In this review, we will be comparing Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim and Uni-Fi UB5, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by ELAC.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim and ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim | ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 |
|---|
| Brand | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" soft dome | 1" Soft-dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 4" | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Aluminum | 5.25" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 46-25k Hz | 46-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 85 dB | 85 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-140 watts | 40-140 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 7.50kg / 16.5lbs | 7.48kg / 16.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 13-3/8" x 7-1/16" x 12-7/8"
340.0 x 180.0 x 328.0mm | 12.7" x 7.8" x 10.7"
324.0 x 200.0 x 273.0mm |
|---|
Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim and Uni-Fi UB5 are members of ELAC's Uni-Fi series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
ELAC Uni-Fi Series
History
What size room are the ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim and ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 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 Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim |
ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 |
| 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.
Drivers
Both Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim and Uni-Fi UB5 are 3-way speakers.
ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 SlimELAC Uni-Fi UB5
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 Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim |
ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4-inch |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim features a 1" soft dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer. On the other hand, the Uni-Fi UB5 features a 1" Soft-dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 270Hz and 2700Hz.
Frequency Response
Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim and Uni-Fi UB5 has exactly the same frequency range of 46-25k Hz.
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
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
Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim and Uni-Fi UB5 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 85 dB.
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 Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim and the Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim 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.
Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim and Uni-Fi UB5 have the same power range of 40-140 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
Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim features Post type posts and Uni-Fi UB5 has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim's Post terminals
ELAC Uni-Fi UB5's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim and Uni-Fi UB5 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim's and ELAC Uni-Fi UB5's external dimensions. ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim has external dimensions of 340.0 x 180.0 x 328.0mm (13-3/8 x 7-1/16 x 12-7/8inch) whereas ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 has external dimensions of 324.0 x 200.0 x 273.0mm (12.7 x 7.8 x 10.7inch).
ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 is 16mm shorter and 55mm less deeper than ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim but it is also 20mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim and ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 in scale.
Comparison image of ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim and ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 Size and External Dimensions
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 Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim is approximately 590.4cm2 / 91.5inch2 and base area of the ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 is approximately 546.0cm2 / 84.6inch2. The Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim requires 8% more surface area than the Uni-Fi UB5 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim and ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 on a Media Console
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 Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim weighs 7.50kg / 16.5lbs and the ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 weighs 7.48kg / 16.5lbs. This makes the Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim 0% heavier than the Uni-Fi UB5.
Here is a comparison of how Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim and Uni-Fi UB5's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- Operating Instructions
What's in the Box of ELAC Uni-Fi UB5?
Here are the items that come with the Uni-Fi UB5:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- Operating Instructions
 Height |
324mm
vs
340mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
546cm2
vs
590cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
499USD
vs
735USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim |
ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 |
| Brand |
ELAC |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
40-140 watts |
40-140 watts |
| Sensitivity |
85 dB |
85 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
46-25k Hz |
46-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
soft dome |
Soft-dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
4" |
4" |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
270Hz and 2700Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
340.0mm (13.4") |
324.0mm (12.8") |
| Width |
180.0mm (7.1") |
200.0mm (7.9") |
| Depth |
328.0mm (12.9") |
273.0mm (10.7") |
| Weight |
7.50kg (16.5lbs) |
7.48kg (16.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24-31" |
24-31" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
3 Years |
Siblings in ELAC's Uni-Fi series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (46Hz vs 46Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (85dB vs 85dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (140W vs 140W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price | B | ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 is cheaper - $499 against $735, about 32% less. |
A ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim B ELAC Uni-Fi UB5
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $236 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.