In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by ELAC. ELAC Uni-Fi Reference UFR52 is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 is a Center Channel speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UFR52 and ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UFR52 | ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 |
|---|
| 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 | 3 x 5.25" Aluminum | 2 x 5.25" aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40-35k Hz | 47-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 85 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 140 watts | up to 140 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 23.80kg / 52.4lbs | 13.20kg / 29lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 39-9/16" x 9-1/4" x 13-5/16"
1005.0 x 235.0 x 339.0mm | 7-3/8" x 20-7/8" x 13-1/16"
188.0 x 531.0 x 332.0mm |
|---|
UFR52 and Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 are members of ELAC's Uni-Fi Reference series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
ELAC Uni-Fi Reference Series
History
What size room are the ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UFR52 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 Uni-Fi Ref UFR52 |
ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
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
Both UFR52 and Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 are 3-way speakers.
ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UFR52ELAC 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 Uni-Fi Ref UFR52 |
ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4-inch |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
UFR52 features a 1" soft dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 3 x 5.25" Aluminum 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
UFR52 has a frequency range of 40-35k Hz whereas Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 has a frequency range of 47-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the UFR52 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Uni-Fi Reference UCR52's min frequency of 47Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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
UFR52 and Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 have the same Impedance of 6 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. UFR52 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the Uni-Fi Reference UCR52's is at 85 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UFR52 a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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.
UFR52 and Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 have the same power range of up to 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
UFR52 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UFR52's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52's Binding post terminals
ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UFR52 Port
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 Ref UFR52's and ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52's external dimensions. ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UFR52 has external dimensions of 1005.0 x 235.0 x 339.0mm (39-9/16 x 9-1/4 x 13-5/16inch) 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 Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 is 817mm shorter and 7mm less deeper than ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UFR52 but it is also 296mm 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 Uni-Fi Ref UFR52 is approximately 796.7cm2 / 123.5inch2 and base area of the ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 is approximately 1762.9cm2 / 273.2inch2. The UFR52 requires 55% less surface area than the Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UFR52?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of UFR52:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Jumper-bars (pre-installed)
- 2 Stabilizer-bars
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Protective discs
- 4 Knobs
- 6 Machine screws
- Hex-key
- 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