Loudspeakers

In the last few years audiophiles have witnessed a spate of companies celebrating 50th anniversaries, a reminder that the early 1970s were a hotbed of hi-fi development. ELAC, however, can claim a much longer heritage, having been founded in Kiel in Germany in 1926, originally as a specialist in sonar technology before expanding to consumer audio. No doubt it is working on a 100th anniversary product launch – having previously marked 90 years with the Miracord 90 turntable [HFN Jul ’17] – but in the meantime it has delivered an update to its Vela series of loudspeakers.

Update, rather than, say, ‘overhaul’, is the right term because so much of the Vela 2.0 series is unchanged from the original [HFN Apr ’19]. The £1899 BS 403.2 tested here (‘BS’ for bookshelf) is outwardly identical to the BS 403 launched some five years before, its dimensions the same down to the last millimetre. So are the other models in the range: there’s a larger bookshelf option, the BS 404.2 at £2199, as well as the FS 407.2 (£3799), FS 408.2 (£4799) and FS 409.2 (£5799) floorstanders, plus the CC 401.2 centre channel (£1699). Finish options, once again, are gloss black and gloss white lacquer or a walnut veneer, the latter at a £100 premium on the BS 403.2.

New wave

How, then, does this 2.0 generation differ from the last? Making its debut on ELAC’s Vela 2.0 speakers is the JET 6 tweeter, the latest iteration of an AMT design [see boxout] that the manufacturer first introduced in 1995. Replacing the JET 5, which was developed in 2012, this unit features improvements to both the layout of its aluminium foil ‘voice coil’ and the horizontally slotted waveguide in front of it. The result, says ELAC, is a more linear frequency response, particularly around 2-3kHz and 12kHz, and lower distortion [see PM's Lab Report]. All ELAC lines will accommodate the JET 6, so expect revamps across the board, including the company’s flagship Concentro models.

On the BS 403.2, the JET 6 is paired with a 150mm AS-XR bass/mid driver. Another ELAC speciality, this features an aluminium/paper sandwich cone with a multifaceted ‘crystal membrane’ surface to improve stiffness and extend frequency response. Handover from the bass/mid to the JET 6 is at 2.4kHz, via a newly optimised crossover network fed by twin sets of binding posts to enable bi-wiring and bi-amping.

Nautical star

The marketing material for the Vela 2.0 lineup puts plenty of emphasis on the speakers’ appearance, and someone at the company clearly has a passion for flowery language. ‘Sight and sound combined into a duality of delight’ is one description, as is ‘a striking illustration of how design and function can be harmonised’. There’s even a claim of ‘nautical-inspired aesthetics’. However, to be fair to ELAC, the BS 403.2 – just like its forebear – is an incredibly pretty thing.

Okay, with its gold-coloured AMT tweeter and distinctive driver cone this speaker is far from discreet, but it’s agreeably compact, measuring 19cm wide, with rounded edges to its front and rear baffles that make it appear smaller still. So too does the trapezoidal nature of the cabinet, the speaker tapering in width from front to back. This is part of ELAC’s approach to limiting internal standing waves, as is the cabinet’s angled top plate. Meanwhile, a slight convex curve to the front baffle claims to limit driver reflections and HF diffraction.

A feature of all Vela 2.0 speakers, bar the centre channel model, is the use of downward-facing bass reflex ports. To accommodate this, the BS 403.2’s main cabinet is fixed to an aluminium base (coloured black regardless of your choice of finish). The underside of the cabinet is then angled to create the required breathing space for the port. Inside the enclosure, a brace board is fitted between the tweeter and woofer assemblies to improve rigidity, while polyester wool offers some damping. As the manual covers all ELAC’s passive speakers, there are no specific placement guidelines for the BS 403.2, but the brand’s general suggestion of 30-60cm from rear and side walls and an equilateral triangle of speakers/listening positioning isn’t radical.

For stands, ELAC’s 23in LS 80 model (£379) is offered with a choice of top plates to match its Vela, Navis and Carina standmounts, but is only sold in grey. Budget a bit more for the £479 LS 60s, however, and you get a choice of black or white.

Tiny titan
A benefit of the AS-XR bass/mid driver system, says ELAC, is a ‘lot of bass out of small cabinets’. And, yes, urged on by my usual Primare A35.2 power amp [HFN Dec ’19] the BS 403.2 derived plenty of punch from its 150mm driver and down-firing port, nailing the ‘big sound/compact speaker’ brief. But while low-end handling is impressive, it’s not the most nuanced part of the BS 403.2’s sound. With tonal detail and a sense of space and air from the JET 6 tweeter, ELAC’s speaker is often at its best with more intimate compositions.

