Elac Debut Reference DBR-62 Speaker Review

[Chromatischism]

I recommend listening to them yourself and forming your own opinion. We are not all the same. We cannot be guided by instructions about what we should like, but by what we really like.

We are not all the same but we are similar. Generally, brighter speakers will be preferred by those with some hearing loss. Otherwise, the initial wow factor will wear off and become more of an annoyance.

 

[ninetylol]

Today I sold my Elac DBR62 for a Klipsch RP-600M II and I'm happier.

Last year i sold my DBR62 too and was happy with the new speakers. This year I bought another set of DBR62. Only time will tell if you did the right thing.

 

[antcollinet]

I don’t know if the speaker requires really that much power. I was using Sonos Amp with Elac DBR62 and Sonos Amp is 125 watts with Sinad of 92 for digital input but still when I switched to Audiolab 6000a Play which is only 50 watts the same qobuz track sounded beautiful, natural and miles ahead than sonos amp. Sonos amp sounded congested, sterile and processed in comparison. I highly doubt that Audiolab 6000a has better Sinad than sonos amp digital input(streaming input) of 92. So it is not all about power and sinad. There is something else, may DSP which I dont know

Or perhaps just good old perceptive bias - if you've not controlled for that, you cant trust your subjective perceptions as having any basis in the actual sound reaching your ears.

Not saying you aren't hearing something that is real - just that you can't know if you are - or if you are not.


Same goes for @wyup 's perceptions.

 

[RoA]

My money is that he likes a brighter, more forward sound, something the RP600M 2's are famous for. What he's going to learn is that those speakers can be very fatiguing (sp?) to listen to for longer periods. Much better if he would have kept both speakers and A/B'ed them over six mos. He would have kept those Elacs.

That foresight is amazing. UK lottery numbers for next week please.

 

[Roland68]

Last year i sold my DBR62 too and was happy with the new speakers. This year I bought another set of DBR62. Only time will tell if you did the right thing.

Which speakers did you get back then?

 

[ninetylol]

Which speakers did you get back then?

I got Lintons pretty cheap, so I couldnt say no. In the end they were too big for my taste and room though.

 

[olds1959special]

I'm using DBR62's and seem to be getting better results using in line 50 Hz HP (Harrison FMOD) filters on my amps, combined with my powered subwoofer set at 70 Hz LPF.

 

[Beershaun]

I'm using DBR62's and seem to be getting better results using in line 50 Hz HP (Harrison FMOD) filters on my amps, combined with my powered subwoofer set at 70 Hz LPF.

Looking at the distortion graph I wonder if you would get even better results using 80hz high pass. The distortion on the speaker really starts to spike up ~80hz.

 

[olds1959special]

Looking at the distortion graph I wonder if you would get even better results using 80hz high pass. The distortion on the speaker really starts to spike up ~80hz.

I have the inline filters in 50, 70, and 100. I’ll try the other two.

Edit: I tried the 50 and 100, and preferred the 50. I'm using the 70 in my other speaker system but when I'm curious I'll try it out too. But my feeling is the 50 is fine and makes the speaker feel not too bright, but still makes it less bass heavy which counters some of the proximity effect since they are near walls. I set my sub at 60 Hz for this.

 

[olds1959special]

I stopped using the inline HP filters. I am still trying them on my other speakers, but I don’t think the DBR62 need them.

 

[riceFET]

I’m thinking about getting these to upgrade from the MR4 as my first “real” speakers. Will these be ok for very close listening distance (~80cm) or should I just get a sub?

 

[Roland68]

I’m thinking about getting these to upgrade from the MR4 as my first “real” speakers. Will these be ok for very close listening distance (~80cm) or should I just get a sub?

This is a major upgrade from the MR4, so even a subwoofer wouldn't help.
I also have the DBR62 in a desktop setup with a PA5 II and I'm very happy with it. Unlike many similarly priced monitors, it's completely silent and noise-free.

 

[olds1959special]

Are Aiyima A70 monos okay to power these in a near field setup? Also, can I send to my subwoofer and then to the amps, using the high pass filter in the sub? I can do 60 or 80 Hz and want to try 80 Hz first. Will I need to set up delays?

 

[oldmanhifi]

I'm using DBR62's and seem to be getting better results using in line 50 Hz HP (Harrison FMOD) filters on my amps, combined with my powered subwoofer set at 70 Hz LPF.

I too use the 50hz HP FMOD filters going into the power amp. I have my subwoofer set to 80 hz with 12 db/octave crossover slope. That seems to give me a reasonably smooth response in my largish living room.

