In this review, we will be comparing Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB and VELA FS 409, 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 409 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB | ELAC VELA FS 409 |
|---|
| 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 | 2 x 7" Aluminum/Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 28-50k Hz | 28-50k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | Up to 280 watts | 40-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 32.10kg / 70.6lbs | 32.18kg / 70.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 51.5" x 10.9" x 13"
1307 x 276 x 332 mm | 52-3/8" x 10-15/16" x 13-9/16"
1331.0 x 278.0 x 345.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB and ELAC VELA FS 409 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 409 |
| 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 409 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 409
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 409 |
|
Driver Setup
|
4-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 7-inch
|
2 x 7-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 409 features a " handmade JET 5 folded ribbon Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 7" Aluminum/Paper Woofer.
Frequency Response
Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB and VELA FS 409 has exactly the same frequency range of 28-50k Hz.
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 409 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 89 dB.
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 409 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 80 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 409'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 409 has external dimensions of 1331.0 x 278.0 x 345.0mm (52-3/8 x 10-15/16 x 13-9/16inch).
ELAC VELA FS 409 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 2mm wider, 24mm taller and 13mm deeper than Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB.
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 409 is approximately 959.1cm2 / 148.7inch2. The Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB requires 4% less surface area than the VELA FS 409 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 VFS409.2-GB weighs 32.10kg / 70.6lbs and the ELAC VELA FS 409 weighs 32.18kg / 70.8lbs. This makes the VELA FS 409 0% heavier than the Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB.
Here is a comparison of how Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB and VELA FS 409'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 409?
Here are the items that come with the VELA FS 409:
- 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
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
4-way
vs
3-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Height |
1307mm
vs
1331mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
916cm2
vs
959cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
7400USD
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 409 |
| Brand |
ELAC |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
Up to 280 watts |
40-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
28-50k Hz |
28-50k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
7" |
7" |
| 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") |
1331.0mm (52.4") |
| Width |
276.0mm (10.9") |
278.0mm (10.9") |
| Depth |
332.0mm (13.1") |
345.0mm (13.6") |
| Weight |
32.10kg (70.6lbs) |
32.18kg (70.8lbs) |
| 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 28Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | A | Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB takes more power (280W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | B | ELAC VELA FS 409: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($7,999 vs $7,400 a pair). |
A Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB B ELAC VELA FS 409
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 409 for a mid-size room.
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.