In this review, we will be comparing Reference 7 2023 and VELA FS 409, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Canton and ELAC.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Canton Reference 7 2023 and ELAC VELA FS 409 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Canton Reference 7 2023 | ELAC VELA FS 409 |
|---|
| Brand | Canton
Germany · founded 1972 | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | handmade JET 5 folded ribbon |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.85" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.85" Aluminum ceramic tungsten (Wave-surround) | 2 x 7" Aluminum/Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 23-40k Hz | 28-50k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | — | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 160-320 watts | 40-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 33.11kg / 72.8lbs | 32.18kg / 70.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 38.5" x 11" x 17"
977.9 x 279.4 x 431.8mm | 52-3/8" x 10-15/16" x 13-9/16"
1331.0 x 278.0 x 345.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Canton Reference 7 2023 and ELAC VELA FS 409 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Canton Reference 7 2023 |
ELAC VELA FS 409 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Reference 7 2023 and VELA FS 409 are 3-way speakers.
Canton Reference 7 2023ELAC VELA FS 409
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Canton Reference 7 2023 |
ELAC VELA FS 409 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.85-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.85-inch
|
2 x 7-inch
|
Reference 7 2023 features a 1" Aluminum oxyd ceramic Tweeter, a 6.85" Midrange and 2 x 6.85" Aluminum ceramic tungsten (Wave-surround) Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 190 / 3200 Hz. On the other hand, the VELA FS 409 features a " handmade JET 5 folded ribbon Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 7" Aluminum/Paper Woofer.
Frequency Response
Reference 7 2023 has a frequency range of 23-40k Hz whereas VELA FS 409 has a frequency range of 28-50k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 23Hz, the Reference 7 2023 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the VELA FS 409's min frequency of 28Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Reference 7 2023 can handle a max power of 320 watts RMS, whereas VELA FS 409 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 120 watts less than the Reference 7 2023.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
VELA FS 409 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Reference 7 2023 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Canton Reference 7 2023's and ELAC VELA FS 409's external dimensions. Canton Reference 7 2023 has external dimensions of 977.9 x 279.4 x 431.8mm (38.5 x 11 x 17inch) whereas ELAC VELA FS 409 has external dimensions of 1331.0 x 278.0 x 345.0mm (52-3/8 x 10-15/16 x 13-9/16inch).
ELAC VELA FS 409 is 1.4mm narrower and 86.8mm less deeper than Canton Reference 7 2023 but it is also 353.1mm taller.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Canton Reference 7 2023 needs about 26% more floor or shelf area. Canton Reference 7 2023 is 87mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. ELAC VELA FS 409 is 353mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Canton Reference 7 2023 is approximately 1206.4cm2 / 187.0inch2 and base area of the ELAC VELA FS 409 is approximately 959.1cm2 / 148.7inch2. The Reference 7 2023 requires 26% more surface area than the VELA FS 409 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Canton Reference 7 2023 weighs 33.11kg / 72.8lbs and the ELAC VELA FS 409 weighs 32.18kg / 70.8lbs. This makes the Reference 7 2023 3% heavier than the VELA FS 409.
Here is a comparison of how Reference 7 2023 and VELA FS 409's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of ELAC VELA FS 409?
Here are the items that come with the VELA FS 409:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Base plate
- 2 Jumper straps (pre-installed)
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Pucks
- 4 Rubber pads
- 4 Machine screws
- 4 Washers
- Hex-key
- Operating And Safety Instructions
 Max Input Power |
320 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
23 Hz
vs
28 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
977mm
vs
1331mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
|
Woofer Size |
7 inches
vs
6.85 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
50k Hz
vs
40k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
959cm2
vs
1206cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
7400USD
vs
11000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Canton Reference 7 2023 |
ELAC VELA FS 409 |
| Brand |
Canton |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
160-320 watts |
40-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
n/a |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
23-40k Hz |
28-50k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.85" |
7" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum ceramic tungsten (Wave-surround) |
Aluminum/Paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
handmade JET 5 folded ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.85" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
190 / 3200 Hz |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
977.9mm (38.5") |
1331.0mm (52.4") |
| Width |
279.4mm (11") |
278.0mm (10.9") |
| Depth |
431.8mm (17") |
345.0mm (13.6") |
| Weight |
33.11kg (72.8lbs) |
32.18kg (70.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Aluminum |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
3 Years |
A generation apart: Canton Reference 7 2023 is the newer design, against a 2018 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Canton Reference 7 2023 digs deeper - 23Hz against 28Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Headroom | A | Canton Reference 7 2023 takes more power (320W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | B | ELAC VELA FS 409: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | ELAC VELA FS 409 is cheaper - $7,400 against $11,000, about 33% less. |
A Canton Reference 7 2023 B ELAC VELA FS 409
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Canton Reference 7 2023 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 49% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - ELAC VELA FS 409 looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Canton Reference 7 2023 appeals to you. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 28Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper ELAC VELA FS 409 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Canton Reference 7 2023 the better fit for a small room, and ELAC VELA FS 409 for a large room.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.