In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by ELAC. ELAC Concentro S 503.2 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the CCS501.2 is a Center Channel speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ELAC Concentro S503.2 and ELAC Concentro Center 501.2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
ELAC Concentro S503.2 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- " JET 6 AMT Tweeter
- 5" Midrange
- 7" AS-XR aluminium sandwich Woofer
- Frequency response not specified
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:60-500watts
- Weight:13.40kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 15-3/4" x 8-7/8" x 14-5/8" ( 400.0 x 225.0 x 372.0mm )
ELAC Concentro Center 501.2 Key Specs
- 4-way Design
- " JET 6 AMT Tweeter
- 5" Midrange
- 2 x 7" AS-XR aluminium sandwich Woofer
- 5" Midrange
- 26-50k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:60-500watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 8-11/16" x 35-1/16" x 12" ( 220.0 x 890.0 x 305.0mm )
CBS503.2 and CCS501.2 are members of ELAC's Concentro 2.0 series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
ELAC Concentro 2.0 Series
History
What size room are the ELAC Concentro S503.2 and ELAC Concentro Center 501.2 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* |
ELAC Concentro S503.2 |
ELAC Concentro Center 501.2 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the ELAC Concentro S503.2 and ELAC Concentro Center 501.2 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that CBS503.2 is a 3-way design whereas the CCS501.2 is a 4-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
| Driver |
ELAC Concentro S503.2 |
ELAC Concentro Center 501.2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
4-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 7-inch
|
2 x 7-inch
|
CBS503.2 features a " Folded ribbon foil JET 6 AMT Tweeter , a 5" Midrange and 1 x 7" AS-XR aluminium sandwich Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 400/2600Hz. On the other hand, the CCS501.2 features a " Folded ribbon foil JET 6 AMT Tweeter , a 5" Midrange and 2 x 7" AS-XR aluminium sandwich Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 120/400/2600Hz.
Frequency Response
CBS503.2 has a frequency range of whereas CCS501.2 has a frequency range of 26-50k Hz. With a minimum frequency of Hz, the CBS503.2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the CCS501.2's min frequency of 26Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
ELAC Concentro Center 501.2
Impedance and Sensitivity
CBS503.2 and CCS501.2 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. CBS503.2 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the CCS501.2's is at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the ELAC Concentro Center 501.2 a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC Concentro S503.2, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the CBS503.2 and the CBS503.2 can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
CBS503.2 and CCS501.2 has the same power range of 60-500 watts.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both CBS503.2 and CCS501.2 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare ELAC Concentro S503.2's and ELAC Concentro Center 501.2's external dimensions. ELAC Concentro S503.2 has external dimensions of 400.0 x 225.0 x 372.0mm ( 15-3/4 x 8-7/8 x 14-5/8inch) whereas ELAC Concentro Center 501.2 has external dimensions of 220.0 x 890.0 x 305.0mm ( 8-11/16 x 35-1/16 x 12inch) .
ELAC Concentro Center 501.2 is 180mm shorter and 67mm less deeper than ELAC Concentro S503.2 but it is also 665mm wider.
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 ELAC Concentro S503.2 is approximately 837.0cm2 / 129.7inch2 and base area of the ELAC Concentro Center 501.2 is approximately 2714.5cm2 / 420.7inch2. The CBS503.2 requires 69% less surface area than the CCS501.2 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.