Zeitschrift:

(UK)

ELAC FS 607 X-JET

Metal guru

ELAC's latest is packed with metallic audio tech,
from its aluminium cabinet to its funky X-JET driver

Heft Nr.:

8 / 2005

Autor:

Jason Kennedy

Urteil:

"The FS 607 X-JET sits near the top of ELAC's premium 600 range, just a step ...from the two top models with their 4Pi tweeters. It's clearly an elegant and supremely well finished product. Build quality is of Porsche standards and like that classic car, it's scuplted from aluminium. ...it looks stunning thanks to the large alloy extrusions that make up its flanks and the stainless steel fixings on cast aluminium driver baskets that are revealed when you remove the metal grilles. The latter are the most child proof I've come across in recent times - something all parents will appreciate!"

"...there is MDF bracing that acts to dampen the cabinet, as well as tension rods that are designed to eliminate vibration. This is a highly inert cabinet and a good example of what can be achieved with a composite construction box."

"The funky X-JET driver uses ELAC's JET III ribbon tweeter... which means the speaker should have significant imaging advantages. This is extremely useful for multichannel enthusiasts..."

"It's the fine details in this speaker's make-up that really make it stand out. The base plate, for instance, matches the main body of the speaker with its contrasting paintwork and cast alloy central section, while the feet that screw into it have plug-in spike or rubber ends to suit different floor types."

Sound Quality

"...this proved to be a revealing and entertaining speaker with capabilities beyond our expectations. With this quality of cabinet and drivers it would have been a shock if the imaging had not been pinpoint, which it certainly is."

"During our test period, there were numerous examples of the 607's imaging skills. ...The speaker's tonal capabilities helped to reveal the quality of the voice, which retained much of its earthiness and soul. Another way in which the ELAC revealed its imaging skills was the reproduction of reverberation, which it does extremely well. You hear spatial depth behind instruments and voices on recordings that have not revealed as much in the past."

"...has a lot of acoustic guitar on it and the 607 highlighted the way that reverb has been used heavily to provide a haze of electronically enhanced airiness..."

"This sound emphasised the analytical nature of the ELAC's treble and midrange...these frequencies do seem to grab the limelight."

"This is a revealing speaker and it tells you all about both the recordings and the hardware it is working with."

"The 607 has the dynamic capability and control to be played at a decent volume level without any apparent distortion, ...the treble...it is rather more apparent than you find with speakers such as B&W's Nautilus range or active ATCs. ...We were pretty impressed with its composure at higher levels. It also has a degree of resolve across the band which is impressive; this extends to imaging and micro-dynamics..."

"The 607 is a resolute and powerful loudspeaker..."

"If you crave detail and wide bandwidth this is a hard speaker to beat, especially if you are a fan of arresting contemporary design."

"Impressive high frequency extension and very good detail resolution across the band combined with a fabulously made, styled and finished box."

"ELAC's new floorstander is a highly revealing and capable loudspeaker. Its coaxial mid/tweeter provides impressive levels of detail and depth of soundstage,..."