Kings of Affordable Hi-Fi! Elac Uni-Fi 2.0 UB52 Review
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- Опубліковано 25 лип 2024
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UF52 Review: • Perfection at their Pr...
Crossing the Streams: • Waveguides? Audiophile...
ELAC Uni-Fi 2.0 UB52 Review | The Benchmark of Budget HiFi!
0:00 Start
2:42 General Information
3:30 Whats Different
5:48 Gear Pairing
7:33 Fit and Finish
8:17 Listening Impressions
13:52 Speaker Measurements
16:49 Final Thoughts
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Awesome review. I’m going to plagiarize about 82% of this on my upcoming review. Thank you Ron for all of your hard work on my upcoming review.
Hahahahaha
It's not plagiarism, it's sharing
I spit my drink out reading this 😂. Thank you guys both on your reviews, my dad likes a nice flat, natural sound curve he just doesn’t know it yet. He asked me to shop for his new house, and said they would be going in actual bookshelves with inches of clearance from the wall, that are pre-wired and built into his entertainment center (along with 4 mystery surround in-ceiling speakers), the front port design and your off-axis, sound staging and imaging experiences were what sold me on these (along with neutral sound), we live 1,100 miles apart now so it will be after break in when I get to hear them and I can’t wait! Bought the matching series center channel since it will get dual purpose hifi and home theater use, and pairing those with a Jamo c910 subwoofer, hope that AccuEQ and Onkyo with an integrated does my dad justice until I arrive.
if you did that your reviews would be much much more useful honestly. it’s a pretty hack lazy effort even if you’re personality saves you.
@@chinmeysway labeling them as lazy is quite a compliment.
Ron, I don't say this flippantly, this is a fantastically useful and professionally done review with high end production quality. Period.
Hey thanks!
@@Newrecordday2013 What subwoofer do you recommend with these Elac's?
Rivals and exceeds Gene's reviews.
Not only is this an incredibly useful review of the UB52, it is an exemplar of how all reviews should be done. Straight to the point without skipping over critical information and including insider tips on how best to use the product. Very well done. Thank you!
Ron, I have to say this video review is by far, your most professional, thorough review I have seen from you. Well done!
Finally!!!!! I was waiting for these to come out after the revisions to the debut series
Just wanted to mention this wonderfully concise, snappy delivery is very, very much appreciated. Really like this (as far as I'm aware) new approach. Think a lot of people will be into this. Only thing I felt which was maybe missing (and I know you said this is because it's a particularly balanced speaker) are things like, is the treble incredibly 'detailed' or is it a 'fast/rhythmic' speaker, non tonal characteristics. However, like I said, excellent review style, thanks so much Ron!!
I bought two pairs of UB52's based on your and Guttenburg's reviews. One "B" which had a barely detectable corner smudge that easily yielded to a black magic marker. The 3D holographic soundstage is incredible. Also Elekit 8w Triode and Aegir amps. 10.5' X 13' room.
Great review Ron. Love my BSU5s, and I'm glad to see and hear about some of the changes Andrew made. After finding the BSU5s on sale for $325 I'm going to have a hard time giving up their nice satin painted cabinets for vinyl, but if these go on sale I may just have to do it and listen in the dark.
Nice work Ron. I would like in future reviews a mention of how the bookshelf speakers sound near field on a desk and also how they sound on an actual console. It may sound silly but most folks aren’t putting these guys on stands.
For example, I thought the old UB5 would be great on my desk because of point source coaxial...but not so much.
Thanks for the review of this new product! I am looking for an alternative to the ELAC - Debut Reference DBR62, as many say the performance isn't significantly better than its predecessor to justify the price. This Uni-Fi 2.0 UB5 looks really interesting, as it seems to have addressed all the previous shortcomings.
Congrats Ron on being an early (first ?) reviewer of the new Elac's ! Nice, descriptive review touching on most of the key points that will interest your audience about these speakers. However, some of us are equally interested in placing these speakers in a HT setup so a few words about dialogue clarity would be appreciated or, perhaps, a followup review about the new center channel Uni-Fi 2.0.
