In this review, we will be comparing VELA FS 407 and Carina FS247.4, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by ELAC Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ELAC VELA FS 407 and ELAC Carina FS247.4 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the ELAC VELA FS 407 and ELAC Carina FS247.4 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the ELAC VELA FS 407 and ELAC Carina FS247.4 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
Both VELA FS 407 and Carina FS247.4 are 3-way speakers.
Driver |
ELAC VELA FS 407 |
ELAC Carina FS247.4 |
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
Tweeter
|
----inch
|
1-inch
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
Woofer
|
1 x 6-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
VELA FS 407 features a ---" handmade JET 5 folded ribbon Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 1 x 6" Aluminum/Paper Woofer . On the other hand, the Carina FS247.4 features a 1" Tweeter , a 5.25" Midrange and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer .
Frequency Response
VELA FS 407 has a frequency range of 30-50k Hz whereas Carina FS247.4 has a frequency range of 34-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the VELA FS 407 can go slightly deeper then the Carina FS247.4's min frequency of 34Hz.
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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing 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 FS 407 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Carina FS247.4 which has a nominal impedance of 6 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 FS 407 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. VELA FS 407 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Carina FS247.4's is rated at 87 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the ELAC VELA FS 407 a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC Carina FS247.4, 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. 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 FS 407 can handle a max power of 130 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Carina FS247.4 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 10 watts less than the VELA FS 407.
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 FS 407 and Carina FS247.4 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
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 FS 407's and ELAC Carina FS247.4's external dimensions. ELAC VELA FS 407 has external dimensions of 1023.0 x 224.0 x 274.0mm ( 40-1/4 x 8-13/16 x 10-3/4inch) whereas ELAC Carina FS247.4 has external dimensions of 1102.0 x 237.0 x 251.0mm ( 43-3/8 x 9-5/16 x 9-7/8inch) .
ELAC VELA FS 407 is 13mm narrower and 79mm shorter than ELAC Carina FS247.4 but it is also 23mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of ELAC VELA FS 407 and ELAC Carina FS247.4 in scale.
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 FS 407 is approximately 613.8cm2 / 95.1inch2 and base area of the ELAC Carina FS247.4 is approximately 594.9cm2 / 92.2inch2. The VELA FS 407 requires 3% more surface area than the Carina FS247.4 which gives it a small disadvantage 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 VELA FS 407 weighs 19.14kg / 42.1lbs and the ELAC Carina FS247.4 weighs 16.45kg / 36.2lbs. This makes the VELA FS 407 16% heavier than the Carina FS247.4.
Here is a comparison of how VELA FS 407 and Carina FS247.4's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of ELAC VELA FS 407?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of VELA FS 407:
Floorstanding loudspeakerBase plate2 Jumper straps (pre-installed)4 Spikes4 Pucks4 Rubber pads4 Machine screws4 WashersHex-keyOperating And Safety Instructions
What's in the Box of ELAC Carina FS247.4?
Here are the items that come with the Carina FS247.4:
Floorstanding loudspeaker2 Stabilizer-bars4 Spike feet4 Isolation pucks4 Screws2 Jumper straps (pre-installed)Operating Instructions
Max Input Power |
130 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
Woofer Size |
6 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
34 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
High Frequency Response |
50k Hz
vs
30k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
Height |
1023mm
vs
1102mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
Nominal Impedance |
6 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
Base Surface Area |
594cm2 (237x251mm)
vs
613cm2 (224x274mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
Price per pair* |
3000USD
vs
5800USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
General |
ELAC VELA FS 407 |
ELAC Carina FS247.4 |
Brand |
ELAC |
ELAC |
Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
Power Range |
40-130 watts |
30-120 watts |
Sensitivity |
88 dB |
87 dB |
Impedance |
4 ohms |
6 ohms |
Frequency Response |
30-50k Hz |
34-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
Woofer Size |
6" |
5.25" |
Woofer Composition |
Aluminum/Paper |
Aluminum |
Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
Tweeter Size |
---" |
1" |
Tweeter Type |
handmade JET 5 folded ribbon |
n/a |
Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
Midrange Driver |
6" |
5.25" |
Physical Specs |
|
|
Height |
1023.0mm (40.3") |
1102.0mm (43.4") |
Width |
224.0mm (8.8") |
237.0mm (9.3") |
Depth |
274.0mm (10.8") |
251.0mm (9.9") |
Weight |
19.14kg (42.1lbs) |
16.45kg (36.2lbs) |
Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
Finish |
MDF/Aluminum |
MDF/Polymer |
Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
Black |
Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
3 Years |
Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
3 Years |