In this review, we will be comparing VELA FS 409 and VELA FS 407, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by ELAC
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ELAC VELA FS 409 and ELAC VELA FS 407 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
ELAC VELA FS 409 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- ---" handmade JET 5 folded ribbon Tweeter
- 6" Midrange
- 2 x 7" Aluminum/Paper Woofer
- 28-50k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:40-200watts
- Weight:32.18kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1331.0" x 10-15/16" x 13-9/16"( 1331.0 x 278.0 x 345.0mm )
ELAC VELA FS 407 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- ---" handmade JET 5 folded ribbon Tweeter
- 6" Midrange
- 6" Aluminum/Paper Woofer
- 6" Midrange
- 30-50k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:40-130watts
- Weight:19.14kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1023.0" x 8-13/16" x 10-3/4"( 1023.0 x 224.0 x 274.0mm )
VELA FS 409 and VELA FS 407 are members of ELAC's VELA series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
ELAC VELA Series
History
|
Model |
Body |
Frequency |
Sensitivity | Impedance | Woofer |
 |
ELAC VELA FS 409
|
Floor-standing |
28-50k Hz |
89 dB | 4Ω |
2 x 7"
|
 |
ELAC VELA FS 407
|
Floor-standing |
30-50k Hz |
88 dB | 4Ω |
1 x 6"
|
What size room are the ELAC VELA FS 409 and ELAC VELA FS 407 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 FS 409 |
ELAC VELA FS 407 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
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 VELA FS 409 and ELAC VELA FS 407 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 VELA FS 409 and VELA FS 407 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
ELAC VELA FS 409 |
ELAC VELA FS 407 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
----inch
|
----inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 7-inch
|
1 x 6-inch
|
VELA FS 409 features a ---" handmade JET 5 folded ribbon Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 2 x 7" Aluminum/Paper Woofer . On the other hand, the VELA FS 407 features a ---" handmade JET 5 folded ribbon Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 1 x 6" Aluminum/Paper Woofer .
Frequency Response
VELA FS 409 has a frequency range of 28-50k Hz whereas VELA FS 407 has a frequency range of 30-50k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the VELA FS 409 can go slightly deeper then the VELA FS 407's min frequency of 30Hz.
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 409 and VELA FS 407 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. VELA FS 409 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the VELA FS 407's is at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the ELAC VELA FS 409 a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC VELA FS 407, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
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 VELA FS 409 and the VELA FS 409 can provide this impedance level.
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 409 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas VELA FS 407 has a max power handling value of 130 watts RMS, 70 watts less than the VELA FS 409.
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 409 and VELA FS 407 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 409's and ELAC VELA FS 407's external dimensions. ELAC VELA FS 409 has external dimensions of 1331.0 x 278.0 x 345.0mm ( 52-3/8 x 10-15/16 x 13-9/16inch) whereas 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) .
ELAC VELA FS 409 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 54mm wider, 308mm taller and 71mm deeper than ELAC VELA FS 407.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of ELAC VELA FS 409 and ELAC VELA FS 407 in scale.
Comparison image of ELAC VELA FS 409 and ELAC VELA FS 407 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 VELA FS 409 is approximately 959.1cm2 / 148.7inch2 and base area of the ELAC VELA FS 407 is approximately 613.8cm2 / 95.1inch2. The VELA FS 409 requires 56% more surface area than the VELA FS 407 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 409 weighs 32.18kg / 70.8lbs and the ELAC VELA FS 407 weighs 19.14kg / 42.1lbs. This makes the VELA FS 409 68% heavier than the VELA FS 407.
Here is a comparison of how VELA FS 409 and VELA FS 407'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 409?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of VELA FS 409:
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 VELA FS 407?
Here are the items that come with the VELA FS 407:
Floorstanding loudspeakerBase plate2 Jumper straps (pre-installed)4 Spikes4 Pucks4 Rubber pads4 Machine screws4 WashersHex-keyOperating And Safety Instructions
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
130 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
7 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1023mm
vs
1331mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
613cm2
vs
959cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
5800USD
vs
7400USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
ELAC VELA FS 409 |
ELAC VELA FS 407 |
| Brand |
ELAC |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
40-200 watts |
40-130 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
28-50k Hz |
30-50k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
7" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum/Paper |
Aluminum/Paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
---" |
---" |
| Tweeter Type |
handmade JET 5 folded ribbon |
handmade JET 5 folded ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
6" |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1331.0mm (52.4") |
1023.0mm (40.3") |
| Width |
278.0mm (10.9") |
224.0mm (8.8") |
| Depth |
345.0mm (13.6") |
274.0mm (10.8") |
| Weight |
32.18kg (70.8lbs) |
19.14kg (42.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Aluminum |
MDF/Aluminum |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
Gloss Black |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
3 Years |