In this review, we will be comparing Debut 2.0 C6.2 and C426Be, two Passive Center Channel speakers from ELAC and Revel.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ELAC Debut 2.0 C6.2 and Revel C426Be first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | ELAC Debut 2.0 C6.2 | Revel C426Be |
|---|
| Brand | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 | Revel
United States · founded 1996 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5-1/4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" aramid-fiber | 4 x 6.5" aluminum with Deep Ceramic Composite coating |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-35k Hz | 38-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 120 watts | 50-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 11.55kg / 25.4lbs | 33.05kg / 72.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 7-5/8" x 23-3/8" x 11-5/16"
194.0 x 594.0 x 288.0mm | 12-5/16" x 38-5/8" x 14-1/16"
313.0 x 982.0 x 358.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the ELAC Debut 2.0 C6.2 and Revel C426Be 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 Debut 2.0 C6.2 |
Revel C426Be |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
(* 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 Debut 2.0 C6.2 is a 2-way design whereas the C426Be is a 3-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 Debut 2.0 C6.2Revel C426Be
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
ELAC Debut 2.0 C6.2 |
Revel C426Be |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5-1/4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
4 x 6.5-inch
|
Debut 2.0 C6.2 features a 1" silk Hard-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" aramid-fiber Woofer. On the other hand, the C426Be features a 1" beryllium dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide Tweeter, a 5-1/4" Midrange and 4 x 6.5" aluminum with Deep Ceramic Composite coating Woofer.
Frequency Response
Debut 2.0 C6.2 has a frequency range of 55-35k Hz whereas C426Be has a frequency range of 38-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the C426Be can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Debut 2.0 C6.2's min frequency of 55Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Debut 2.0 C6.2 and C426Be have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Debut 2.0 C6.2 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the C426Be's is at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Revel C426Be a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC Debut 2.0 C6.2, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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.
C426Be can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas Debut 2.0 C6.2 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 180 watts less than the C426Be.
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
Debut 2.0 C6.2 features Binding post type posts and C426Be has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
ELAC Debut 2.0 C6.2's 5-Way post terminals
Revel C426Be's Binding post terminals
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 Debut 2.0 C6.2's and Revel C426Be's external dimensions. ELAC Debut 2.0 C6.2 has external dimensions of 194.0 x 594.0 x 288.0mm (7-5/8 x 23-3/8 x 11-5/16inch) whereas Revel C426Be has external dimensions of 313.0 x 982.0 x 358.0mm (12-5/16 x 38-5/8 x 14-1/16inch).
Revel C426Be is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 388mm wider, 119mm taller and 70mm deeper than ELAC Debut 2.0 C6.2.
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 Debut 2.0 C6.2 is approximately 1710.7cm2 / 265.2inch2 and base area of the Revel C426Be is approximately 3515.6cm2 / 544.9inch2. The Debut 2.0 C6.2 requires 51% less surface area than the C426Be which gives it a small advantage 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 ELAC Debut 2.0 C6.2 weighs 11.55kg / 25.4lbs and the Revel C426Be weighs 33.05kg / 72.7lbs. This makes the C426Be 186% heavier than the Debut 2.0 C6.2.
Here is a comparison of how Debut 2.0 C6.2 and C426Be's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
What's in the Box of ELAC Debut 2.0 C6.2?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Debut 2.0 C6.2:
- Center channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- Operating Instructions
What's in the Box of Revel C426Be?
Here are the items that come with the C426Be:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- Feet assembly
- 2 Port plugs
- Owners Manual
 Height |
194mm
vs
313mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1710cm2
vs
3515cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
380USD
vs
4950USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Number of Woofers |
4
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
38 Hz
vs
55 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
35k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
ELAC Debut 2.0 C6.2 |
Revel C426Be |
| Brand |
ELAC |
Revel |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 120 watts |
50-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
55-35k Hz |
38-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
4 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
aramid-fiber |
aluminum with Deep Ceramic Composite coating |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
dome with proprietary acoustic lens and waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5-1/4" |
| Firing Direction |
front |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
194.0mm (7.6") |
313.0mm (12.3") |
| Width |
594.0mm (23.4") |
982.0mm (38.7") |
| Depth |
288.0mm (11.3") |
358.0mm (14.1") |
| Weight |
11.55kg (25.4lbs) |
33.05kg (72.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Walnut |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
n/a |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Revel C426Be costs roughly 13x what ELAC Debut 2.0 C6.2 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Revel C426Be digs deeper - 38Hz against 55Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Revel C426Be is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | Revel C426Be takes more power (300W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | ELAC Debut 2.0 C6.2 is easier to place; Revel C426Be is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | A | ELAC Debut 2.0 C6.2 is cheaper - $380 against $4,950, about 92% less; arguably a different class. |
A ELAC Debut 2.0 C6.2 B Revel C426Be
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?
The usual trade-off: Revel C426Be measures better, ELAC Debut 2.0 C6.2 costs about about 13x the price% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 55Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper ELAC Debut 2.0 C6.2 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate ELAC Debut 2.0 C6.2 the better fit for a small room, and Revel C426Be for a large room and a very 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.