In this review, we will be comparing Synchrony T800 and VELA FS 409, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from PSB and ELAC.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of PSB Synchrony T800 and ELAC VELA FS 409 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
PSB Synchrony T800 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 5.25" Midrange
- 3 x 8" Cast Basket Carbon Fibre Cone Woofer
- 21-23k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:20-300watts
- Weight:45.40kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1212.0" x 14 7/8" x 15 5/8"( 1212 x 377 x 396mm )
ELAC VELA FS 409 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- ---" handmade JET 5 folded ribbon Tweeter
- 6" Midrange
- 2 x 7" Aluminum/Paper Woofer
- 6" Midrange
- 28-50k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:40-200watts
- Weight:32.18kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1331.0" x 10-15/16" x 13-9/16"( 1331.0 x 278.0 x 345.0mm )
What size room are the PSB Synchrony T800 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* |
PSB Synchrony T800 |
ELAC VELA FS 409 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| 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 PSB Synchrony T800 and ELAC VELA FS 409 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Synchrony T800 and VELA FS 409 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
PSB Synchrony T800 |
ELAC VELA FS 409 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
----inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 8-inch
|
2 x 7-inch
|
Synchrony T800 features a 1" titanium with ferrofluid cooling and neodymium magnet Dome Tweeter , a 5.25" Midrange and 3 x 8" Cast Basket Carbon Fibre Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 1800Hz. 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
Synchrony T800 has a frequency range of 21-23k Hz whereas VELA FS 409 has a frequency range of 28-50k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 21Hz, the Synchrony T800 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the VELA FS 409's min frequency of 28Hz.
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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing 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
Synchrony T800 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 Synchrony T800 and the Synchrony T800 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. 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.
Synchrony T800 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas VELA FS 409 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Synchrony T800.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Synchrony T800 and VELA FS 409 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
PSB Synchrony T800's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 PSB Synchrony T800's and ELAC VELA FS 409's external dimensions. PSB Synchrony T800 has external dimensions of 1212 x 377 x 396mm ( 47 3/4 x 14 7/8 x 15 5/8-inch) 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 99mm narrower and 51mm less deeper than PSB Synchrony T800 but it is also 119mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of PSB Synchrony T800 and ELAC VELA FS 409 in scale.
Comparison image of PSB Synchrony T800 and ELAC VELA FS 409 Size and External Dimensions
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 PSB Synchrony T800 is approximately 1492.0cm2 / 231.3inch2 and base area of the ELAC VELA FS 409 is approximately 959.1cm2 / 148.7inch2. The Synchrony T800 requires 56% more surface area than the VELA FS 409 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 PSB Synchrony T800 weighs 45.40kg / 99.9lbs and the ELAC VELA FS 409 weighs 32.18kg / 70.8lbs. This makes the Synchrony T800 41% heavier than the VELA FS 409.
Here is a comparison of how Synchrony T800 and VELA FS 409'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 PSB Synchrony T800?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Synchrony T800:
Floorstanding loudspeakrGrille2 Binding-post jumpers (pre-installed)4 Isolation feet2 Port plugsOwners ManualWarranty Card
What's in the Box of ELAC VELA FS 409?
Here are the items that come with the VELA FS 409:
Floorstanding loudspeakerBase plate2 Jumper straps (pre-installed)4 Spikes4 Pucks4 Rubber pads4 Machine screws4 WashersHex-keyOperating And Safety Instructions
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
7 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
21 Hz
vs
28 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1212mm
vs
1331mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 High Frequency Response |
50k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
959cm2
vs
1492cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
7400USD
vs
11999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
PSB Synchrony T800 |
ELAC VELA FS 409 |
| Brand |
PSB |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-300 watts |
40-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
21-23k Hz |
28-50k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
7" |
| Woofer Composition |
Cast Basket Carbon Fibre Cone |
Aluminum/Paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
---" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
handmade JET 5 folded ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
450Hz and 1800Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1212.0mm (47.7") |
1331.0mm (52.4") |
| Width |
377.0mm (14.8") |
278.0mm (10.9") |
| Depth |
396.0mm (15.6") |
345.0mm (13.6") |
| Weight |
45.40kg (99.9lbs) |
32.18kg (70.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
MDF/Aluminum |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black, Satin Walnut |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Years |