By way of an example, Don McLean’s softly etched ballad ‘Vincent’ [American Pie; Capitol Records, 192kHz/24-bit] was a captivating listen, as ELAC’s JET 6 tweeter contributed to a clean, smooth rendition of its delicately plucked acoustic guitar and McLean’s eulogistic vocal. It sounded detailed, vivid, and naturalistic, with an openness to the soundstage and no sign of anything untoward coming from the two cabinets themselves. The strings that accompany the final chorus were quivering and tactile, avoiding thinness.

More of this superb instrumental clarity could be heard on John Williams’ suite for Jurassic Park [20th Anniversary edition; Geffen, 48kHz/24-bit], where the main theme progressed from gentle but eerie woodwinds to the full orchestra pit giving it both barrels. The mass of strings, brass and choir that Williams deploys sounded weighty and rich but full of detail. The BS 403.2 also did a fine job conveying the scale and dynamic flow of the piece.

Black Sabbath’s ‘War Pigs’ [Paranoid; Warner/Rhino RR2 3104], where the throb of bass strings was well defined and Tony Iommi’s guitar was free of overt harshness, proved the BS 403.2 to be one of those loudspeakers that relishes a decent turn of the volume knob. At low listening levels, it could seem a bit sleepy in the bottom octaves. On the other hand, on some tracks bass was less well defined. ‘4th Day Prayer’ by Allison Russell [Outside Child; Fantasy, 44.1kHz/24-bit] featured beautifully resolved jazz guitar and fine separation of its layered, gospel-infused vocals. But underneath was a thudding bassline and drum track that at times almost overwhelmed it.

Shake it

Similarly, the woozy psych-rock parts of The Dandy Warhols’ ‘I’d Like To Help You With Your Problem’ [Rockmaker; Sunset Blvd Records CD] felt a bit congested, even with the BS 403.2s positioned well into the room. When the bassline and drums receded for a breakdown, and guest guitarist Slash laid down reverbed guitar licks that could have come right from the 1970s, the sound was clean and sparkly; enter the rhythm section again, and it thickened and lost clarity.

Thankfully, this isn’t a constant concern. ‘Shakedown’, from Bob Seger’s Greatest Hits 2 [Capitol Records CD], benefitted from the BS 403.2’s speed and grip on the upper bass notes, giving the synth and drums a chunky, infectious feeling. The soundstage had solidity and depth, so that the cries of ‘shakedown!’ toward the end were spread out between the speakers, with Seger up front and snarling.

And with another song used memorably by the Beverly Hills Cop film franchise, The Pointer Sisters’ ‘Neutron Dance’ [Break Out; RCA CD], ELAC’s standmount delivered a lively rendition with full-bodied keyboards and smooth vocal lines.

Rain or shine

Slash pops up again on the recently released charity single version of Mark Knopfler’s ‘Going Home (Theme From Local Hero)’ [BMGCAT837CDS], alongside 65 other contributors, no less. This recording is superb, its warm bass cushioning the various guitarists like it was made for the BS 403.2s. Naturally, the appeal here is trying to recognise the different players by their tone and style, and this speaker’s revealing nature helped me pick out Joe Satriani one bar, Steve Lukather the next (I think, anyway…).

Indeed, if there’s midband nuance and texture to be enjoyed in a recording, you can be sure ELAC’s stylish standmount speaker will find it. Its presentation of vocals was frequently sublime, from Adele segueing effortlessly from breathy verse to powerful chorus in ‘Set Fire To The Rain’ [21; XL Recordings, XLCD 520], to the haunting, crisply enunciated spectre of Lou Reed on ‘Perfect Day’ [Transformer; RCA, 48kHz/24-bit]. In full-flight across a wide range of material, the JET-powered BS 403.2 is a pleasure to experience.

Hi-Fi News Verdict

ELAC’s ‘2.0’ update of its entry-level Vela loudspeaker faces stiff competition in the sub-£2k arena, but helping it stand out are a stunning aesthetic and compact design. Star of the show is the speed and reach of that JET 6 tweeter, which brings smooth top-end clarity to whatever you’re listening to, while the punch and scale of its low-end – with suitable amplification – belies its modest cabinet size.

Sound Quality: 85%