Upgrade Elac DBR62 to floorstander.

[Bernard23]

Whether a tower speaker will be an upgrade depends a lot on your room. I find many bookshelf + sub setup sound much, MUCH better than many tower speakers crowded into smaller rooms.

It's a large room around 18m x 8m

 

[Achievement Undone]

I can fit the large one in, it's fitting in more than one that's an issue. Anyway, I found a newish used one sold from a retailer online for £325 so that's done, found one new at £749 so a considerable saving. I just hope i can find a <6m RCA cable now to route over the door frame. I'm so tempted to add a pair of AsciLab F6B too that I've found. I need to close this page before I get carried away, but thanks for the suggestion!

Understandable! Enjoy the ride!

 

[Achievement Undone]

It's moot now though as I've bought an Elac sub. I'll see how that is an improvement over the current sub I've got and if it is then I'd look at adding another. Possibly moving on the Elac and buying two more current devices.

Did you go with the 3030's? If so feel free to reach out if you have any questions, and I'll try to answer. My only initial advise is to update the unit's firmware if there's an update available, and to verify that the screws holding the sub to it's braced frame (stand underneath) are screwed tight.

 

[Bernard23]

Did you go with the 3030's? If so feel free to reach out if you have any questions, and I'll try to answer. My only initial advise is to update the unit's firmware if there's an update available, and to verify that the screws holding the sub to it's braced frame (stand underneath) are screwed tight.

Yes, the 3030. My immediate buyers remorse was triggered when I read a review complaining the app kept dropping the connection and Elac no longer supports it.

Tbh so long as I can execute a firmware update, set it to max range, no EQ and let my Wiim Ultra manage it.

 

[Achievement Undone]

Yes, the 3030. My immediate buyers remorse was triggered when I read a review complaining the app kept dropping the connection and Elac no longer supports it.

Tbh so long as I can execute a firmware update, set it to max range, no EQ and let my Wiim Ultra manage it.

I've never had any issue with connecting to the sub - Never once did it drop. Although once set up and the settings dialed it, you'll likely never connect to it again. My guess is that is was an issue at launch, and was subsequently fixed.

 

[Bernard23]

So, I've got a shortlist of potential replacements for the Elacs:

AsciLabs F6B new (with whatever wait there is) £785
KEF Concerto Q Meta - New £980 (a nearly new at £790)
KEF R3 (non meta) - used. £900

My conclusion from the data seems to be in terms of quality that list is in reverse order, but am still undecided. For sure an improvement, but I've yet to be sure that I'll appreciate the investment in 6 months, a year, years from now. It's easy to get used to the new standard and upgrading for the sake of it. I do like to play loud occasionally (85 - 90dB levels), hence I'm leaning towards the KEFs

 

[Chromatischism]

I think your list is in the right order. The non-Meta R3 is a bit brighter and I would prefer one of the others. Though if you have a good handle on EQ you could probably tame it.

 

[Bernard23]

I think your list is in the right order. The non-Meta R3 is a bit brighter and I would prefer one of the others. Though if you have a good handle on EQ you could probably tame it.

A bright treble is preferable, I already add a +6db shelf at 10k as my hearing is getting old. I add even more for headphone EQ as my hearing is about 8-10dB down by 12k

 

[Chromatischism]

A bright treble is preferable, I already add a +6db shelf at 10k as my hearing is getting old. I add even more for headphone EQ as my hearing is about 8-10dB down by 12k

Interesting. I think the brightness on the R3 is between 4-6 kHz but I'd have to check the measurements again. That said, that is the range hearing loss tends to affect most, from what I've read.

 

[Bernard23]

I think I've eliminated the F6B and the concerto, simply not enough 9f an improvement to warrant spending so much cash.
The R3s I was looking at have gone, there's a pair in white but they aesthetically don't match my room so they're not a option.
I'm inclined to see how the sub works with the Elacs and leave it a while. I really don't want to start thinking about investing multiple thousands all over again into hardware that ultimately doesn't make the experience that much more enjoyable, if at all after a while.

