About the ELAC Debut B5
Exquisite sound with a compact footprint
Exquisite sound with a compact footprint
High-quality materials add up to one sweet sounding speaker.
If you're looking for crystal-clear sound with sparkling detail and deep, accurate bass, check out ELAC's Debut B5 series speakers. Designed by renowned speaker engineer Andrew Jones, the B5s were created from the ground up to deliver high-end audio performance with a modest price tag. When I got the opportunity to listen to them here at Crutchfield headquarters, I was blown away. I can't remember ever hearing such rich, dynamic sound from a bookshelf speaker in this price range. The wide soundstage, accurate imaging, and surprisingly deep bass were astonishing.
Full-range sound without the need for a subwoofer
One of the most impressive qualities of the B5s is their ability to accurately play low frequencies. Even in our cavernous training room, they belted out authoritative bass without strain. On the EDM track "Seeya" by deadmau5, toes tapped patiently during the soft intro, then when the deep bass kicked in at the 35-second mark, our jaws practically dropped open. For a living room, dorm, or office system these little speakers will provide a true full-range listening experience without the need for a subwoofer taking up floor space.
Custom components deliver high-end performance
Many budget-level speakers use inexpensive, lightweight parts to keep the price down. Unfortunately, this often means a sacrifice in audio performance. The B5s stay true to their audio roots by using custom-designed, high-quality crossovers. This attention to detail lends to the overall magic that these speakers offer. Smooth high-frequencies from the 1" silk dome tweeter complement the powerful 5-1/4" woven aramid-fiber woofer. The result is full, natural sound that won't break your budget.
A legendary speaker designer strikes again
Andrew Jones made a name for himself designing phenomenal high-end speakers across the industry. Lately, he's turned his attention toward creating speakers that offer excellent performance at very affordable prices. The Debut B5 speakers are his latest triumph. They make a perfect match in a surround sound setup with the entire ELAC Debut line, all of which were designed by Jones.
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Product highlights:
- 1" silk dome tweeter with deep spheroid waveguide for improved sound dispersion
- custom-designed 5-1/4" woofer with woven aramid-fiber cone for smooth punchy bass and midrange
- frequency response: 46-20,000 Hz
- sensitivity: 85 dB
- impedance: 6 ohms
- recommended amplifier power: 30-120 watts
- bass-reflex (ported) cabinet design
- custom multi-element crossover with high-grade components to ensure smooth transition between drivers
- 5-way binding post speaker terminals
- black brushed vinyl finish
- 7-7/8"W x 12-3/4"H x 9-11/16"D
- weight: 11.5 lbs. (each)
- warranty: 3 years
- MFR # DB51-BK
What's in the box:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- Operating Instructions
Customer reviews for ELAC Debut B5
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More details on the ELAC Debut B5
Features & specs
| Enclosure | Bass Reflex | |
| Finish | MDF/Vinyl | |
| Color | Black | |
| Tweeter Type | Soft-dome | |
| Tweeter Size (inches) | 1 | |
| Midrange Size (inches) | N/A | |
| Woofer Size (inches) | 5.25 | |
| Woofer Composition | Woven Aramid-Fiber | |
| Woofer Surround | Rubber | |
| Power Range | 120 | |
| Sensitivity | 85 dB | |
| Impedance (Ohms) | 6 | |
| Frequency Response | 46-20k Hz | |
| Connector Type | 5-way post | |
| Bi-amp Inputs | No | |
| Height (inches) | 12-3/4 | |
| Width (inches) | 7-7/8 | |
| Depth (inches) | 9-11/16 | |
| Weight (pounds) | 11.5 | |
| Wall-mountable | --- | |
| Bracket Included | No | |
| Recommended Stand Height (inches) | 24-31 | |
| Parts Warranty | 3 Years | |
| Labor Warranty | 3 Years | |
Product Research
Features
Two-Way Driver Design: The Elac Debut B5 bookshelf loudspeaker features a two-way driver design with a 1" tweeter, one 5.25" woofer, and a 3,000Hz crossover. Both the tweeter and woofer have been custom designed by Andrew Jones to deliver an exceptional audio experience that can't be delivered with typical off-the-shelf parts
- Cloth Dome Tweeter w/ Wave Guide: The Elac Debut B5 features a 1" cloth dome tweeter with a custom-designed waveguide with a deep spheroid profile. This waveguide design is utilized to improve directivity control and shield the tweeter from cabinet diffraction.
- Woven-Aramid Fiber Woofer: The bookshelf speaker features a single 5.25" woven aramid-fiber cone woofer with rubber surround, oversized magnet, and vented pole piece. Woven aramid fiber offers a superior stiffness-to-weight ratio and damping over common polypropylene or paper cones. The added strength allows more flexibility in design to achieve a smoother, extended frequency response.
- Custom Crossover: A custom seven-element crossover (3,000Hz) with audio-grade components is implemented to ensure smooth transition between the tweeter and woofer.
Bass Reflex MDF Cabinet: The Elac Debut B5 bookshelf loudspeaker uses a bass reflex cabinet with a rear-firing flared port for greater efficiency and bigger bass response. The cabinet is made of MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) to strengthen and stiffen the cabinet, helping minimize unwanted vibrations that can discolor music or movie content. The MDF outer walls of the cabinet are covered with a textured vinyl black finish. A detachable cloth grille is included.
5-Way Binding Posts: The Elac Debut B5 bookshelf loudspeaker is fitted with a set of 5-way binding-post terminals which will accept bare-wire (up to 10AWG), pin-connectors, spade-lugs, and banana plugs (single or dual).
Applications: The Elac Debut B5 bookshelf loudspeaker can be used in a 2ch stereo application, or used as your front speakers and/or rear surround speakers in a multichannel home theater application.
- 2Ch Stereo or Front Speaker Placement: For optimum stereo imaging, place the speakers so that an equilateral triangle is created between the speakers your main listening position. You can also angle ("toe in") the speakers towards the listening position to gain a more focused central image.
- Rear Surround Placement: In a 5.1channel surround setup, avoid placing the speakers forward of your listening position. The speakers should be spread apart wider than the front speakers. In addition, try to elevate the speakers to the same height or slightly higher as the front speakers for the most enveloping soundfield.
Mounting Options: The Elac Debut B5 bookshelf loudspeaker can simply be placed on a flat surface; like a table-top, stand, or shelf. The bookshelf speaker does not offer any wall-mount options.
Elac Debut Series: The Elac Debut series family of loudspeakers consists of two bookshelf speakers, two floorstanding speaker, a center-channel speaker, a Dolby Atmos enabled speaker, and two powered subs.
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Got a pair of these to try out, these sounds great. for the price its simply amazing. I Pair this with dayton subwoofer, with a 100wpc 80s vintage technics receiver, it powers it with no problem, putting out great sounds.
HoLun from cedar park, TX