If you’re short on time and just want the highlights of this article, here it is:
In conclusion, the ELAC Vela BS 403 2-Way Bookshelf Speakers are a decent set of budget speakers. They provide a balanced sound that is crystal clear, but it lacks some texture and depth. They also come with plenty of connectivity options, including the ability to connect to other devices via Bluetooth. All of these features come at a very affordable price, making them an excellent choice for those on a budget.
That being said, these speakers may not be the best choice for serious audiophiles. They lack the power and soundstage of more expensive models and the bass can be a bit underwhelming. In my opinion, the ELAC Vela BS 403 2-Way Bookshelf Speakers are best suited for casual listeners who are looking for an affordable and reliable solution.
Quick link:
Now let’s get to its bolts and nuts.
ELAC Vela BS 403 Review: Sound quality
Let me tell you something right off the bat.
The sound quality performance you'll end up getting from a speaker will always depend on your room acoustics - particularly room dimensions and speaker positions.
The impact of the combination of these two is actually so strong that in most cases, it doesn't even make sense to utter a single word on sound quality without speaking of them.
This is also why it's not unusual to see completely different reviews of the same speaker.
In one case the speaker might be placed in a sweet spot inside the room and hence the user might be satisfied. In other cases the same speaker might be ill placed and hence user might even have returned it.
- Check out the great deals at B&H Photo Video: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Great-Deals/
The point most people miss here is that it mostly isn't even about the engineering behind the speaker itself. It's about where you place the speaker inside which room.
So, in order to solve this problem, I've partnered with Acoustics and Audio Engineering PhD Andrea Cicero from AC Acustica and created Soundton - a simple, 2D, browser accessible online speaker placement calculator.
With Soundton, now there's a way to figure the sound quality of most speakers before you buy them.
Read more about its working principles at soundton.com.
The end colormap provides you the locations with the best (green) and worst (red) acoustics.