ELAC Debut 3.0 Series announced at High End Munich

[audioenthousiast1988]

I dont want to go negative right away without hearing the speaker, but the fact that its not designed by andrew jones and has an allu tweeter doesnt look great to me. Again and again i tried allu tweeters, and i always come back to soft dome tweeters

 

[thunderchicken]

Another youtuber singing praise:

I really don’t like that guy’s content. I am looking forward to seeing actual measurements somewhere.

 

[audioenthousiast1988]

I really don’t like that guy’s content. I am looking forward to seeing actual measurements somewhere.

if its one things ive learned ; all youtubers have their agenda to praise these things. trust your own ears only

 

[JaccoW]

I tried a first gen Elac Debut B6 back in 2018 and absolutely hated them. They were not a good match with the Rega Brio or Elex-R I tried them with.
Those were pretty well-reviewed back then as well.

Not sure I'd try them again but I hope they do well. Nowadays they're definitely not my style anymore either.

 

[Rednaxela]

I really don’t like that guy’s content. I am looking forward to seeing actual measurements somewhere.

I find GPT to be absolutely perfect for cheap audiomen.

FWIW:

Spoiler: Dear GPT 4o, separating the wheat from the chaff, what are the reviewer's five most credible points?

Focusing on the core of the review, here are the five most credible points the reviewer makes:

1. Improved Bass Performance: The reviewer highlights that the ELAC Debut 3 has recaptured and improved upon the bass impact of the first-generation model. They mention feeling the bass physically during music playback, which speaks to the speaker's low-end performance, especially when compared to the Debut 2, which the reviewer found lacking in bass.
2. Balanced Treble with Aluminum Dome Tweeter: Despite initial concerns about the aluminum dome tweeter sounding harsh (a common issue with metal tweeters), the reviewer notes that the ELAC Debut 3 manages to avoid this problem, delivering a balanced treble response. They even compare it favorably to soft-dome tweeters, which are typically preferred for smoother treble.
3. Easy to Drive, but Benefits from Power: The reviewer points out that the Debut 3 is relatively easy to drive but benefits from a more powerful amplifier. They recommend around 60-100 watts of power for optimal performance, noting that higher power helps the speaker scale and handle volume without distortion.
4. Soundstage and Imaging: The reviewer praises the speaker’s off-axis performance and wide sweet spot, highlighting that the ELAC Debut 3 offers good soundstage and imaging. This indicates the speakers perform well in various listening positions and don't sacrifice pinpoint imaging, which is a strong positive for an affordable speaker.
5. Value for Money: The ELAC Debut 3 is positioned as an affordable, high-performing speaker. The reviewer consistently mentions that the speaker offers performance comparable to much more expensive models, such as the Buchardt S400, but at a fraction of the price, making it an excellent value for budget-conscious audiophiles.

 

[fragzone]

I find GPT to be absolutely perfect for cheap audiomen.

FWIW:

Spoiler: Dear GPT 4o, separating the wheat from the chaff, what are the reviewer's five most credible points?

Focusing on the core of the review, here are the five most credible points the reviewer makes:

1. Improved Bass Performance: The reviewer highlights that the ELAC Debut 3 has recaptured and improved upon the bass impact of the first-generation model. They mention feeling the bass physically during music playback, which speaks to the speaker's low-end performance, especially when compared to the Debut 2, which the reviewer found lacking in bass.
2. Balanced Treble with Aluminum Dome Tweeter: Despite initial concerns about the aluminum dome tweeter sounding harsh (a common issue with metal tweeters), the reviewer notes that the ELAC Debut 3 manages to avoid this problem, delivering a balanced treble response. They even compare it favorably to soft-dome tweeters, which are typically preferred for smoother treble.
3. Easy to Drive, but Benefits from Power: The reviewer points out that the Debut 3 is relatively easy to drive but benefits from a more powerful amplifier. They recommend around 60-100 watts of power for optimal performance, noting that higher power helps the speaker scale and handle volume without distortion.
4. Soundstage and Imaging: The reviewer praises the speaker’s off-axis performance and wide sweet spot, highlighting that the ELAC Debut 3 offers good soundstage and imaging. This indicates the speakers perform well in various listening positions and don't sacrifice pinpoint imaging, which is a strong positive for an affordable speaker.
5. Value for Money: The ELAC Debut 3 is positioned as an affordable, high-performing speaker. The reviewer consistently mentions that the speaker offers performance comparable to much more expensive models, such as the Buchardt S400, but at a fraction of the price, making it an excellent value for budget-conscious audiophiles.

Wow chat GPT can watch vids now? Incredible

I avoid all youtuber with useless faff. CAM is about 50% faff.

 

[Rednaxela]

Wow chat GPT can watch vids now? Incredible

I copy/pasted the transcript but there are services that automate this too.

 

[DanielT]

Another YouTuber praising them. An absolute winner....ELAC Debut 3.0 is a phenomenal speaker.

