In this review, we will be comparing Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-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 VFS409.2-GB and PSB Synchrony T600 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB | PSB Synchrony T600 |
|---|
| Brand | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 | PSB
Canada · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 4-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | JET 6 AMT | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 7" AS XR cone | 3 x 6.5" Carbon fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 28-50k Hz | 24-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | Up to 280 watts | 20-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 32.10kg / 70.6lbs | 34.90kg / 76.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 51.5" x 10.9" x 13"
1307 x 276 x 332 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 VFS409.2-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 VFS409.2-GB |
PSB Synchrony T600 |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB is a 4-way design whereas the Synchrony T600 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-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 VFS409.2-GB |
PSB Synchrony T600 |
|
Driver Setup
|
4-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 7-inch
|
3 x 6.5-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 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 VFS409.2-GB has a frequency range of 28-50k Hz whereas Synchrony T600 has a frequency range of 24-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 24Hz, the Synchrony T600 can go slightly deeper then the Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB's min frequency of 28Hz.
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 Synchrony T600 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.
Synchrony T600 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB has a max power handling value of 280 watts RMS, 20 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 VFS409.2-GB
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB has a bottom firing port whereas Synchrony T600 has a rear firing ports. Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-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 VFS409.2-GB's and PSB Synchrony T600'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 PSB Synchrony T600 has external dimensions of 1048.0 x 228.0 x 343.0mm (41-1/4 x 9 x 13-1/2inch).
PSB Synchrony T600 is 48mm narrower and 259mm shorter than Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB but it is also 11mm deeper.
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 PSB Synchrony T600 is approximately 782.0cm2 / 121.2inch2. The Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB requires 17% more surface area than the Synchrony T600 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 PSB Synchrony T600 weighs 34.90kg / 76.8lbs. This makes the Synchrony T600 9% heavier than the Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB.
Here is a comparison of how Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-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 VFS409.2-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
 Driver Setup |
4-way
vs
3-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
7 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
50k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
7999USD
vs
8000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
280 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Minimum Impedance |
4 ohms
vs
3.4 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
24 Hz
vs
28 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1048mm
vs
1307mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
782cm2
vs
916cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB |
PSB Synchrony T600 |
| Brand |
ELAC |
PSB |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
Up to 280 watts |
20-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
28-50k Hz |
24-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
7" |
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 |
6" |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
140 Hz, 360 Hz, 2700 Hz |
450Hz and 1800Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1307.0mm (51.5") |
1048.0mm (41.3") |
| Width |
276.0mm (10.9") |
228.0mm (9") |
| Depth |
332.0mm (13.1") |
343.0mm (13.5") |
| Weight |
32.10kg (70.6lbs) |
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 28Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (280W vs 300W). |
| Size | depends | PSB Synchrony T600 is easier to place; Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | PSB Synchrony T600: bi-amping. Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB sits in a wider range (6 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($7,999 vs $8,000 a pair). |
A Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-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?
PSB Synchrony T600 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. Match it to your room: we rate Elac Vela 2.0 VFS409.2-GB the better fit for a very large room; elsewhere the two are rated the same. 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, PSB Synchrony T600 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.