ELAC Debut 3.0 DB53-BK Bookshelf Speakers, Black Ash (Pair) - 1” Aluminum Dome Tweeter & 5.25” Aramid Fiber Woofer - 2-Way Bass Reflex - 48Hz to 38KHz Response

Was looking for some bookshelf speakers that were under $1000 that would be a good fit for my modest Yamaha AS501 stereo amp, Yamaha CD S-303 player and Fluance RT85 deck. I started noticing rave reviews for the Elac Debut 3.0 DB63 speakers on YouTube a couple of months ago, but wasn't very familiar with the Elac brand. I've owned speakers by Infinity, Polk and Klipsch in the past, and while at the time they all seemed pretty decent, I became tired or bored of them after a couple of years for one reason or another. I have pretty broad musical tastes ranging from jazz, classical, rock, ambient and electronic, so I guess I'm probably a little more critical of speaker performance, although I really don't consider myself an audiophile but wanted something to deliver believable music reproduction. So when I saw a wide range of YouTuber reviews rave about the accuracy and neutrality of these speakers that could produce shimmering highs and impressive, tight bass I was intrigued, but also a bit skeptical of the hype. A couple of reviewers mentioned that these speakers sounded as good or better than speakers twice or three times the price. I resisted pulling the trigger until after the holidays, partly to see what kind of budget I had left over, and also to evaluate whether they were going to be a good match for my needs. I figured the $450/pair price point was a pretty low risk and if they didn't perform to my liking, I could still return them. Well, I have to say I'm pleasantly shocked at the performance of the Elacs. They delivered in spades! Full disclosure, I mounted the speakers on a pair of Monoprice easel speaker stands that brought the Elacs to ear level and followed their general guidelines for optimal speaker placement. Yowzers! These things were incredibly impressive in every way. The highs were well balanced, yet detailed without fatiguing. Midrange was melodic and accurate while the bass was authoritative and punchy, but not sloppy or boomy. Surprisingly, you can crank these puppies without them breaking up; remarkable considering their size. I think the rear porting of the speaker helps deliver the low end and the weird silver phase plug over the tweeter and intersecting wave guide helps keep the brightness of the aluminum dome construction in check while dispersing the highs more realistically. Some music observations: Chris Isaak - Wicked Game: The acoustic instruments, subtle drums and vocals sound totally believable with impressive sound stage and subtle "air". Isaak's vocals are spectacular with beautiful low growl and attention-grabbing falsettos being in center while the slide guitar riffs drift across the room as if it was carried by a breeze. Beautiful and haunting reproduction, revealing details and nuances I hadn't heard before. GoGo Penguin: This avant garde nu-jazz trio's self titled album is an exploration in acoustic sounds highlighting piano, drums and upright bass. The recording has a very "live" feel to it and through the Elacs, the trio sound like they're in the room with you. The hypnotic staccato piano passages have a natural, subtle resonance and space that reflects the place it was recorded. Drums sound tight and and at times explosive without distorting. Kick drum delivers punch and authority while cymbals sound crisp with wide dispersion. The upright bass pumps the rhythms with authority while capturing the squeak of the fingers as they slide on the strings. Mesmerizing delivery and wonderful sound stage showing exact placement of instruments in the room. The Elacs really elevate the whole presentation that borders on astonishing. Fritz Reiner - Richard Strauss: Also Sprach Zarathustra: This RCA Red Seal recording is my go to demonstration record for its incredible dynamic range, explosive percussion, bold brass/woodwinds and soaring strings. Acoustic / classical music can reveal how well a speaker can accurately deliver conventional instruments and the Elacs give the perfect concert hall presentation where other speakers would often fall short. The Elacs exceeded my expectations and has actually surprised me by revealing musical details that my other speakers couldn't deliver. If you're a fan of EDM or hip hop, you might want to supplement with a sub, but for most listeners, I really don't think you need one. In summary, I think these speakers are incredible at this price and would easily recommend to anyone who appreciates exceptional music reproduction at a very reasonable price.

These speakers are well made and solid they sound like $1000 speakers for $399 you can’t beat that price for what you get. They look great on speaker stands. The clarity and soundstage is incredible. They do take 50 or more hours to break in and seem to sound even better as time goes on. I highly recommend these for the price point. Just awesome for music and movies. It’s like hearing music I listen to for years for the first time. I can hear details I never heard before. Great job Elac I tip my hat to you!

