Elac Debut Reference DBR-62 Speaker Review

[quirozson]

Is it close to a wall?

Nope, not too close. 12", and not an issue with my other speakers in the same location/position. Interestingly, I didn't want to read the 49 pages of this thread, but I clicked on page 48 and saw someone with a DENON bring up the same issue and similar solution. I have a Rotel A12 in transit. Will be curious to see if the receiver makes a big difference.

 

[AudioQuestShill]

Nope, not too close. 12", and not an issue with my other speakers in the same location/position. Interestingly, I didn't want to read the 49 pages of this thread, but I clicked on page 48 and saw someone with a DENON bring up the same issue and similar solution. I have a Rotel A12 in transit. Will be curious to see if the receiver makes a big difference.

Receiver shouldnt make a different bass wise unless you have bass setting boosted. Maybe your old speakers didnt have any bass compared to the elac?

 

[Haint]

New to this forum and HiFi in general. Just bought these ELAC's to replace late 1980's B&W DM110i. At higher volumes these truly shine! Mid/highs clear and are well balanced with the bass. As I turn the volume down to more relaxing volume levels (where I tend to listen most frequently), the bass signal takes over the room. It's not boomy, but fatiguing. I need to turn my receiver bass setting down to -6 or turn on the high pass filter on zone2 of my Denon receiver, which I don't need to do with my trusty B&W's. Anyway, just curious if this is something I should be concerned with, or just set it and forget it? Love the sound with high pass filter activated, but I've always had that set at neutral with my other speakers.

Audyssey's Dynamic EQ setting boosts the bass as the volume is lowered (based on a Fletcher Munson curve). Changing the reference level offset to 5, 10, or 15dB will reduce the amount of boost at each tier (with 15dB having the least boost). Or you can turn Dynamic EQ off entirely.

 

[quirozson]

Audyssey's Dynamic EQ setting boosts the bass as the volume is lowered (based on a Fletcher Munson curve). Changing the reference level offset to 5, 10, or 15dB will reduce the amount of boost at each tier (with 15dB having the least boost). Or you can turn Dynamic EQ off entirely.

Thanks, Does that apply to Zone2? I calibrated the EQ in my TV room. The ELAC's are running on Zone2 in living room. Been listening to music at low volume for the last two hours, and everything sounds good with the high pass filter turned on. Menu states that that setting unique to Zone2 "attenuates low frequency (bass) to reduce distortion."

 

[Haint]

Thanks, Does that apply to Zone2? I calibrated the EQ in my TV room. The ELAC's are running on Zone2 in living room. Been listening to music at low volume for the last two hours, and everything sounds good with the high pass filter turned on. Menu states that that setting unique to Zone2 "attenuates low frequency (bass) to reduce distortion."

Unfortunately I've never used Zone 2 so I can't say for sure. I just noticed that seemed to be the behavior you were describing.

 

[Willem]

I have two methodological suggestions:
1 Turn off all equalisation, simply to get a base line for analysis.
2 If you still have a bass boom, measure response.

 

[Beershaun]

Also try swapping the connections on the back of your Denon to zone 1 and run room correction to see how it affects the sound.

 

[Pearljam5000]

I wonder why his review is so negative

 

[Steve Dallas]

I wonder why his review is so negative

He is all over the map. I watch some of his reviews for the amusement factor, and to see if he has cleaned his apartment yet, but not for serious feedback.

 

[Chromatischism]

He wasn't getting good imaging. Could be the room. It shouldn't be the speaker. At any rate, that review doesn't tell me much if I'm shopping.

 

[renaudrenaud]

I wonder why his review is so negative

This guy is just a pig. I do not look at his video anymore, I just want to wash my eyes after that.

If you want something clever (easy, does it?) you can watch this one:

 

[quirozson]

Just picked up a NAD 356BEE amplifier off craigslist. It seems to have remarkably improved my low volume psychoacoustic issues I was having with my ELAC's paired with Denon 2313CI. I'm sure there is a scientific explanation related to woofer and tweeter resistance, but I'd suggest that these speakers prefer a receiver that is rated for 4ohms. As a side note, the ELAC+NAD sounds AMAZING at high volumes too.

 

[liuyw07]

Thank you for this fantastic review!
Do you guys have any recommendation for amplifiers for this speaker? I plan to use it on desktop, one foot away from the wall, 3 feet away from me, I now have a benchmark dac1 usb. Budget for amplifier is below $1000, and I does accept, actually prefer, used ones. Thanks in advance!

 

[bafio]

Amazing forum!

Just subscribed - I'm peeking since some weeks.... Amirm and You all guys made me feel reborn with my old love for HiFi! At that time that was the name. My first "real" loudspeakers were KLHs, tested on Doobie Brothers songs. Good old times!

I'm introducing myself in this thread because now I've got my ELACs in place: chosen just by reading this thread, hooked to an old Audiolab amp, on a DYI bookshelf, and some DYI room treatment, this is the first step of my "HiFi 2 The Return" project.

ELACs to me have a tad too less highs than I expected - maybe I just need to get used, I will post more detailed impressions later on - but "warmness/humaness" of voices is touching.

My second step will be getting a miniDSP, and third to get one of these https://www.bkelec.com/HiFi/Sub_Woofers/Double_Gem.html

Add some forgotten DSP theory, REW - and why not some FEA? - and the recipe for fun is guaranteed

[PS please be understanding: English is not my native language. Thanks!]

 

[weasels]

I think part of the "less highs" issue is floor and ceiling reflections. I put a carpet in the room with my DBRs and it made a pretty noticeable difference.

 

[aleksa.angelov]

I bought dbr 62 this time and believe in your subjective thank you so much

Few months have passed... Are you happy with the combo Cambridge Audio AXA35 and ELAC DB62? What is the music of your preference? I bought the AXA35, and I'm thinking to get the ELAC DB52 or DB62...

 

[aleksa.angelov]

Few months have passed... Are you happy with the combo Cambridge Audio AXA35 and ELAC DB62? What is the music of your preference? I bought the AXA35, and I'm thinking to get the ELAC DB52 or DB62...

Shit. this is a different model from what I'm looking at. I'm looking to pair the AXA35 with ELAC DB52/62, but not the DBR-62...

 

[Chromatischism]

If you can stretch it, the DBR is a much better speaker...

 

[weasels]

It's definitely worth it. The DB62 is a nice cheap speaker, but the DBR is just a nice speaker, period.

 

[SineWave]

I wonder why his review is so negative

Stare at this photo for at least 15 seconds before watching watching any of his videos: