In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by ELAC. ELAC Debut IC-DT61-W is a In-wall speaker whereas the DOW42 is a On-wall speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ELAC Debut IC-DT61-W and ELAC Debut 2.0 OW4.2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
ELAC Debut IC-DT61-W Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Woven aramid fiber Woofer
- 45-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:30-120watts
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 )
IC-DT61-W and DOW42 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 IC-DT61-W and ELAC Debut 2.0 OW4.2 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 IC-DT61-W |
ELAC Debut 2.0 OW4.2 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Good |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
No way |
(* 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 IC-DT61-W and ELAC Debut 2.0 OW4.2 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
Both IC-DT61-W and DOW42 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
ELAC Debut IC-DT61-W |
ELAC Debut 2.0 OW4.2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 4-inch
|
IC-DT61-W features a 1" Cloth Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Woven aramid fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2200Hz. On the other hand, the DOW42 features a 1" Cloth Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4" Woven aramid fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
IC-DT61-W has a frequency range of 45-20k Hz whereas DOW42 has a frequency range of 70-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the IC-DT61-W 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 In-wall class in our database.
Low Frequency
In-wall Speakers
High Frequency
In-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
IC-DT61-W and DOW42 have the same Impedance of 6 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. IC-DT61-W sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the DOW42's is at 87 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the ELAC Debut IC-DT61-W a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC Debut 2.0 OW4.2, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
In-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.
IC-DT61-W can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS from the amp the whereas DOW42 has a max power handling value of 80 watts RMS, 40 watts less than the IC-DT61-W.
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
IC-DT61-W features 5-way post type posts and DOW42 has a 5-way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/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 Debut IC-DT61-W's and ELAC Debut 2.0 OW4.2's external dimensions. ELAC Debut IC-DT61-W has external dimensions of ( ) whereas 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) .
ELAC Debut 2.0 OW4.2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 200mm wider, 324mm taller and 100mm deeper than ELAC Debut IC-DT61-W.