Speaker Asylum: REVIEW: Elac 203.2 Speakers by greg7

Model:	203.2
Category:	Speakers
Suggested Retail Price:	$1500
Description:	2-way Minimonitor
Manufacturer URL:	Elac
Manufacturer URL:	Elac

Review by greg7 on December 31, 2005 at 12:49:58
IP Address: 70.173.100.233

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for the 203.2

The Elac 203.2 replaced Dynaudio 52SE in my system. The Elacs have been in my system for over a month now. Elac is an interesting, albeit obscure, German company (at least in North America) who make their own Heil ribbon tweeter and paper-aluminum bass driver. To give you an idea how obscure, Elac isnâ€™t even listed at Audio Asylum as of my writing this. Elac also sell a very nice room analysis software package called Cara (a useful demo version of which is available on their website). The overall build quality and cabinetry is good and on par with the 52SE.

Incidentally, I like to take chances occasionally on the more interesting and obscure hi fi equipment out there, especially speakers. However, the conceptually identical Neat Petite is a popular combination with Naim so I figured I was heading in the right direction in relation to what I liked and didnâ€™t like with the Dyns.

The Dyns were already gone from my system by the time the Elacs arrived so I was unable to do a direct A/B comparison. I do feel, however, that Dyns represented a good benchmark for this comparisons given their reputation for studio monitor accuracy and linearity.

The main problems I had with the Dyns were (1) excessive bass in my room despite much experimentation with positioning, speaker:stand interfacing, etc. and (2) a presentation that was too clinical and uninvolving. Given their smaller size, at the very least I was hoping to cure my bass problem with the Elacs. Resolution is also a priority to me and Iâ€™d liked what Iâ€™d read about the Elac midrange and treble reproduction per the ribbon tweeter.

My room is on the small side at 13' x 15'. It has thick carpet over concrete slab. I also keep it relatively underdamped by preference. I have experimented with room tuning devices and didnâ€™t like them as they seem to stifle the openness. Please refer to my inmate system page for additional information.

I positioned the Elacs in the identical location as the Dyns: 3' from rear wall, 6' apart and 3.5' from side walls and firing down the long axis. My listening seat 7-8â€™ from the speakers. The sonic balance seems ideal there so I havenâ€™t experimented further. I also prefer them firing straight ahead (i.e., no toe-in), which I also preferred with the Dyns. The Dyns were well broken in by the time they left my sytem and the Elacs had approximately 200 hours on them when I received them. The Dyns were on Dynaudio Stand4 stands. The Elacs are on Linn Katan stands. I use single runs of Naim Naca5 speaker cable, i.e., no biwiring. The speakers are connected through the tweeter input and the stock jumpers are still being used (more on that later).

The Dyns had good synergy in my system (but obviously not great per my preferences). In fact, many dealers who carry both Naim and Dynaudio recommend combining the 52SE and Nait5i for this reason. However, my main recollection of them, particularly in comparison to the Elacs, was a presentation a bit too full, slow, pushy and dark, even closed in. I suspect this was a psychoacoustic result of the bass prominence and the inability of my Nait5i to bring out their full potential (per the 4-ohm nominal impedance, lowish 86 dB sensitivity and very large driver magnets. The Dyns had a limited loudness range available in my system. Below a certain point everything was dull, sleepy and lifeless. Conversely, beyond merely â€œloud enoughâ€ a hard edge would appear with the onset of clipping.

The Elacs, by contrast, have a smaller scale but are exciting (at least microdynamically), extremely resolute and refined, especially on vocals and in the top end. They also sound very open and airy and tonally more neutral (even slightly lean) in my room. Finally and perhaps most importantly, their bass integrates much better with my room (though perhaps still not perfectly) but, as discussed previously, this was expected and really outside the scope of the review. Given my room constraints and the fact that it has never been one of Naimâ€™s strengths regardless, I donâ€™t place much emphasis on soundstaging (particularly in the depth plane). However, the Elacs, while being a bit more forward overall, keep multiple instruments very focused and separated (even at higher volume levels). The Dyns were slightly more laid back and softly focused but, again, that could have been due to the bass prominence and lack of amplifier drive.

Taken on their own merit in relation to all of the previous speakers Iâ€™ve owned since becoming serious about hi fi (e.g., Amphion Argon 2, Dynaudio 52SE, Dynaudio 62, Opera Prima 1.5, Dillon Metaphor) the Elacs are the most naturally open, resolute and refined speaker of them all. Paradoxically, one would assume the Elacs would favor classical and lighter music but I really prefer them to the Dyns with what I primarily listen to: alternative, classic rock and even metal and electronic/techno. However, do note that I never listen to music at extremely high volume levels (except in my car).

Like the Dyns, the Elacs appear to be a demanding load on paper (4 ohm nominal impedance, 3.2 ohms minimum and what must be a complex crossover) and I was a bit concerned in the ability of my Nait5i to drive them given my experience with the Dyns. However, my Nait5i seems much happier driving them than the Dyns. They are 2 dB more efficient and have smaller midbass magnets. Note that the 88 dB efficiency seems accurate since they go louder than the Dyns at equivalent volume control settings. They also sound a bit better (but not significantly) at lower volumes and certainly have more â€œoverloadâ€ capability in going from loud to very loud without additional hardness.

If I could sum up my experience with the Dyns it would be forceful or â€œiron fist in a velvet gloveâ€. By contrast I would characterize the Elacs as simply fun, emotional and involving. For those reasons I prefer the Elacs in my system, though the Dyns weren't bad by any means.

There are minor negatives, of course. First, unlike many small speakers that seem to play big, these are not among them. I also suspect many would find the Elacs a bit too resolute, and/or forward. They expose bad recordings rather obviously (certainly more so than the Dyns). A minor bit of grain is also now apparent, which could very be the Elacs exposing my front end. I will be replacing the stock biwire jumpers with either bare wire or dedicated spade jumpers in the near future in the hope that this is the source rather than my front end.

Product Weakness: Smallish scale, perhaps too resolute, fast and forward for some
Product Strengths: Fast, forward, refined, airy and resolute presentation

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Naim Nait5i
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	none
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Naim CD5i
Speakers:	Elac 203.2
Cables/Interconnects:	Naim IC and Naca5
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	see review
Room Size (LxWxH):	15 x 13 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments:	minimal
Time Period/Length of Audition:	+1 month to date
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Wiremold
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	Smallish scale, perhaps too resolute, fast and forward for some
Product Strengths:	Fast, forward, refined, airy and resolute presentation