Siblings in ELAC's Vertex Series III series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | ELAC Vertex Series III IW VJ63 W digs deeper - 45Hz against 48Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Size | depends | ELAC Vertex Series III IW VJ63 W is easier to place; ELAC Vertex Series III IW VJ63 S is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | B | ELAC Vertex Series III IW VJ63 W is cheaper - $2,198 against $4,998, about 56% less; arguably a different class. |
A ELAC Vertex Series III IW VJ63 S B ELAC Vertex Series III IW VJ63 W
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
ELAC Vertex Series III IW VJ63 W has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. In a large or open-plan room, ELAC Vertex Series III IW VJ63 S has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, ELAC Vertex Series III IW VJ63 W is the easier speaker to get right. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $2,800 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.