They were a significant upgrade from the Sony SSCS5 I had. They weigh so much more, the build quality is 10x better, feels like a super nice wood black ash, the front is a premium soft rubber feel, idk what the material is called but these are the nicest speakers I've had. Sound wise, they are very linear. I didn't realize how poor my other speakers performed until I used these. They're very clear and Thankfully not harsh in the slightest. Off axis response is soo good as well. Not a single con with these, I honestly could have paid a thousand dollars for them and would of expected the same quality... the reviewers on YouTube are not wrong, these are the budget kings! I paired them with new Ultimax (2) 18 in subwoofers in a sealed enclosure to handle 100hz and below. Together the subs and these Elacs have transformed my audio/home theater setup.

The Bad: A touch thin/hollow/light w/ a slight blanket vail overall. Sound comes from vertically higher than other speakers. Non sound mentions: finger prints and terminals are close together aimed upwards. The Good: Clean present bass. Good mids and highs. Even sound from bass through highs. My guitar tones sounded natural along with other instruments. Good soundstage. Picks up on all the reverb, delays and textures in a recording. Handles brighter or poorer recorded material. Smooth, slightly warm and neutral sound. Small speaker, easy to move around, put them on adjustable stands. I give it a 7/10 score. For 500 bucks pretty darn good. I compared these to 6 other speakers, A/B testing where I could switch back and forth between two sets of speakers within a second. (Tried, Kef Concerto, Triangle BR04, Q Acoustics 5040, Polk R600, Dali Oberon 5, Warfedale EVO 5.4) All speakers have a sound profile and the good and bad. Some speakers are better on some recordings. And of course your personal taste, experience, room, setup, your ears, listening positions, music types and how good the recording is. I use them mostly for critical listening. In about a 70-80 triangle setup. 12 x 15 foot room, some treatment. Experimented with close to the wall all the way to 64" out from wall. And, 28" to 42" from side wall. That is to the center of the front speaker. Usually have them between 26" -46" from the wall to compensate for sound and room function. Experience: I have been composing, recording, mixing unusual music, play electric guitar, for 45 years now. The amps I tried did not make a noticeable difference. I played all kinds of music. I don't believe in break periods that speakers get so much better you can hear the difference. (Look up Psychoacoustics, speaker break in, tests, causes, golden ear tests, blind audio tests, listening memory) I believe in quick A/B testing during several sessions.

Very good sounding mid-level speakers. I use them in my office with an EMOTIVA amp and a WiiM streamer/preamp and a turntable. They have good imaging and solid bass for a bookshelf speaker. They are a little warm but with the WiiM I can boost the treble to add a little sparkle.

These speakers punch way above their price point. Great sound. Way better than my old Sony speakers. Very good instrument separation and very good bass. Excellent build quality. No complaints. You will not be disappointed.

Diffusori incredibili, la resa audio è semplicemente fantastica, precisi nei dettagli alti e medi; anche i bassi sono presenti proporzionati alla dimensione del cono.

¡¡¡Tremendas!!! Las conecté a un Yamaha A-S801, que maravillosa combinación. ¡Me sorprendió lo pesadas que son, creo que es buena señal! ¡Suenan como si fueran unas bocinas muy grandes! Los controles de tonos del A-S801 están en cero, y aun así se escucha fantástico estas bocinas. Mi setup es un modesto compact disc chino SMSL PL-100, el cual envía la señal en PCM vía coaxial al A-S801, el A-S801 hace la conversión a analógico y lo envía a estas fantásticas bocinas. ¡¡Fantástico!! Las frecuencias bajas sólidas. Sinceramente las recomiendo. Creo que algo que esté significativamente mejor a esto sería gastar unas tres o cuatro veces más el valor de estas ELAC 3.0 DB63. En fin, más que contento.

These things are amazing. If you are thinking of buying a pair of bookshelf speakers. THESE ARE THE ONES!!!! I have them running off a little fosi audio ZA3 amp. They shake my whole house without any additional sub. They kick out so much sound and especially on the low end. It boggles my mind how great they truly are. Definitely worth the money.

Para meus ouvidos, soam muito bem, gostei demais, ótimo custo benefício.

I found they sounded a little to bright for my liking. The metal dome tweeter didn't do it for me. I think a good Silk dome tweeter is a better option. Maybe metal on the bass drivers