This is my new favorite video from you. Awesome job!
Hey, thanks!
I just subscribed and saved the video while on my way to answering an email agreeing to buy a pair of the Uni Fi2.0's. In short, great review. I am also quite sure i will not be disappointed, and i am very picky! Superb job.
What do you think of them?!
NRD is looking pretty slick and professional, Ron. When you said 40K, I happened to look at your 40K subs at the exact same time, which kinda weirded me out. Oh, and congratulations on 40K subs! Excellent review, Ron. Looks like a great speaker. “If you hear a mic drop from somewhere in the distance, that’s Andrew Jones” Haha! Perfect!
I appreciate that Nick!
This is a review done very well, Ron. Some background on my ELAC experiences: I met AJ at Axpona when the original Unifi speakers were introduced. They sounded amazing at the show. I snagged a pair of the "green edition midrange" speakers when they first came out and they were very disappointing in my home setup. I was driving them with plenty of McCormack DNA-125 solid-state amplifier power but the Unifi were just lifeless in my listening environment. Years later, I tried the Debut Reference DBR62 and found them much easier to drive, more flexible in regards to placement, with a very balanced sound from top to bottom, but, they were a bit lifeless. Nothing about them was bad but they weren't very engaging either. I did end up buying the Triangle Borea BR03 speakers and I've been very happy with them. The Borea replaced the concentric driver KEF Q150 in my setup which were quite nice but the Triangle brings so much more to the experience. I appreciate your candid review and I'd like to pit the Uni Fi 2.0 against my Borea BR03 if I can secure a review pair from ELAC.
Did you ever end up putting the BR03s up against the UB52s? Those two are my main contenders at this moment!
@@mattynorris610 Yes, I did. I preferred the Triangle speakers but they present a more midrange forward sound over the extremely laid back sound of the DBR62. Eventually, I went with the Wharfedale EVO 4.2 and haven’t looked back. They are that good.
This review is detailed and Awesome! 🤘😁 The playing together with commintery is how a great review is done.Iam a big fan! Your delivery is informative and extremely interesting and helpful. Your High quality of Audio knowledge is impressive and very professional! Your welcome 😁 Please answer my question... ha ... Don't forget details 🤘 love your stuff 😁
Wanting these now!
beautiful review! confused about the measurements not going into LF terrain but wow this is great.
Hi Ron! Man right off I like that front port. I have a pair of 2.0 B6.2 speakers, their front ports make for easy placement. I have one negative think to say about my B6.2's, only positives! I have really been looking forward to the UB5's getting the 2.0 treatment. I really like what they came up with for the 2.0 generation. Great review man!
I just bought a pair to replace my front channels. Thank you for the detailed analysis, it helped so much!
Glad it helped!
@@Newrecordday2013 Will 1 Aegir drive these?
Great review! Sounds like they are definitely capable of some magic ... Would be real curious how they would sound after a trip to Texas ...
Great review. All your reviews are very thoughtful, heartfelt, honest and done with joy and respect, qualities becoming all too rare these days sadly. Cheers.
Thanks!
Fantastic review!
Thanks Ron and Thanks Rob for sponsoring the video , i will check them cables out! 😆
Fantastic review. Measurements!
Thanks, Ron. I ordered these speakers largely on the strength of your review. They are every bit as amazing as you describe. Stunningly true to the music...
Glad you’re enjoying them!
Same, just ordered them of your review. What stands would you recommend? I'm slightly concerned on some of the top plate measurements I've seen out there. I have a cat that occasionally likes to jump on my console and current speakers. I'm afraid he may topple them over if I get the wrong stand. Thanks again for a great recommendation.
@@slavetothemusic I’m getting great results with the B&W Stav24 stands ($199/pr). 24” tall, top plate is 6” wide by 7.5” deep. Put four pieces of Blu Tac on the top plate and the UB52 is solid as a rock.
I use the monoprice stands and like them. You can easily fill them with sand or kitty litter
Are you still loving the UB5.2's?
I agree with your conclusion. Would love to see what he could do with a larger budget to work with. Wish it had magnetic speaker grills.
NRD, Ron, is the go-to guy when it comes to getting a true understanding of all-things-audio. Could I say, Ron sets the
gold standard for his art. I somehow suspected Andrew Jones was going to sprinkle some fairy dust on the Uni-Fi
but much like he did with the new Debut Reference (which I own), he's really created an entirely new speaker. The cross
over alone, which I have seen, is a beast of electronic grace and then there is every thing else which Ron covers here.
To say I am curious about owning these new Andrew Jones creations is an understatement. If I could wish for but one
more improvement? .... Release a version of these with a kick-ass real wood finish. I'm talking Dynaudio special 40s
type finish. Sure it would command more dollars but I'd be all in assuming these speakers are as good as they probably
are. Nice job Ron, very nice job.
What a kind comment! Thank you!
even with a real wood finish, i'm afraid the dynaudio special 40 are on a league of their own. truly "special". i actually would love ron's take on the dynaudios...
Andrew is The Man! Just when I thought I knew what I was going to get. BAM this comes out. I had no idea Andrew made a new line...and whatever made me tune into your station Ron, I thank, because frankly, I think I am going to get these bad boys and upgrade my front end...maybe to that Marantz you have, or hell, maybe a Parasound or a Pathos or Anthem integrated, who knows. But those spec on that speaker...OMG. Did I say "Andrew is The Man" sure I did, but he IS. Thanks Ron for yet another great review. PS: I really like that room you were in with the red baffles, I don't know how old that video was, but Dang Bro' you got that pimped out. Stay Healthy. Cheers.
Very nice review. Professionally, useful and friendly!
Very good review!!!
Very interesting that there is 3D dimension to the sound. My biggest criticism of the old UniFi towers was it sounded completely 2D & flat. On these new speakers, the boost around 4k-6k scares me.
Great review. Thanks! I would say it's a real service to the community.
Based on this review and a few others, I picked up a pair of UB52s to replace some Q150 fronts for music, and my observations are while they're both fantastic speakers with great soundstage and imaging, the UB52 takes it the extra mile. I also like the slightly less warm profile.
I'm guessing the smaller source/guide cone and reduced cone motion due to not combing bass with guide helps to ensure all the reflections in the room stay balanced and give a sense of depth and space that KEF Q150s also create, but more. I would imagine a home theater system with these speakers would be fantastic.
Ron, you showed that Marantz at a different angle and in a different light in this video and, I gotta say that contrary to what I may have said in the initial review, it is a very handsome piece of kit! I stand corrected.
Fantastic review, Ron! Love the NRD production changes! Very highly considering these, does the midrange metal cone impart any sense of coolness or metallic-like quality at all? Worried about that.
Not that I can hear!
great review! very interesting and thorough! wonder how these new elac uni-fi2 would compare to the adantes as61.... which pair would be better for jazz and classical music? love an open, honest sound. instrument placement is also high on my list. they would be powered by an IOTA stack... any advice anyone?
Hi Ron! Thanks for sharing your honest opinion! How does this fare on a desktop (table) setting and would you have any speaker recommendations for a desktop setup? Much thanks!
I have the unifi uf5’s and they are great! These are supposed to be a lot better ........ I’m in! Only I’ll get the uf52’s. Great elaborate review, thx👍
Awesome review Ron. Did you get chance to open one up for one of your what’s inside videos?
Ron, how would you compare these and the tower version compared to the old unifi version. Also compared to the DBR62? I returned the DBR62 as they were a little dull and the treble seemed a bit veiled. Thank you sir!
Love your enthusiasm and frank talk Ron, honest, thoughtful and thorough without silly gimmicks. Just ordered a pair last night.
Love the bumper music!
Hi Ron, thanks for this thorough review. One question: when hooking up with a tube amp with different binding posts for 4 and 8 hom speakers which way should this 6 ohm pair go ? By the way my Willsenton R8 delivers 45 wpc in ultralinear mode and 25 wpc only in triode, would it be enough to drive the Uni-Fi 2.0 UB52 ?
Great video! Thanks. I understand the UB52 extend low however do you find the bass tight, speedy, musical? I just ordered these speakers and hope I didn’t jump in too soon.
Great work👍👍
I'm running the UB5s right now and I'm certainly a fan, but I was thinking about spending big on a pair of Buchardt S400s or GoldenEar BRXs as an upgrade (both are $1600 - $1800 a pair) in the near future, but now I'm questioning if that extra $1000+ is even necessary. I already have a good subwoofer, so bass extension isn't a problem.
Hmmm.....
Good question.
Great review. I just ordered these based on your review and Randys. Can you please tell me what stands they are on? Thanks
Ron, I wanted to compare the bass response for the UF 52 and the UB 52 to decide which speaker to purchase, but the info you posted for the UF 52 at 15:39 and 16:09 and the equivalent info you posted for the UB 52 at 14:31 and 15:49 appears to stop just above the 200 Hz crossover point where the woofers come in. Would you please add a chart that shows what happens at and below 200 Hz to help me decide whether it is worth the extra $600 to get the UF 52s? Your review is very helpful, thank you!
Hi Ron, I know you are the only one with experience with open baffle speaker and coaxial speaker. Is it possible you can do a comparison between two two types in future video? Specially with the GR Research NX- Series such as the NX-Studio? Thanks
I bought a pair of these about a week after watching this video and am very happy nearly three years in. I really appreciate the thorough and professional reviews.
My UB5s are still serving me as desktop speakers for the PC. But it seems like these UB52s blow them out of the water. Favourite under $1500 you say? The Adantes were going for under that too when they got price cut. There's also the UF52.... It's just too bad I have pair of floorstanders on the way that would 'relegate' the P3ESRs to the desktop.
Hi Ron, thank you for the review. I am considering buying a 2.1 system with Elac Uni-fi 2.0 UB52 speakers. Can you recommend some best AV receivers to match the speakers. Also will appreciate if you could recommend a subwoofer. Thank you for your help.
That spectral decay looks great
How close or far off are these to the xls encore?
Do you have any word on a reference unifi line?
Hi Ron, Excellent review. Do you know the Audiolab 6000a intergated amp (class A/B 50 wpc 8 ohm)? Would you recommend it for the UB5.2 ? thank you
Excellent review, how would the 2.0’s compare to Kef R3?
Now that I have sent back my Triangle AIO Twins, I'm considering those RB52's paired with an Powernode Edge.
Any thoughts on possible active speaker reviews? I have the ub5s and have been happy with then as my main loud speakers for a good while. I recently decided to upgrade my office desktop speakers and purchased a pair of Edifier s2000mkiii's for just such a use. Unbeknownst to me, I am quite astonished as to how they perform. So much so, that Im tempted to swap the elacs with them as my main loudspeakers. Needless to say, Im a bit confused in awe with these, they could be worth a look.
I guess I picked a good time to be shopping for a $500-$600 pair of bookshelves. How do you think these would pair with the IOTAVX SA3?
Great video .. as always =)
Hey Kanga! Thanks!
How would you say they would perform as home theater fronts? Are they dynamic enough? How do they perform at lower volumes? Thank you!
I bought the Uni-Fi 2.0 center channel to replace my old Pioneer, and I'm pretty happy with it. Looking to do the towers now, but they are not in stock anywhere in my area. Would getting the Debut Reference towers be a good match?
Hi Ron...new to your channel. Love your review/approach...look forward to following you going forward. Quick question...was calling a local AV dealer and one of their "experts" claimed the UB52 is fairly hard to drive. I am just getting my start in the audiophile realm, and have a Onkyo TX-SR604 and dont have the budget for a new amp AND a low-mid level "decent" speaker like the UB52...or perhaps the KEF q350? Was hoping I could drive a stereo set with the old receiver. manual showing 90 watts minimum continuous power per channel 8 ohm, 2 channels driven from 20Hz to 20 kHz THD.08%. In your opinion will I get all/most of the Elac with my amp? thanks in advance!
