In this review, we will be comparing Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB and Synchrony T600, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from ELAC and PSB.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Elac Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB and PSB Synchrony T600 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Elac Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB | PSB Synchrony T600 |
|---|
| Brand | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 | PSB
Canada · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | JET 6 AMT | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6" AS XR cone | 3 x 6.5" Carbon fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 30-50k Hz | 24-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | Up to 170 watts | 20-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 19.10kg / 42lbs | 34.90kg / 76.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 39.4" x 9" x 10.5"
1000 x 229 x 266 mm | 41-1/4" x 9" x 13-1/2"
1048.0 x 228.0 x 343.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Elac Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB and PSB Synchrony T600 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 2.0 VFS407.2-GB |
PSB Synchrony T600 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Average |
(* 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB and Synchrony T600 are 3-way speakers.
Elac Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GBPSB Synchrony T600
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Elac Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB |
PSB Synchrony T600 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6-inch
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB features a " JET 6 AMT Tweeter and 2 x 6" AS XR cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 2400 Hz. On the other hand, the Synchrony T600 features a 1" titanium with ferrofluid cooling and neodymium magnet Dome Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Carbon fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 1800Hz.
Frequency Response
Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB has a frequency range of 30-50k Hz whereas Synchrony T600 has a frequency range of 24-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 24Hz, the Synchrony T600 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB's min frequency of 30Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB and Synchrony T600 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Synchrony T600's is at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the PSB Synchrony T600 a more sensitive speaker compared to Elac Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB, 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 2.0 VFS407.2-GB and the Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Synchrony T600 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB has a max power handling value of 170 watts RMS, 130 watts less than the Synchrony T600.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Elac Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB has a bottom firing port whereas Synchrony T600 has a rear firing ports. Elac Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to PSB Synchrony T600 with its rear-firing port.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be 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 2.0 VFS407.2-GB's and PSB Synchrony T600's external dimensions. Elac Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB has external dimensions of 1000 x 229 x 266 mm (40 x 9 x 10.47 inches) whereas PSB Synchrony T600 has external dimensions of 1048.0 x 228.0 x 343.0mm (41-1/4 x 9 x 13-1/2inch).
Elac Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB is 48mm shorter and 77mm less deeper than PSB Synchrony T600 but it is also 1mm wider.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
PSB Synchrony T600 needs about 28% more floor or shelf area. PSB Synchrony T600 is 77mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. PSB Synchrony T600 is 48mm taller.
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 2.0 VFS407.2-GB is approximately 609.1cm2 / 94.4inch2 and base area of the PSB Synchrony T600 is approximately 782.0cm2 / 121.2inch2. The Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB requires 22% less surface area than the Synchrony T600 which gives it a small advantage 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 2.0 VFS407.2-GB weighs 19.10kg / 42lbs and the PSB Synchrony T600 weighs 34.90kg / 76.8lbs. This makes the Synchrony T600 83% heavier than the Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB.
Here is a comparison of how Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB and Synchrony T600's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Elac Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB
What's in the Box of PSB Synchrony T600?
Here are the items that come with the Synchrony T600:
- Floorstanding loudspeakr
- Grille
- 2 Binding-post jumpers (pre-installed)
- 4 Isolation feet
- 2 Port plugs
- Owners Manual
- Warranty Card
 High Frequency Response |
50k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1000mm
vs
1048mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
609cm2
vs
782cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
5999USD
vs
8000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
170 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Minimum Impedance |
4 ohms
vs
3.2 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
24 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Elac Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB |
PSB Synchrony T600 |
| Brand |
ELAC |
PSB |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
Up to 170 watts |
20-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
30-50k Hz |
24-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
AS XR cone |
Carbon fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
JET 6 AMT |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
450Hz and 2400 Hz |
450Hz and 1800Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1000.0mm (39.4") |
1048.0mm (41.3") |
| Width |
229.0mm (9") |
228.0mm (9") |
| Depth |
266.0mm (10.5") |
343.0mm (13.5") |
| Weight |
19.10kg (42lbs) |
34.90kg (76.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Black High Gloss, White High Gloss, Walnut High Gloss |
Gloss Black, Satin Walnut |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | PSB Synchrony T600 digs deeper - 24Hz against 30Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | B | PSB Synchrony T600 takes more power (300W vs 170W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Elac Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB is easier to place; PSB Synchrony T600 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | PSB Synchrony T600: bi-amping. Elac Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB sits in a wider range (6 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Elac Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB is cheaper - $5,999 against $8,000, about 25% less. |
A Elac Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB B PSB Synchrony T600
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?
The usual trade-off: PSB Synchrony T600 measures better, Elac Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB costs about about 33% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 30Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Elac Vela 2.0 VFS407.2-GB much easier to justify. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $2,001 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.