In this review, we will be comparing R400 and VELA CC 401, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Polk Audio and ELAC.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk R400 and ELAC VELA CC 401 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Polk R400 | ELAC VELA CC 401 |
|---|
| Brand | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator | JET 5 folded ribbon |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone | 2 x 6" aluminum/paper sandwich |
|---|
| Frequency response | 48-39K Hz | 30-50k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-200 watts | 40-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 14.91kg / 32.8lbs | 19.14kg / 42.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 7-13/16" x 24-5/16" x 14-5/8"
199.0 x 618.0 x 372.0mm | 7-9/16" x 25-9/16" x 9-7/16"
193.0 x 650.0 x 240.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Polk R400 and ELAC VELA CC 401 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* |
Polk R400 |
ELAC VELA CC 401 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| 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 R400 and VELA CC 401 are 2-way speakers.
Polk R400ELAC VELA CC 401
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Polk R400 |
ELAC VELA CC 401 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6-inch
|
R400 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz. On the other hand, the VELA CC 401 features a " JET 5 folded ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 6" aluminum/paper sandwich Woofer.
Frequency Response
R400 has a frequency range of 48-39K Hz whereas VELA CC 401 has a frequency range of 30-50k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the VELA CC 401 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R400's min frequency of 48Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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
R400 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the VELA CC 401 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 CC 401 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. R400 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the VELA CC 401's is rated at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk R400 a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC VELA CC 401, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
R400 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas VELA CC 401 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 80 watts less than the R400.
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
R400 features Binding post type posts and VELA CC 401 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk R400's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both R400 and VELA CC 401 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Polk R400 dual 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 Polk R400's and ELAC VELA CC 401's external dimensions. Polk R400 has external dimensions of 199.0 x 618.0 x 372.0mm (7-13/16 x 24-5/16 x 14-5/8inch) whereas ELAC VELA CC 401 has external dimensions of 193.0 x 650.0 x 240.0mm (7-9/16 x 25-9/16 x 9-7/16inch).
ELAC VELA CC 401 is 6mm shorter and 132mm less deeper than Polk R400 but it is also 32mm wider.
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 Polk R400 is approximately 2299.0cm2 / 356.3inch2 and base area of the ELAC VELA CC 401 is approximately 1560.0cm2 / 241.8inch2. The R400 requires 47% more surface area than the VELA CC 401 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 Polk R400 weighs 14.91kg / 32.8lbs and the ELAC VELA CC 401 weighs 19.14kg / 42.1lbs. This makes the VELA CC 401 28% heavier than the R400.
Here is a comparison of how R400 and VELA CC 401's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
What's in the Box of Polk R400?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R400:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- Owners Manual
- Online Registration
What's in the Box of ELAC VELA CC 401?
Here are the items that come with the VELA CC 401:
- 1 Center channel speaker
- 2 Jumper straps (pre-installed)
- Operating And Safety Instructions
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Price per pair* |
649USD
vs
2300USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
|
Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
50k Hz
vs
39k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
193mm
vs
199mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1560cm2
vs
2299cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Polk Audio Reserve R400 |
ELAC VELA CC 401 |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
20-200 watts |
40-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
4.1 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
48-39K Hz |
30-50k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene Turbine Cone |
aluminum/paper sandwich |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
JET 5 folded ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2500Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
199.0mm (7.8") |
193.0mm (7.6") |
| Width |
618.0mm (24.3") |
650.0mm (25.6") |
| Depth |
372.0mm (14.6") |
240.0mm (9.4") |
| Weight |
14.91kg (32.8lbs) |
19.14kg (42.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Black, Walnut |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
n/a |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Years |
These sit in different price classes - ELAC VELA CC 401 costs roughly 3.5x what Polk R400 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | ELAC VELA CC 401 digs deeper - 30Hz against 48Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | Polk R400 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | Polk R400 takes more power (200W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | ELAC VELA CC 401 is easier to place; Polk R400 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. Polk R400 sits in a wider range (10 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Polk R400 is cheaper - $649 against $2,300, about 72% less; arguably a different class. |
A Polk R400 B ELAC VELA CC 401
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?
Polk R400 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 48Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Polk R400 much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Polk R400 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, ELAC VELA CC 401 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.