Spec Overview
| Model | F5.2 | F6.2 |
|---|---|---|
| Speaker Type | passive, ported, 3-way | (<-- same) |
| Continuous Power Handling | 42 W* | 45 W* |
| Peak Power Handling | 140 W | 150 W |
| Sensitivity | 86 db/W/m | 87 db/W/m |
| Response Range | 42 - 35k Hz | 39 - 35k Hz |
| Warranty | 3 years | (<-- same) |
*When nominal/RMS power isn’t specified by manufacturer, we use an approximation of ~30% of the specified peak/dynamic power for comparison purposes.
Review and Discussion
Elac’s aptly named Debut 2.0 series is a new and improved lineup over their older generation Debut series, once again designed by renowned audio engineer Andrew Jones. Both of the 5.25″ and 6.5″ tower speakers have been upgraded, featuring newly designed drivers as well as an improved cabinet.
The new F5.2 and F6.2 are fundamentally the same as the now legacy F5 and F6 – they’re entry level tower speakers with roughly the same specs, albeit with some minor improvement to the range, which was already quite good to begin with. The F6.2 actually has a little less peak power handling than the F6 and neither the F5.2 or F6.2 specifies continuous power handling while the older F5 and F6 do, which is a little odd, but the differences are minor anyhow. They still have the same 3 way design with a double crossover that accommodates woofers dedicated to mid and lower ranges, which is a nice feature that’s normally above the pay grade of entry level speakers. The response floor of these speakers is quite good, and the advantage of a 3 way design is that they’ll sound decent as a standalone pair, while other entry level speakers would call for an additional subwoofer.
The Debut 2.0 desigen has a few subtle aesthetic upgrades over the already nice looking Debut speakers, but they basically look the same. You can remove the partial front covering foam-grill to reveal the drivers, which prominently feature the newly developed woven fiber woofers. Elac offers 3 years of warranty coverage on its passive speakers which is decent but not industry leading – other competitors will offer 5+ years of coverage.
Our Overall Take, As Compared to the Competition
Like their predecessors, these are solid speakers, and Andrew Jones wouldn’t put his name on a bad product. That said, because they’re still quite new, they’re rather expensive. The thing about speakers is that they don’t depreciate like most other consumer electronics, yet companies will discount older speakers pretty significantly, and the result is that the best products for the price will often be ten or more years old. It’s hard to recommend these as long as they’re as expensive as they are when there are similarly priced competitors that are much louder and more powerful.
Also as an alternative, if your looking for entry level speakers that don’t need to fill a massive room, there are similarly specced options that are much less expensive. Pioneer’s entry level tower speaker (reviewed here), which was also designed by Jones before he moved to Elac, has gone for less than half the price of the F5.2, money saved which could go toward a subwoofer. Check out the links below for more information on some good alternatives.
We suspect Elac’s speakers will be discounted in the future and, there’s a good chance, subsequently top the best sellers lists. Definitely something to keep an eye on.
Get the Debut 2.0 tower speakers on Amazon (affiliate link)
See our current picks for the best overall budget tower speakers
