Have you preorderd the new ELAC speakers from Andrew Jones?

Has anybody pre-ordered any of AJ's new speakers from ELAC?
The bookshelf models ship this week, the floorstanders ship in a couple more weeks.

I'm on the hunt to upgrade my AJ Pioneers, and I'm tempted to pull the trigger on a pair of the B6 or F5.

Here's my thinking:

• Andrew Jones has proven himself in the budget price range
• The company has a lot riding on this product line
• It could be one of those first-generation products that turns out to be great, but later gets watered down for various reasons
• There's a lot of positive buzz about them, based on previews at T.H.E. Show Newport

 

I did not know that Andrew Jones left Pioneer. I wonder what will happen to TAD?

Anyway, I will certainly watch ELAC from afar. Jones' budget Pioneer designs were very nice, but I still preferred the sound of the NHT SuperZero 2.1 to them. To me, for the past 20+ years, the SuperZeros have been THE budget speaker to beat--primarily because they don't sound budget at all.

 

I have not, but I gave my AJ Pioneers to a friend and imagine I'll replace them with the new little Elacs. I can't imagine they'll be anything less than pretty good

 

I heard the B5 monitors at T.H.E. Show Newport Beach back in May. Those little monitors were much more than pretty good. If Andrew Jones (who was conducting the demo) had told me they cost a grand a pair I would have believed him.

 

been reading about them. Sound fantastic. I wonder what they'll sell for with a MSRP 0f $229? That tweeter looks to die for.

 

Yes. I pre-ordered the B5s and the S10EQ sub. Elac emailed me 3 weeks ago saying the plan was for shipping out end of Sept, so they are a bit behind schedule. That's ok. I'm already an Andrew Jones convert (my main speakers are his Infinity Composition Preludes).

 

Why is that?

 

Andrew Jones said in an interview that the "street" price will be $200 a pair for the B5s.

 

That one shot of it -- forgot which page -- shows it lying on a table. It's huge. Must be an inch and half and it looks strangely geodesic with a bee's-eye shape. Oh, is it kevlar? A kevlar tweeter?

 

Damn!!!

 

I've got a budget pair of speakers with kevlar drivers, they don't look anything like that.

 

Now that I look at it, I think that's a metal dome over the tweeter. But what material is the tweeter baffle? Is that Kevlar? Or what is that stuff? Oh, carbon fiber.

 

Thanks for posting this topic.

I may order a pair of B6 just for the helluvit.
At this price, possibly a no brainer?

 

So far Amazon is selling them at full MSRP. They are shipping the B5 and B6 this week, supposedly. I'm tempted to buy a pair of the B6 to hear while waiting for the F5 (then return the first pair LOL)

A local dealer (a high-end shop) was trying to get an F5 demo pair, but has not even received a reply from them (or from his buyer, not sure who he contacted). I'm guessing they are very busy with the product roll out.

I think the only thing holding me back at this point is aesthetics. They're not very good looking, though I've only seen them in photographs.

 

On the ELAC website says that it's a 1-inch cloth dome with custom deep-spheroid waveguide.

 

http://www.cnet.com/news/listen-to-...s-budget-speaker-sound-quality-to-a-new-high/

 

There's a picture of it, too. The tweeter itself looks conventional but it is set back about 1/2" into the enclosure and the waveguide is more like a horn. It's covered with a metal grill. See here, halfway down page:

http://elac.us/peopletechnology

 

I have never seen not heard of black brushed vinyl finish.

It looks kind of nice in the photo of the A4 Dolby Atmos® Module.

http://elac.us/speakers - bottom of the page.

 

I'm most excited to hear the B6 - all things being equal, a 6.5" mid/woofer will present a more widescreen sound than a 5" ...

 

Waiting for the more upscale version.

 

How about the F5? It has three 5.25" woofers; I believe one of them is dedicated to mid-range.

 

A P3ESR killer...?

Ha ... Hadn't considered it. Widescreen to the max, I bet!

 

Out of curiosity, is ELAC pronounced EE-lack, or E-L-A-C? Really excited about hearing these!

 

Just looks like a perforated cover to me.

 

I need some decent budget speakers. These may do it.