 

[Bernard23]

Did you go with the 3030's? If so feel free to reach out if you have any questions, and I'll try to answer. My only initial advise is to update the unit's firmware if there's an update available, and to verify that the screws holding the sub to it's braced frame (stand underneath) are screwed tight.

I have a few questions, not least interpreting the (lack) of indicator lights on the rear.

I powered it up, app hasn't found it. Pressed the reset button until blinking blue light to go into pairing mode, blue light goes out and the app simply continues to show a spinning wheel.
I've tried rebooting both phone and speaker and no joy. Once the blue indicator light goes out I cannot pwer it back on without rebooting it from the mains input. I have a suspicion it's knackered....

Got it working with my system at least, no idea what it's settings are because the app won't connect. Integrated it with Roomfit, ran some test sweeps with an spl meter and my ears and it is unsurprisingly much better than the much smaller wharfedale. These things are huge though and not very pretty, even though my room is large they're not very discrete.
Anyways, I bought a second used one for slightly less, I suspect two of these things working together will sound pretty impressive. I'm going to spend easter weekend moving furniture around and running test sweeps!

 

[Bernard23]

The saga continues, I've even tried a manual firmware update by downloading the firmware onto a USB stick and booting it up, but that doesn't work either.
Seems my initial fears of unreliable software have been realised. Not sure what else I can do...

 

[staticV3]

The saga continues, I've even tried a manual firmware update by downloading the firmware onto a USB stick and booting it up, but that doesn't work either.
Seems my initial fears of unreliable software have been realised. Not sure what else I can do...

Here's the firmware update guide: https://resources.elac.com/update-firmware-elac-sub-3010-3030-subwoofers

Did you format the USB stick to FAT before attempting the update? FAT32 or exFAT won't work.

 

[Bernard23]

Here's the firmware update guide: https://resources.elac.com/update-firmware-elac-sub-3010-3030-subwoofers

Did you format the USB stick to FAT before attempting the update? FAT32 or exFAT won't work.

Yep

 

[Bernard23]

I'm going to try downloading the zip file straight into usb stick and unpacking it there.
Copying the file might have lost some props.

 

[staticV3]

I'm going to try downloading the zip file straight into usb stick and unpacking it there.
Copying the file might have lost some props.

The Zip contains two .hex files, whereas the guide only mentions a single file.

I'd load only the larger 'SUB3030.hex' onto the stick, not sure what the smaller '._SUB3030.hex' is for.

 

[Bernard23]

The Zip contains two .hex files, whereas the guide only mentions a single file.

I'd load only the larger 'SUB3030.hex' onto the stick, not sure what the smaller '._SUB3030.hex' is for.

That's the one I'm trying.

I recorded a short clip showing that a I get is a single very faint blink when I power it up, certainly not the blink - solid - blink - solid sequence.

I have to say the instructions for factory reset are pretty vague. Press and hold for at least 10s while it blinks then stops blinking but no more than 15s otherwise the reset is cancelled. Chatgpt would have done a better job

 

[Bernard23]

I gave in, seller is collecting them Tuesday. Back to square 1, needing two large ish subs.

 

[Chanur]

Interesting spanner - my feeling is that I could add a dozen Wharfedale subs and still not get much 20hz action. The other major constraint is space, although it's a large room, it's already full; I only have space for one extra box, and I'm not so wedded to audiophile stuff that I'm going to start getting rid of other furniture etc etc.

So, my current strategy is to replace the current puny sub with something much more capable - a BK XXLS400 or a Monolith Plus. I haven't found any independent measurements yet, but the paper specs look fine.

Monolith Plus-FF MK2 Black Ash

bkelectronics.co.uk

XXLS400-FF Cherry

bkelectronics.co.uk

I don't think you get high SPL 20hz action from a floor stander under your price range. Most speakers roll off way before that, let alone play there with authority for under 1k a pair.

 

[Flaesh]

I need 85dB at 40Hz as a minimum

The performance of a subwoofer is largely determined by the room's transfer function. Yesterday, during setup, it was quiet:

Dark Passenger at MLP, also quietly, in the evening in the apartment:

Blue Aran in the UK is a good source of drivers. Yeah, you also need a box, an amplifier and some kind of processing. And measurement mic will be very usefull.