In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by ELAC. ELAC Concentro S 503.2 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the M807 is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ELAC Concentro S503.2 and ELAC Concentro M807 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | ELAC Concentro S503.2 | ELAC Concentro M807 |
|---|
| Brand | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 4-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | JET 6 AMT | JET 6c AMT |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | 2 x 4.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 7" AS-XR aluminium sandwich | 2 x 10" Aluminium sandwich (AS) |
|---|
| Frequency response | — | 24-50k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 60-500 watts | 80-600 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 13.40kg / 29.5lbs | 62.00kg / 136.4lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 52-3/4" x 18-1/8" x 23-7/16"
1340.0 x 461.0 x 595.0mm |
|---|
CBS503.2 and M807 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 M807 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 M807 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
(* 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that CBS503.2 is a 3-way design whereas the M807 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.
ELAC Concentro S503.2ELAC Concentro M807
MidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
ELAC Concentro S503.2 |
ELAC Concentro M807 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
4-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
2 x 4.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 7-inch
|
2 x 10-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 M807 features a " Folded ribbon foil JET 6c AMT Tweeter, a 4.5" Midrange and 2 x 10" Aluminium sandwich (AS) Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 150/650/2650Hz.
Frequency Response
CBS503.2 has a frequency range of whereas M807 has a frequency range of 24-50k 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 M807's min frequency of 24Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Impedance and Sensitivity
CBS503.2 and M807 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 M807's is at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the ELAC Concentro M807 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Both handle the same maximum of 400 watts RMS, though CBS503.2 is rated 60-500 watts and M807 80-600 watts.
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.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both CBS503.2 and M807 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or 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 ELAC Concentro S503.2's and ELAC Concentro M807'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 M807 has external dimensions of 1340.0 x 461.0 x 595.0mm (52-3/4 x 18-1/8 x 23-7/16inch).
ELAC Concentro M807 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 236mm wider, 940mm taller and 223mm deeper than ELAC Concentro S503.2.
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.
ELAC Concentro M807 needs about 228% more floor or shelf area. ELAC Concentro M807 is 223mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. ELAC Concentro M807 is 940mm 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 ELAC Concentro S503.2 is approximately 837.0cm2 / 129.7inch2 and base area of the ELAC Concentro M807 is approximately 2743.0cm2 / 425.2inch2. The CBS503.2 requires 69% less surface area than the M807 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.