In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by ELAC. ELAC Debut 2.0 OW4.2 is a On-wall speaker whereas the Debut 2.0 F5.2 is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ELAC Debut 2.0 OW4.2 and ELAC Debut 2.0 F5.2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
ELAC Debut 2.0 OW4.2 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 4" Woven aramid fiber Woofer
- 70-35k Hz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:Up to 80watts
- Weight:3.60kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 12-3/4" x 7-7/8" x 3-15/16" ( 324.0 x 200.0 x 100.0mm )
ELAC Debut 2.0 F5.2 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" dome with wide-dispersion waveguide Tweeter
- 5.25" Midrange
- 2 x 5.25" Woven Aramid-Fiber Woofer
- 5.25" Midrange
- 42-35k Hz Frequency Response
- 86 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:up to 140watts
- Weight:15.64kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 41-1/16" x 7-7/16" x 10-1/4" ( 1043.0 x 189.0 x 261.0mm )
DOW42 and Debut 2.0 F5.2 are members of ELAC's Debut 2.0 series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
ELAC Debut 2.0 Series
History
What size room are the ELAC Debut 2.0 OW4.2 and ELAC Debut 2.0 F5.2 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 Debut 2.0 OW4.2 |
ELAC Debut 2.0 F5.2 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
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 Debut 2.0 OW4.2 and ELAC Debut 2.0 F5.2 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that DOW42 is a 2-way design whereas the Debut 2.0 F5.2 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.
| Driver |
ELAC Debut 2.0 OW4.2 |
ELAC Debut 2.0 F5.2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 4-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
DOW42 features a 1" Cloth Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4" Woven aramid fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz. On the other hand, the Debut 2.0 F5.2 features a 1" silk dome with wide-dispersion waveguide Tweeter , a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 5.25" Woven Aramid-Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 90Hz and 2200Hz.
Frequency Response
DOW42 has a frequency range of 70-35k Hz whereas Debut 2.0 F5.2 has a frequency range of 42-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the Debut 2.0 F5.2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the DOW42's min frequency of 70Hz.
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 On-wall class in our database.
Low Frequency
On-wall Speakers
High Frequency
On-wall Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
DOW42 and Debut 2.0 F5.2 have the same Impedance of 6 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. DOW42 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Debut 2.0 F5.2's is at 86 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the ELAC Debut 2.0 OW4.2 a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC Debut 2.0 F5.2, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
On-wall 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.
DOW42 can handle a max power of 140 watts RMS from the amp the whereas DOW42 has a max power handling value of 80 watts RMS , 60 watts less than the Debut 2.0 F5.2.
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
DOW42 features 5-Way post type posts and Debut 2.0 F5.2 has a 5-Way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
ELAC Debut 2.0 F5.2's 5-Way post terminals
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 Debut 2.0 OW4.2's and ELAC Debut 2.0 F5.2's external dimensions. ELAC Debut 2.0 OW4.2 has external dimensions of 324.0 x 200.0 x 100.0mm ( 12-3/4 x 7-7/8 x 3-15/16inch) whereas ELAC Debut 2.0 F5.2 has external dimensions of 1043.0 x 189.0 x 261.0mm ( 41-1/16 x 7-7/16 x 10-1/4inch) .
ELAC Debut 2.0 OW4.2 is 719mm shorter and 161mm less deeper than ELAC Debut 2.0 F5.2 but it is also 11mm 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 Debut 2.0 OW4.2 is approximately 200.0cm2 / 31.0inch2 and base area of the ELAC Debut 2.0 F5.2 is approximately 493.3cm2 / 76.5inch2. The DOW42 requires 59% less surface area than the Debut 2.0 F5.2 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of ELAC Debut 2.0 F5.2?
Here are the items that come with the Debut 2.0 F5.2:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Spikes (hex-nuts attached)
- Operating Instructions