In this review, we will be comparing F501SP and VELA FS 407, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Fyne Audio and ELAC.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Fyne Audio F501SP and ELAC VELA FS 407 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Fyne Audio F501SP | ELAC VELA FS 407 |
|---|
| Brand | Fyne Audio
United Kingdom · founded 2017 | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | handmade JET 5 folded ribbon |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 6" | 6" Aluminum/Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 36-34k Hz | 30-50k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30 - 180 W watts | 40-130 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 21.00kg / 46.2lbs | 19.14kg / 42.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 38.7" x 11.3" x 12.7"
983.0 x 287.0 x 322.6mm | 40-1/4" x 8-13/16" x 10-3/4"
1023.0 x 224.0 x 274.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Fyne Audio F501SP 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* |
Fyne Audio F501SP |
ELAC VELA FS 407 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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
Both F501SP and VELA FS 407 are 3-way speakers.
Fyne Audio F501SPELAC 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 |
Fyne Audio F501SP |
ELAC VELA FS 407 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
x 6-inch
|
1 x 6-inch
|
F501SP features a " Tweeter and x 6" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 250 Hz, 1700 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
F501SP has a frequency range of 36-34k Hz whereas VELA FS 407 has a frequency range of 30-50k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the VELA FS 407 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the F501SP's min frequency of 36Hz.
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
F501SP is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the VELA FS 407 which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the VELA FS 407 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. F501SP sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the VELA FS 407's is rated at 88 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Fyne Audio F501SP a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC VELA FS 407, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
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.
F501SP can handle a max power of 180 watts RMS, whereas VELA FS 407 has a max power handling value of 130 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the F501SP.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
VELA FS 407 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. F501SP has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
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 Fyne Audio F501SP's and ELAC VELA FS 407's external dimensions. Fyne Audio F501SP has external dimensions of 983.0 x 287.0 x 322.6mm (38.7 x 11.3 x 12.7inch) 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 FS 407 is 63mm narrower and 48.6mm less deeper than Fyne Audio F501SP but it is also 40mm taller.
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.
Fyne Audio F501SP needs about 51% more floor or shelf area. Fyne Audio F501SP is 49mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. ELAC VELA FS 407 is 40mm 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 Fyne Audio F501SP is approximately 925.9cm2 / 143.5inch2 and base area of the ELAC VELA FS 407 is approximately 613.8cm2 / 95.1inch2. The F501SP requires 51% 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 Fyne Audio F501SP weighs 21.00kg / 46.2lbs and the ELAC VELA FS 407 weighs 19.14kg / 42.1lbs. This makes the F501SP 10% heavier than the VELA FS 407.
Here is a comparison of how F501SP and VELA FS 407's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
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 |
180 watts
vs
130 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Height |
983mm
vs
1023mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
4799USD
vs
5800USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
36 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
50k Hz
vs
34k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
613cm2
vs
925cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Fyne Audio F501SP |
ELAC VELA FS 407 |
| Brand |
Fyne Audio |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30 - 180 W watts |
40-130 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
36-34k Hz |
30-50k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Aluminum/Paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
handmade JET 5 folded ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
250 Hz, 1700 Hz |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
983.0mm (38.7") |
1023.0mm (40.3") |
| Width |
287.0mm (11.3") |
224.0mm (8.8") |
| Depth |
322.6mm (12.7") |
274.0mm (10.8") |
| Weight |
21.00kg (46.2lbs) |
19.14kg (42.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Aluminum |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
3 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 | ELAC VELA FS 407 digs deeper - 30Hz against 36Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Fyne Audio F501SP is more sensitive (91dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | Fyne Audio F501SP is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | Fyne Audio F501SP takes more power (180W vs 130W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | ELAC VELA FS 407 is easier to place; Fyne Audio F501SP is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | ELAC VELA FS 407: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Fyne Audio F501SP is cheaper - $4,799 against $5,800, about 17% less. |
A Fyne Audio F501SP 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?
Fyne Audio F501SP has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 36Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Fyne Audio F501SP much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Fyne Audio F501SP the better fit for a small room, and ELAC VELA FS 407 for a large 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.