In this review, we will be comparing Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB and VELA FS 407, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by ELAC.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB and ELAC VELA FS 407 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB | ELAC VELA FS 407 |
|---|
| Brand | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 |
|---|
| Design | 4-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | JET 6 AMT | handmade JET 5 folded ribbon |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 7" AS XR cone | 6" Aluminum/Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 28-50k Hz | 30-50k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | Up to 280 watts | 40-130 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 32.10kg / 70.6lbs | 19.14kg / 42.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 51.5" x 10.9" x 13"
1307 x 276 x 332 mm | 40-1/4" x 8-13/16" x 10-3/4"
1023.0 x 224.0 x 274.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB 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 2.0 VFS409.2-GB |
ELAC VELA FS 407 |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB is a 4-way design whereas the VELA FS 407 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.
Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GBELAC VELA FS 407
MidrangeWoofer
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 VFS409.2-GB |
ELAC VELA FS 407 |
|
Driver Setup
|
4-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 2.0 VFS409.2-GB features a " JET 6 AMT Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 7" AS XR cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 140 Hz, 360 Hz, 2700 Hz. 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 2.0 VFS409.2-GB 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 2.0 VFS409.2-GB can go slightly deeper then the VELA FS 407'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 VFS409.2-GB and VELA FS 407 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the VELA FS 407's is at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB 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 2.0 VFS409.2-GB and the Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-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.
Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB can handle a max power of 280 watts RMS, whereas VELA FS 407 has a max power handling value of 130 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB.
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 VFS409.2-GB
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 VFS409.2-GB's and ELAC VELA FS 407's external dimensions. Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB has external dimensions of 1307 x 276 x 332 mm (51.5 x 10.9 x 13 inches) 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 2.0 VFS409.2-GB is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 52mm wider, 284mm taller and 58mm deeper than ELAC VELA FS 407.
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.
Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB needs about 49% more floor or shelf area. Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB is 58mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB is 284mm 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 VFS409.2-GB is approximately 916.3cm2 / 142.0inch2 and base area of the ELAC VELA FS 407 is approximately 613.8cm2 / 95.1inch2. The Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB requires 49% 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 2.0 VFS409.2-GB weighs 32.10kg / 70.6lbs and the ELAC VELA FS 407 weighs 19.14kg / 42.1lbs. This makes the Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB 68% heavier than the VELA FS 407.
Here is a comparison of how Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB and VELA FS 407's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB
What's in the Box of ELAC VELA FS 407?
Here are the items that come with the VELA FS 407:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Base plate
- 2 Jumper straps (pre-installed)
- 4 Spikes
- 4 Pucks
- 4 Rubber pads
- 4 Machine screws
- 4 Washers
- Hex-key
- Operating And Safety Instructions
 Max Input Power |
280 watts
vs
130 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
4-way
vs
3-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 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
1307mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
613cm2
vs
916cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
5800USD
vs
7999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB |
ELAC VELA FS 407 |
| Brand |
ELAC |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
Up to 280 watts |
40-130 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
28-50k Hz |
30-50k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
7" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
AS XR cone |
Aluminum/Paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
JET 6 AMT |
handmade JET 5 folded ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
140 Hz, 360 Hz, 2700 Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1307.0mm (51.5") |
1023.0mm (40.3") |
| Width |
276.0mm (10.9") |
224.0mm (8.8") |
| Depth |
332.0mm (13.1") |
274.0mm (10.8") |
| Weight |
32.10kg (70.6lbs) |
19.14kg (42.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Aluminum |
| Available Colors |
Black High Gloss, White High Gloss, Walnut High Gloss |
Gloss Black |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
3 Years |
A generation apart: Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB is the newer design, against a 2018 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (28Hz vs 30Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | A | Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB takes more power (280W vs 130W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | ELAC VELA FS 407 is easier to place; Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | ELAC VELA FS 407: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | ELAC VELA FS 407 is cheaper - $5,800 against $7,999, about 27% less. |
A Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB B ELAC VELA FS 407
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. Match it to your room: we rate Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB the better fit for a very large room, and ELAC VELA FS 407 for a mid-size room. In a large or open-plan room, Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, ELAC VELA FS 407 is the easier speaker to get right.
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.