In this review, we will be comparing Vestia Center and Uni-Fi Reference UCR52, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Focal and ELAC.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Vestia Center and ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Focal Vestia Center Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" inverted dome Tweeter
- 2 x 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer
- 58-30k Hz Frequency Response
- 91.5 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:40-200watts
- Weight:10.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 216.0" x 21-1/8" x 10-1/4"( 216.0 x 537.0 x 261.0mm )
ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" soft dome Tweeter
- 4" Midrange
- 2 x 5.25" aluminum Woofer
- 4" Midrange
- 47-35k Hz Frequency Response
- 85 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:up to 140watts
- Weight:13.20kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 188.0" x 20-7/8" x 13-1/16"( 188.0 x 531.0 x 332.0mm )
What size room are the Focal Vestia Center and ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 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* |
Focal Vestia Center |
ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Focal Vestia Center and ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Vestia Center is a 2-way design whereas the Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 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.
| Driver |
Focal Vestia Center |
ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
Vestia Center features a 1" Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Slatefiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz. On the other hand, the Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 features a 1" soft dome Tweeter , a 4" Midrange and 2 x 5.25" aluminum Woofer .
Frequency Response
Vestia Center has a frequency range of 58-30k Hz whereas Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 has a frequency range of 47-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 47Hz, the Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Vestia Center's min frequency of 58Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
High Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Vestia Center is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Vestia Center sensitivity is rated at 91.5 dB and the Uni-Fi Reference UCR52's is rated at 85 dB. This 7 dB difference makes the Focal Vestia Center a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Vestia Center can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 has a max power handling value of 140 watts RMS, 60 watts less than the Vestia Center.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Vestia Center has a rear firing port whereas Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 has a front firing ports. ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Focal Vestia Center with its rear-firing port.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Focal Vestia Center's and ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52's external dimensions. Focal Vestia Center has external dimensions of 216.0 x 537.0 x 261.0mm ( 8-1/2-inch x 21-1/8-inch x 10-1/4-inch) whereas ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 has external dimensions of 188.0 x 531.0 x 332.0mm ( 7-3/8 x 20-7/8 x 13-1/16inch) .
ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 is 6mm narrower and 28mm shorter than Focal Vestia Center but it is also 71mm 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 Focal Vestia Center is approximately 1401.6cm2 / 217.2inch2 and base area of the ELAC Uni-Fi Ref UCR52 is approximately 1762.9cm2 / 273.2inch2. The Vestia Center requires 20% less surface area than the Uni-Fi Reference UCR52 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.