Elac's Debut speakers are excellent value for money, punching way above their price tag; our friends over on What Hi-Fi?, gave the Debut B5.2 system one of their coveted awards just last year and described them as "arguably the most capable budget standmounters we've heard". And now there's a brand new Debut making its debut: the Elac Debut 3.0, with speaker sizes for different home theater ambitions, and upfiring Dolby Atmos units.
There's more to these speakers than just their improved looks. There are some significant changes to their components too, including newly developed tweeters and woofers, as well as internal cabinet bracing to reduce unwanted resonance. They also require less power to drive, which means they're compatible with a wider range of amplifiers.
Elac Debut 3.0: key features and pricing
The first thing you'll notice is the cosmetic upgrade, which delivers better-looking cabinets compared to previous versions, and magnetically attached grilles. Pop those off and you'll see the newly developed aluminum dome tweeter with an integrated phase plug to deliver a controlled dispersion pattern, which Elac says ensures consistent sound quality. Aluminum has been chosen here for its stiffness and its lightness, enabling it to reproduce the highs with excellent clarity and detail.
The woofers have been improved too. These ones are made with aramid fiber, which is both strong and rigid and which delivers tight bass with minimal distortion.
There are seven speakers to choose from: two sizes of bookshelf speakers, two sizes of floorstanders, two sizes of center speakers, and one size of Atmos-enabled wall speakers. They'll all be available later in 2024 from dealers, and prices start at a very reasonable $299 for the dual 5.25-inch center speaker. Even the biggest speaker is relatively affordable at just under $500 per speaker.
The recommended prices are:
- Debut 3.0 5-1/4” Bookshelf Speakers (Pair): $349 (about £270 / AU$530)
- Debut 3.0 6-1/2” Bookshelf Speakers (Pair): $449 (about £350 / AU$680)
- Debut 3.0 3-Way Triple 5-1/4” Floorstanding Speaker (Each): $449 (about £350 / AU$680)
- Debut 3.0 3-Way Triple 6-1/2” Floorstanding Speaker (Each): $499 (about £390 / AU$750)
- Debut 3.0 Dual 5-1/4” Center Speaker (Each): $299 (about £230 / AU$450)
- Debut 3.0 Dual 6-1/2” Center Speaker (Each): $399 (about £310 / AU$600)
- Debut 3.0 4” Dolby Atmos Enabled/On-Wall Speaker (Pair): $499 (about £390 / AU$750)
This means you could build yourself 5.0.2-channel Dolby Atmos system that's more expansive and powerful than the best soundbars for $1,500 – just add sub and AV receiver, and you're away.
If you've been looking for a huge-sounding but relatively budget friendly home theater system to pair with one of the best 4K projectors or best TVs, you'll definitely want to keep an eye for reviews of these when they're available.
