ELAC Carina BS243.4 is a 2-way Passive Bass Reflex Bookshelf speaker designed by Andrew Jones for ELAC. It features a 1" JET AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer. The speaker has a frequency range of 46-30k Hz and a sensitivity of 85 dB. ELAC Carina BS243.4 has an MSRP of 1500$ per pair but can often be found around 1000$ per pair.
Room Size Suitability
The size of the room where you plan to use the ELAC Carina BS243.4 is a crucial factor in your decision. We have assessed its suitability for various room sizes based on its dimensions and maximum power output:
| Listening Environment* |
Suitability |
| Near-field | Average |
| Small Room | Good |
| Mid-size Room | Average |
| Large Room | Poor |
| Very Large Room | Bad |
(* 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.)
ELAC's Carina Series of Loudspeakers
Carina BS243.4 is a member of ELAC's Carina series of Passive speakers. Below you can see the main specs of these speakers.
ELAC Carina Series Speakers
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Frequency Response of the ELAC Carina BS243.4 Speaker
ELAC Carina BS243.4 has a Frequency response range of 46-30k Hz at ±3dB and Power Range of 30-100 watts. With a minimum frequency of 46 Hz, Carina BS243.4 delivers moderate bass depth so depending on your use case, you might want to consider adding a subwoofer to your system.
To focus on the subwoofers that are in a similar price range with ELAC Carina BS243.4, check out the Powered Subwoofers under $1500. Alternatively, find the Full list of Powered Subwoofers regardless of the price.
Here we have a comparison of how Carina BS243.4's Low and High frequency values compare with the average, max and min Low and High frequency values in its class.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Impedance and Sensitivity
ELAC Carina BS243.4's nominal impedance level is
6 ohms and has a sensitivity of
85 dB.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Nominal Impedance of the 6 Ohms makes the ELAC Carina BS243.4 a relatively difficult to drive speaker compared to more frequently found 8 ohms speakers from nominal Impedance perspective.
Sensitivity
With a sensitivity level of only 85 dB, ELAC Carina BS243.4 is a difficult to drive speaker from Sensitivity perspective, make sure to choose an amplifier with a high output if you like listening to your music at high volume levels. You may especially have a hard time using Tube amplifiers which are traditionally very low power compared to Class A/B or Class D amps.
Check the amplifiers that are in a similar price range to the ELAC Carina BS243.4:
Input Type
Carina BS243.4 has Post type connectors and lets bi-amping/bi-wiring. Bi-wiring can enhance the overall transparency of your loudspeakers by using separate speaker wires for the low and high-frequency drivers from a single amplifier. Bi-amping, on the other hand, involves using separate amplifiers for the high and low-frequency drivers, potentially resulting in a greater dynamic range and reduced distortion.
ELAC Carina BS243.4's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
ELAC Carina BS243.4 External Dimensions and Weight
ELAC Carina BS243.4 has external dimensions of (Height x Width x Depth) 12-5/8 x 8-1/16 x 9-11/16inch (321.0 x 205.0 x 247.0mm ).
Base Surface Area
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base area of ELAC Carina BS243.4 is approximately 506.4cm2 / 78.5inch2.
To get a better perspective on the real life size of ELAC Carina BS243.4, let's compare it with a standard size Compact Disc which has a diameter of 4.7inch (120mm).
ELAC Carina BS243.4 Speaker Size Compared to a Compact Disc
Here we place the ELAC Carina BS243.4 virtually next to a standard width amplifier and turntable on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet to get a better idea about the size.
ELAC Carina BS243.4 Speaker next to an amplifier and turntable
WeightThe ELAC Carina BS243.4 weighs 6.70kg / 14.7lbs per piece. Here is a comparison of how Carina BS243.4's weight compares with the average, max and min weights in its class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Weight
Bookshelf Speakers under $1500
Cabinet type and Materials
ELAC Carina BS243.4 has a
Bass Reflex type cabinet and a MDF/Polymer finish. Bass Reflex type loudspeakers (aka Ported, Vented or Reflex Port) have enclosures that uses a port, hole or vent cut into the cabinet. Ported designs are generally more efficient than the Sealed designs.
ELAC Carina BS243.4 - Side View
Port Position
ELAC Carina BS243.4 is a bottom-firing port speaker
Available colors
ELAC Carina BS243.4 is available in Satin Black and Satin White.
Wall Mounting
Carina BS243.4 doesn't sport any built-in mounting bracket, so you need an external structure to mount it on walls.
What's in the Box of ELAC Carina BS243.4?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Carina BS243.4:
2 Bookshelf loudspeakers 4 Jumper straps (pre-intalled) Operating Instructions
Recommended Accessories
Here is a list of accessories that we think you may need for the ELAC Carina BS243.4.
- Speaker Cable and Connectors
- Vibration Isolators: IsoAcoustics isolators more affordable options too.
- Acoustic Panels and Treatments: Your room is as important as your stereo equipment so acoustic treatments goes a long way in improving the overall performance.
- Speaker Stands: Stands bring your bookshelf speakers to ideal height (rule of thumb is to have the tweeter level with your ear in your listening position), helps stability and acoustical isolation.
Warranty
3 Years of parts warranty and 3 Years of labor warranty is generally provided by the manufacturer.