How would these new UniFi UB52, work with the pair of Debut 6.2 I purchased 2 months ago for a basement sound "studio" . They are connected to my Denon DRA -800 H Receiver/ Amp also purchased recently. Currently I have 2 pairs of Book shelf speakers connected : Elac Debut 6.2s and Fluances Signature Series HiFi Bookshelfs . They are different in their own respects (Elacs seem a little brighter with a little more Stereo separation ; The Fluances have more of a "bottom" to them with less separation), but sound can certainly be a subjective thing. But these new Elacs are now on my WANT list and pair them with the Elac Debuts . Will that be a good resultant sound? Will they Marry well? THX - Great thorough Video.
Looking for a good budget integrated to pair with these.Torn between the Sprout100 and Iotavx Sa3.Any recommendations?
Had the UB5s, Saw the Debut reference come out. Made some guesses on the next unifi. I got some of the changes right. But in the end could not wait for the next generation and sold the Unifi's and went for the Gr Research Encore X-SLS. Maybe 1/2 way through the build. We'll see.
Please let us know what you think!
@@mikehuntington4440 Not sure how to do that. Post on the final GR Research Encore X-LS build video I suppose, not appropriate for NRD channel I would say. Except maybe on NRD Encore review perhaps.
@@briansimmons5363 that would be awesome if you just post a comment on one of those videos. I'll be sure to check...and I'm sure others would be interested as well.
Great vid! How does it compare to the Emotiva B2+?
Would it negatively effect this speaker in any way by put replacing the inexpensive cabinet with an attractive baltic birch enclosure of identical measurements?
Nice.... Got that little verbal wink wink at the end. Don't be surprised if Andrew comes out with something better.
NRD, how would you compare these to the Elac's DBR-62, if you reviewed these of course? I own the DBR-62's and wanted to know if the sound was different and good enough to upgrade?
I want a nice pair of speakers for living room listening and parties. I am rarely sitting equally spaced between speakers, and listen more casually. However, i do like good sound. I currently have the Klipsch RP600Ms and find them fatiguing and shrill at party volume with hard techno and metal records. Are these a good choice for me or too hifi to be pleasurable for a person who is gonna walk around the house and just enjoy the music. Thanks!
“I was told that I could listen to the music at a reasonable volume from nine to eleven...”
Would’ve liked to see magnetic grilles. Amazing to see Danny ritchie’s rules of thumb being utilized on some of these better reviewed speakers, here for instance the minimum distance between the mid high and mid/bass drivers to reduce the distances from driver center to acoustic center, and the narrower baffle design. Wonder what upgraded crossover components could do for texture and tonality....
You’re party animal!
Nice! Which speakers stands are you using?
You got 2 hands and can only walk away with 1 pair, which do you take, the UB52s or the GR X-LS Encore (with the upgrades)???
Can you review the emotiva B1+ or their T-zero tower speakers? They are $399 for the towers
What a great speaker to review! ....ruined by cable nonsense.
I believed the same thing as a kid and tested different cables when I was around 14 using a good pair for one channel, and extension cord for the other.
Tested again at 18 having a guy switch back and forth with high end cables vs normal ones.
I changed my mind after being honest with my personal experience and admitting I couldn't accurately tell when the cables were swapped, and then seeing measurements and hearing about blind tests.
I'd recommend you do the same. Need more objectivism as the science progresses with audio.
Yup! You can buy some good coax cables, some connectors, and ,heat shrink, and sleeve material for under 20 bucks! 400.00 plus for those connects is like being robbed!
I hope they are paying you the big bucks for the sponsorship! 10% off 400.00 plus cables is dam right shameful!
Must pay the bills. He only states that cables "can" make a difference. Maybe he means that a piece of string won't pass the signal
@Looking Forward If speaker cables made a difference, Genelec would sell specific ones for their speakers.
Good pairing integrated amp for these speakers ?
I know it wouldn't be easy but I'd love to see the Navis with front ports
Ron, I was about to pull the trigger on a set of DBR62s. How do their tonal characteristics and imaging compare to the Uni-fi 2.0s?
Same exact question....
Ditto
Try both. That's the only way. Both are excellent.
Love love love 😍 😍 😍 your new format your review the speakers Andrew Jones elac the whole damn thing 😂 😂 😜😜 my mind is just blowing away and how good these speakers are technically great🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯
Thanks Steve!
