In this review, we will be comparing DCR52 and Uni-Fi Reference UCR52, two Passive Center Channel speakers by ELAC.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ELAC Debut Ref DCR52 and ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | ELAC Debut Ref DCR52 | ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 |
|---|
| Brand | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" dome | 1" soft dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" aramid fiber | 2 x 5.25" aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-35k Hz | 47-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 85 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 120 watts | up to 140 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 10.14kg / 22.3lbs | 13.20kg / 29lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 7-3/8" x 20-13/16" x 9-9/16"
188.0 x 529.0 x 243.0mm | 7-3/8" x 20-7/8" x 13-1/16"
188.0 x 531.0 x 332.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the ELAC Debut Ref DCR52 and ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 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 Ref DCR52 |
ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 |
| 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that DCR52 is a 2-way design whereas the Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 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 Ref DCR52ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
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 Ref DCR52 |
ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
DCR52 features a 1" cloth dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" aramid fiber Woofer. On the other hand, the Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 features a 1" soft dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 2 x 5.25" aluminum Woofer.
Frequency Response
DCR52 has a frequency range of 55-35k Hz whereas Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 has a frequency range of 47-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 47Hz, the Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the DCR52'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
DCR52 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. DCR52 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Uni-Fi Reference UCR52's is rated at 85 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the ELAC Debut Ref DCR52 a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52, 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.
Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 can handle a max power of 140 watts RMS, whereas DCR52 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the Uni-Fi Reference UCR52.
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
DCR52 features Binding post type posts and Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
ELAC Debut Ref DCR52's 5-Way post terminals
ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both DCR52 and Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 have front firing ports. front ported speakers offers more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls&surfaces compared to rear ported speakers.
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 Ref DCR52's and ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52's external dimensions. ELAC Debut Ref DCR52 has external dimensions of 188.0 x 529.0 x 243.0mm (7-3/8 x 20-13/16 x 9-9/16inch) whereas ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 has external dimensions of 188.0 x 531.0 x 332.0mm (7-3/8 x 20-7/8 x 13-1/16inch).
ELAC Debut Ref DCR52 is 2mm narrower and 89mm less deeper than ELAC Debut Ref DCR52 but they have the same height of 188.0mm.
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 Ref DCR52 is approximately 1285.5cm2 / 199.3inch2 and base area of the ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 is approximately 1762.9cm2 / 273.2inch2. The DCR52 requires 27% less surface area than the Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 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 Ref DCR52 weighs 10.14kg / 22.3lbs and the ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 weighs 13.20kg / 29lbs. This makes the Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 30% heavier than the DCR52.
Here is a comparison of how DCR52 and Uni-Fi Reference UCR52'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 Ref DCR52?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of DCR52:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- Operating Instructions
What's in the Box of ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52?
Here are the items that come with the Uni-Fi Reference UCR52:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Jumper-bars (pre-installed)
- Operating Instructions
 Sensitivity |
87 dB
vs
85 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Base Surface Area |
1285cm2
vs
1762cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
460USD
vs
700USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
140 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Low Frequency Response |
47 Hz
vs
55 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
ELAC Debut Reference DCR52 |
ELAC Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 |
| Brand |
ELAC |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 120 watts |
up to 140 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
85 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
55-35k Hz |
47-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
aramid fiber |
aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome |
soft dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
4" |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
188.0mm (7.4") |
188.0mm (7.4") |
| Width |
529.0mm (20.8") |
531.0mm (20.9") |
| Depth |
243.0mm (9.6") |
332.0mm (13.1") |
| Weight |
10.14kg (22.3lbs) |
13.20kg (29lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
White Baffle / Oak Cabinet or Black Baffle / Walnut Cabinet |
Satin Black with Walnut Sides, Satin White with Oak Sides |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
n/a |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
3 Years |
Both are ELAC, from different ranges - so the house sound is shared and the differences are mostly in scale, engineering and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 digs deeper - 47Hz against 55Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | ELAC Debut Ref DCR52 is more sensitive (87dB vs 85dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | ELAC Debut Ref DCR52 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (120W vs 140W). |
| Size | depends | ELAC Debut Ref DCR52 is easier to place; ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | A | ELAC Debut Ref DCR52 is cheaper - $460 against $700, about 34% less. |
A ELAC Debut Ref DCR52 B ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52
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?
ELAC Debut Ref DCR52 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. 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 Ref DCR52 much easier to justify. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, ELAC Debut Ref DCR52 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.