In this review, we will be comparing VELA BS 403 and R3, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from ELAC and KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ELAC VELA BS 403 and KEF R3 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
ELAC VELA BS 403 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- " handmade JET 5 folded ribbon tweeter Tweeter
- 6" Aluminum/Paper Woofer
- 41-50k Hz Frequency Response
- 86 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:40-100watts
- Weight:7.10kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 361.0" x 7-1/2" x 9-3/8"( 361.0 x 191.0 x 239.0mm )
KEF R3 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 5" Midrange
- 6.5" Hybrid aluminum Woofer
- 5" Midrange
- 52-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:15-180watts
- Weight:13.55kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 423.0" x 7-13/16" x 13-1/4"( 423.0 x 199.0 x 337.0mm )
What size room are the ELAC VELA BS 403 and KEF R3 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 VELA BS 403 |
KEF R3 |
| 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the ELAC VELA BS 403 and KEF R3 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that VELA BS 403 is a 2-way design whereas the R3 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.
| Driver |
ELAC VELA BS 403 |
KEF R3 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
VELA BS 403 features a " handmade JET 5 folded ribbon tweeter Tweeter and 1 x 6" Aluminum/Paper Woofer . On the other hand, the R3 features a 1" aluminum Dome Tweeter , a 5" Midrange and 1 x 6.5" Hybrid aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 400Hz and 2900Hz.
Frequency Response
VELA BS 403 has a frequency range of 41-50k Hz whereas R3 has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 41Hz, the VELA BS 403 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R3's min frequency of 52Hz.
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
VELA BS 403 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the R3 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the VELA BS 403 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. VELA BS 403 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the R3's is rated at 87 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the KEF R3 a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC VELA BS 403, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
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.
VELA BS 403 can handle a max power of 180 watts RMS from the amp the whereas VELA BS 403 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS , 80 watts less than the R3.
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
Both VELA BS 403 and R3 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
ELAC VELA BS 403's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
VELA BS 403 has a bottom firing port whereas R3 has a rear firing ports. ELAC VELA BS 403's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to KEF R3 with its rear-firing port.
KEF R3 Port
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 VELA BS 403's and KEF R3's external dimensions. ELAC VELA BS 403 has external dimensions of 361.0 x 191.0 x 239.0mm ( 24-28inch x 7-1/2inch x 9-3/8inch ) whereas KEF R3 has external dimensions of 423.0 x 199.0 x 337.0mm ( 16-5/8 x 7-13/16 x 13-1/4inch) .
KEF R3 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 8mm wider, 62mm taller and 98mm deeper than ELAC VELA BS 403.
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 VELA BS 403 is approximately 456.5cm2 / 70.8inch2 and base area of the KEF R3 is approximately 670.6cm2 / 103.9inch2. The VELA BS 403 requires 32% less surface area than the R3 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.