Elac Debut B5.2

The appearance of secondgeneration versions of respected models should always worry their rivals. And, in the case of the Debut B5.2, those rivals have every reason to feel uneasy; for the money, the Elac Debut 5.2s are brilliant performers.

Elac changed almost everything about the Debuts for this successor. The cabinet is a similar volume to before but its proportions are around 2cm different in all directions. They’re taller (34cm), narrower (18cm) and deeper (23cm) in a bid to look smarter and be less visually obtrusive. To our eyes these changes work, helping to make the Debut B5.2s look more modern than the old model.

The 5.25cm mid/bass unit has been thoroughly revised too, using a new blend of aramid fibres for the cone, combined with a different shape to improve stiffness and damping.

As with most rivals, the bass is tuned by a reflex port. On the Debut B5.2 this is on the front panel to make the speakers less sensitive to their proximity to the rear wall, which makes placement easier.

Sweeter tweeter

The tweeter may be hidden behind a distinctive grille, but it marks a major change from the previous version. It’s now a wide surround design with improved dispersion and a top-end response that extends to a claimed 35khz. The old one topped out at a mere 20khz, so we’re expecting more top-end sparkle and openness than before.

These drivers positively demand a solid foundation to work from and Elac’s engineers have obliged with a rigid, braced MDF enclosure designed to minimise resonance and distortion. Connection to the amplifier is through a pair of solid single-wire terminals.

We’re impressed by the build of the B5.2s and admire their crisp lines and feeling of solidity. They’re available in only one finish though – the decent, but slightly drab-looking, black ash vinyl as used on our review sample.

These speakers prove unfussy about placement. They work best a little out into the room – we start at around 30cm and experiment – but will still deliver relatively balanced results if not optimally placed. Ideally they should sit on rigid stands to get the best sound. Thankfully, the Debuts aren’t particularly fussy about angling in towards the listening position, producing a wide, solid sound stage with little work.

Speakers at this level need to work with a wide range of partnering equipment. They’re just as likely to be fed by a budget micro-system as they are quality separates, and so need to be balanced to work well with both. Elac’s engineers have done a decent though not class-leading job here. The B5.2s aren’t quite as forgiving of partnering electronics as either the Q Acoustics 3020is or Dali’s Spektor 2s, due to a presentation that leans more towards analysis than smoothness or warmth. Any shortcomings of the partnering electronics aren’t hidden, but thankfully, not exaggerated either. These speakers merely reflect the quality of the signal fed to them rather than try to sweeten it.

Feed the speakers Madonna’s Ray Of Light and they have no trouble coping with the album’s dense instrumentation and complex rhythms. These are expressive performers that deliver sound with a precision and cohesion that’s rare for this level. The old Debuts timed well, but these ones go even further, conveying the changes of musical momentum beautifully.

Tonally they don’t have the sweetness of the Q Acoustics 3020i or the luscious midrange warmth of the comparable Dalis, but they’re even-handed and admirably balanced in the way they deal with poorer, more aggressive recordings. They pull ahead of both rivals when it comes to insight and composure.

Across the board

You can enjoy a wide range of music too. We listen to everything from the sparse electronica of Neneh Cherry’s Broken Politics to Dave Brubeck’s Take Five and these little speakers take it all in their stride. They have the dynamic expression, detail resolution and tonal sophistication to handle it all, and enough stretch in their abilities to get better even when the rest of the system is upgraded.

Elac has been in the speaker business since the 1980s and has made many fine products in that time. To put things in perspective, we would say that these Debut B5.2 speakers should be considered one of the company’s finest efforts, particularly when their price is taken into account. If the established budget-speaker brands aren’t worried about these boxes, they should be.