On axes measurement. I don't know much about the conditions for the measurements other than what is mentioned in the graph below:

I don't know why the Youtube link is not visible. You can look it up yourself on Youtube:

https://youtube.com/@andrewrobinsonreviews?si=v5sl9hK8dS36sGIR

 

[TonyJZX]

am i understanding they will do the thing as the 2.0?

ie. there will be a 'normal' one and then a DBR62 "Reference" model

 

[Roland68]

am i understanding they will do the thing as the 2.0?

ie. there will be a 'normal' one and then a DBR62 "Reference" model

Debut 3.0 is the successor to the Debut 2.0 series.
Debut 2.0 and Debut Reference (DBR62) have nothing to do with each other and are not based on each other. The chassis used are also different, as is the tuning. I have both the DB62 and the DBR62 here, and I find them very different.
The Debut 3.0 at least has a completely different and new tweeter compared to the 2.0.
As the Debut Reference series is younger than the Debut 2.0 series, it will probably be at least 1 or 2 years before a successor is introduced. As they also come from a different developer, it is impossible to predict anything. But because they come from a different developer, they will probably be different; the tuning and sound must have nothing to do with the current DBR62. Maybe better, maybe worse, probably different.

 

[Roland68]

View attachment 393993

https://youtube.com/@andrewrobinsonreviews?si=v5sl9hK8dS36sGIR

Nice to see the Debut 3.0 on a good speaker stand

 

[Rednaxela]

Another YouTuber praising them. An absolute winner....ELAC Debut 3.0 is a phenomenal speaker.

On axes measurement. I don't know much about the conditions for the measurements other than what is mentioned in the graph below:
View attachment 393991

I don't know why the Youtube link is not visible. You can look it up yourself on Youtube:

View attachment 393993

https://youtube.com/@andrewrobinsonreviews?si=v5sl9hK8dS36sGIR

Thank you for sharing!

(Pet peeve alert.)

The measurements as presented by Andrew Robinson are rather squashed vertically, making the speakers look flatter than they might turn out in a like for like comparison with other speakers, such its predecessor. The frequency response graphs in the linked ASR review have an aspect ratio of around 32dB/decade (purple square).

After tracing the graphs from the video, loading them in REW, and outputting them at the same aspect ratio, we get this.

Resized for the purple squares to also match in size. See attachments for the full scale original.

I hope this helps with interpreting the data presented in the video.

 

[DanielT]

Thank you for sharing!

(Pet peeve alert.)

The measurements as presented by Andrew Robinson are rather squashed vertically, making the speakers look flatter than they might turn out in a like for like comparison with other speakers, such its predecessor. The frequency response graphs in the linked ASR review have an aspect ratio of around 32dB/decade (purple square).

View attachment 394047

After tracing the graphs from the video, loading them in REW, and outputting them at the same aspect ratio, we get this.

View attachment 394049

Resized for the purple squares to also match in size. See attachments for the full scale original.

I hope this helps with interpreting the data presented in the video.

To obtain a reference point regarding Andrew Robinson's measurements performed on ELAC Debut 3.0

We can do this just to get a general idea of the accuracy regarding Andrew Robinson's measurements. That by comparing one of them performed on a speaker that both he and Amir or Erin made. The first speaker I saw that that both Andrew Robinson and Erin tested was Wharfedale Super Denton.

First Andrew Robinson:

https://youtube.com/@andrewrobinsonreviews?si=61W3_WVPltGJpjLt

Now Erin from Erin's Audio Corner. Measurement carried out with the precise SOTA measurement system Klippel:

Wharfedale Super Denton Bookshelf Speaker Review

Wharfedale Super Denton Bookshelf Speaker

www.erinsaudiocorner.com

Edit:
I think Andrew Robinson is an honest and nice guy in that he points out that this is what my measurements look like, but yours or others' may look different.. Same thing with his subjective judgments. That is, with how he describes his subjective listening experiences of speaker X in his listening room.

 

[Rednaxela]

I think Andrew Robinson is an honest and nice guy in that he points out that this is what my measurements look like, but yours or others' may look different..

Definitely agree.

He adds proper disclaimers, and in all fairness the aspect ratios of the ASR and EAC Klippel graphs do not seem to follow a standard either. For instance the two EAC graphs you included are displayed at close to 35dB/decade which is again slightly different. I checked the aspect ratio of Robinson's Super Denton In-Room graph and it is set at 70dB/decade. Visually that's twice as flat.

So yeah it would be an interesting exercise to trace and combine it all and compare things at a uniform scale.

 

[Paspolc]

I only trust Amir, wait for his review.

 

[Rednaxela]

I trust Erin too!

 

[Gatordaddy]

Erin's video review is up on youtube. Ppl are pretty negative in the comments--I'm guessing because of how they measure compared to the hyperbolic praise from other YT reviewers. They seem to offer better in room response and build quality (looks) at the expense of some directivity control. They look like competent performers in their price bracket.