the stand.
Temporarily place a speaker on 4 similarly high pipe sections, aluminum, brass or similar, and see if it behaves in the same way.
If you place the other speaker on the table and then on the existing isoacustics stand, you will notice the difference straight away.

 

[Daniel4IEM]

First, test whether it isn't the stand.
Temporarily place a speaker on 4 similarly high pipe sections, aluminum, brass or similar, and see if it behaves in the same way.
If you place the other speaker on the table and then on the existing isoacustics stand, you will notice the difference straight away.

Thanks for getting back with suggestions! I am not sure I am tracking though- what do you mean by "Temporarily place a speaker on 4 similarly high pipe sections, aluminum, brass or similar, and see if it behaves in the same way."

I don't have pipe available to do this

 

[DMill]

Thanks for getting back with suggestions! I am not sure I am tracking though- what do you mean by "Temporarily place a speaker on 4 similarly high pipe sections, aluminum, brass or similar, and see if it behaves in the same way."

I don't have pipe available to do this

Because the speakers are bottom ported it makes sense they might behave differently placed on a flat surface vs. suspended on 4 legs with no base plate.

 

[Daniel4IEM]

I had been running the signal from dac to sb-1000 first via RCA and then passing through high pass filter to Carina. The filter is set to 80Hz. Tried dac directly to Carina and am super pleased to hear the bass they are capable of. I prefer having the the full sound signature in front of me as opposed to the bass coming from below the desk exclusively. If only I could set the high pass filter at say ~50Hz instead so I could get more out of Carina without losing the sub bass from sb-1000...