Impedance question. It seems counterintuitive that higher ohms are easier to power. So if I take (2) 4 or 6 ohm speakers and wire them in series to each channel they become 8 or 12 ohms respectively. Then that should make them easier to drive and yet there' are more drivers to power which seems counterintuitive except that hooking them parallel give the opposite effect of 2 or 3 ohms. Is this correct or not correct? Seems that if I want to use more speakers without any adverse effects I could use the series method.
Agrees with u totally.
The Unifi 2.0 is terrific.
I kept the unifi 2.0 over the Debut reference.
Pair the Unifi 2.0 with the REL T7X and behold. 👍👍👍👍👍👍
Were the unifi 2.0 better than the Debut reference?
@@JaredSchumaier my opinion is the Unifi 2.0 is better then the Debut Reference.
Imaging is better and tidier.
Vocal and instrument separation is way ahead.
Bass of the Unifi 2.0 goes deeper and natural.
Unifi produces a darker background.
How do you think this compares with the Reference DBR62 in terms of sound signature, freq response and clarity?
Good pairing with a Yamaha A-S801? If not, what’s good in the 500-1000 dollar price range?
Hey Ron, nice review! I wonder these are overkill for my small room (11 x 11 ft)?
Any speaker in that room will be a challenge but these should be just fine to try out!
Anyone know if these are the same two drivers used in the Elac Navis series. They look identical.
Very nice speakers. But where do i go from there if i want to upgrade, lets say spend 3-4-5k, but keep the strenghts of the ub52?
(Off-axis, imaging, soundstage performance AND still forgiving @ poorly recorded music)?
Will you be able to tear them apart to have a look inside?
I liked the original but I feel like a 2 way speaker will always be lesser than a 3 way. The original sounded a bit "scooped" albeit very dynamic, clear, and powerful. AJ is a master of the 3 way design and crossover integration.
Genelec uses aluminum drivers, and are in another league for playing accurately across genres compared to almost all other speakers.
I’ve got the debut 2.0.
Do you think these unifi are much better?
And worth the upgrade?
Can you tell mi if it would be a god thing to place them as my computer speakers so about 1.5 meter away from me?
Very nice review as always my friend! Looking forward to listening to these sometime soon! Sent you an email! I'm comparing a few budget speakers right now review soon!
Really confused between these and Wharfedale 12.2. Can you please give your opinion purely based about sound quality?
I know there is price difference but They both are very well admired. My usage is watching movies and music both in medium size room.
Crossovers points exactly replica of Adante model which I had and liked . But 200 to crossover to bass driver with hard aluminum midrange stiffer cone .. still cause issues to certain types of music.
Elac would have gone same ub5 bass crossover and 2k of andante tweeter crossover with bigger drivers like adante (with out inside subwoofer) with quality internals and finishes and priced around kef Ls50.
Not sure if you still monitor these posts, but I have a question. My amp can be set to 4 or 8 ohms. Which would be the preferred setting for the 2.0's?
Sadly, as an owner of UB5's I will not be getting another set, however, know the new ones are even better is great.
Would this be an upgrade on my kef q150s? Using in a small room with a marantz 80wpc amp
Great review! I'm building a budget hifi system and these speakers are at the top of the list. Do you have a recommendation for a budget amp that would pair well with these? Preferably something $500 or less.
Have the same question, did you find some answers?
@@benfarrow9498 I've got an Audiolab 6000a that is incredible with the UB52s, plenty of power, clean, detailed, good bass control and an excellent soundstage. The 6000a has gotten a lot of love from the British audiophiles on UA-cam and I couldn't agree more with their reviews. Unfortunately it's not $500 but is < $1000. The Iota VX SA3 and Emotiva TA-100 (being replaced and is out of stock) are $500 or less and get solid reviews. As does the Cambridge Audio AXR 100 receiver. It's a bit warmer than the others, but for a receiver it's gotten some strong reviews. Ron's review definitely nailed it on the strengths of the UB52s. I love them.
Do you think they would work well with my 1975 rebuilt marantz 2245?