In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by ELAC. ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 and ELAC Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Soft-dome Tweeter
- 4" Midrange
- 5.25" Aluminum Woofer
- 46-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 85 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:40-140watts
- Weight:7.48kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 324.0" x 7.8" x 10.7"( 324.0 x 200.0 x 273.0mm )
ELAC Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" soft dome Tweeter
- 4" Midrange
- 3 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer
- 4" Midrange
- 42-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 85 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:40-140watts
- Weight:0.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1013.0" x 10-3/16" x 12-7/8"( 1013.0 x 259.0 x 328.0mm )
Uni-Fi UB5 and Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim 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 UB5 and ELAC Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim 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 UB5 |
ELAC Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 and ELAC Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim 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 Uni-Fi UB5 and Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 |
ELAC Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim |
|
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
|
3 x 5.25-inch
|
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. On the other hand, the Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim features a 1" soft dome Tweeter , a 4" Midrange and 3 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer .
Frequency Response
Uni-Fi UB5 has a frequency range of 46-25k Hz whereas Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim has a frequency range of 42-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim can go slightly deeper then the Uni-Fi UB5's min frequency of 46Hz.
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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf 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
Uni-Fi UB5 and Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim 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 UB5 and the Uni-Fi UB5 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. 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.
Uni-Fi UB5 and Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim has the same power range of 40-140 watts.
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
Uni-Fi UB5 features Binding post type posts and Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
ELAC Uni-Fi UB5's 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 Uni-Fi UB5's and ELAC Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim's external dimensions. ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 has external dimensions of 324.0 x 200.0 x 273.0mm ( 12.7 x 7.8 x 10.7inch) whereas ELAC Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim has external dimensions of 1013.0 x 259.0 x 328.0mm ( 39-7/8 x 10-3/16 x 12-7/8inch) .
ELAC Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 59mm wider, 689mm taller and 55mm deeper than ELAC Uni-Fi UB5.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 and ELAC Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim in scale.
Comparison image of ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 and ELAC Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim 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 UB5 is approximately 546.0cm2 / 84.6inch2 and base area of the ELAC Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim is approximately 849.5cm2 / 131.7inch2. The Uni-Fi UB5 requires 36% less surface area than the Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of ELAC Uni-Fi UB5?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Uni-Fi UB5:
2 Bookshelf loudspeakers 2 Grilles Operating Instructions
What's in the Box of ELAC Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim?
Here are the items that come with the Uni-Fi FS U5 Slim:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille2 Stabilizer-bars4 Spike-feet4 Protective discs4 Knobs6 Machine screws4 Hex-nutsHex-keyOperating Instructions
Height 
Base Surface Area 
Number of Woofers