 

[olds1959special]

I too use the 50hz HP FMOD filters going into the power amp. I have my subwoofer set to 80 hz with 12 db/octave crossover slope. That seems to give me a reasonably smooth response in my largish living room.

I'm doing something similar now with the input coming from the sub. Its HPF is set at 80 Hz and the sub set at 85 Hz. I get some boominess from the speakers if I go full-range in my setup, maybe because of proximity to walls.

 

[olds1959special]

Looking at the distortion graph I wonder if you would get even better results using 80hz high pass. The distortion on the speaker really starts to spike up ~80hz.

I'm using 80Hz high pass now and getting great results!

 

[olds1959special]

I am now using Dynaudio BM5A Mk2 / BM9S instead of the DBR62’s. They have become rear surround speakers in my 5.1 setup, along with the Aiyima A70 mono amps. They are fine speakers but I like the Dynaudio setup a little bit more, especially since the Aiyima amps aren’t quite good sounding enough for critical music listening with the DBR62’s, IMO. No matter what I tried (including op amp rolling) they sounded a bit flat, one dimensional, bright and thin (but extremely detailed.) With the Kenwood L-05M’s I was using before, the Elacs sounded much better. But in my 5.1 setup the Elacs sounded excellent as rear speakers even with the Aiyima amps.

 

[ninetylol]

I am now using Dynaudio BM5A Mk2 / BM9S instead of the DBR62’s. They have become rear surround speakers in my 5.1 setup, along with the Aiyima A70 mono amps. They are fine speakers but I like the Dynaudio setup a little bit more, especially since the Aiyima amps aren’t quite good sounding enough for critical music listening with the DBR62’s, IMO. No matter what I tried (including op amp rolling) they sounded a bit flat, one dimensional, bright and thin (but extremely detailed.) With the Kenwood L-05M’s I was using before, the Elacs sounded much better. But in my 5.1 setup the Elacs sounded excellent as rear speakers even with the Aiyima amps.

From your last posts i must assume, that you change your listening setup daily, so lets see if you change them back as Mains tomorrow

 

[olds1959special]

From your last posts i must assume, that you change your listening setup daily, so lets see if you change them back as Mains tomorrow

I want to think I'm making improvements through experimentation. I actually am not missing them since the Dynaudio setup (with it's built in, optimized dual amps) is better imo. This sub / satellite combo was designed to be used as such for mixing and audio production in a small room but it's just as good for listening to music and movies. I just had to turn the gain switch on the speakers to the lowest setting (and turn on the 60 HPF, a nice feature built in) to get the best sound.

The DBR62's are beautiful speakers that sound smooth, detailed and the treble / high end is fantastic. They really add something to my 5.1 setup. The Dynaudio setup has a LITTLE less sizzle in the extreme treble and is more punchy, dynamic, and tonally warm by comparison (to my ear.) Pink noise tests to follow.

By comparison the DBR62's are pretty expensive. I saw a couple pairs of Dynaudio BM5A Mk.2's going for $350 used and they are powered, while the used DBR62's are harder to find, cost more like $600 and then you have to factor in the cost of the amps. The Dynaudio speakers are a bit more compact too, and slightly lighter.

 

[pathtonowhere]

I've just ordered the DBR62 at 310€ ($365) here in Romania. This is the current Black Friday price, they normally sell for about $100 more. I've heard in the US they start at $600 and in Germany at 400€, so I guess I got a pretty good deal for a new pair. On the flip side, Klipsch, JBL or Revel are a lot more expensive here than in the US.

I chose the newer all-black version and I'm going to pair it with a Yamaha A-S501. I've seen the posts recommending at least 200W for good results, but I'm not buying it. It's the same as with LS50, with people going crazy, pairing them with 500-1000W amps. The internet is full of blown-out LS50 woofers. Yes, they aren't sensitive, but that doesn't mean they will benefit from more than 100-150W. Not very sensitive doesn't mean they will automatically suck infinite power, they just bottom out at some point. If it says on the back 100W or 120W maximum power (it means they're in danger of blowing out beyond that), I'm going to go with that, people who made it know better.

Currently I'm on a pair of Wharfedale 230. I like them, they have a warm sound, but they don't seem that punchy in the 60-100Hz area. The DBR62 have a 60-100Hz hump, which I like for some of the music. I had that hump in a pair of Monitor Audio Silver 100, but I couldn't stand the wide dispersion bright metallic highs, so I got rid of them. The DBR62 have a wide dispersion in the 3-5kHz area, too, which could be a problem, I'll probably have to better treat the room, we'll see, but at least they're 2-3dB lower in the treble than MA and they don't have the metal tweeters. I would have preferred a back port, too, but it is what it is...hope I won't get any artifacts through the ports.