Short answer: the ELAC DB63. It ranks #20 of 47 bookshelf speakers at $500; the GR-Research X-LS Encore ranks #28 and costs $1300, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The case for the ELAC DB63: 1” aluminum dome tweeter with a distinctive partial-lens waveguide design paired with a 6.5” third-generation aramid fiber cone woofer. The catch: A dip in the lower midrange (300-600Hz, about 1.5dB) reduces vocal warmth and can make voices sound slightly hollow.
What the GR-Research X-LS Encore gets right: An amazing value, especially if you managed to snag one of these built by AV123 in the early 2000s for $200-300. CEA2034 spinorama shows. Set against that: A slight depression in the upper bass and some peaking in the lower bass shows up on-axis.
Buy the ELAC DB63 if the ranking matters more than the price. Buy the GR-Research X-LS Encore if the price matters more than the ranking.
Specifications Side By Side
| ELAC DB63 | GR-Research X-LS Encore | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $500 | $1300 |
| Ranked | #20 of 47 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #28 of 47 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 40Hz | 44Hz |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 76Hz | 64Hz |
| Dimensions | 13.3"H x 7.7"W x 11.7"D (337.8 x 195.6 x 297.2 mm) | 13.5"H x 8.5"W x 12.125"D (342.9 x 215.9 x 308 mm) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 86dB | 87dB |
| Drivers | 6.5" Aramid Fiber woofer, 1" soft dome tweeter | 6.5" Peerless M-165 paper composite cone, non-resonant polymer frame woofer, 1" Peerless India T26SG tweeter |
| Weight | 17.2 lbs / 7.8 kg each | 17 lbs / 7.7 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | Rear ported | Ported |
The Two Speakers In Full
ELAC DB63: $500 Crutchfield Amazon
Pros: 1” aluminum dome tweeter with a distinctive partial-lens waveguide design paired with a 6.5” third-generation aramid fiber cone woofer, in a robustly built cabinet for the price. Shallow bass rolloff (F3 76Hz, F10 40Hz) allows placement close to a wall without excessive boominess, useful for smaller living rooms. Solid measured performance for the price: on-axis linearity within about 2.5dB, impedance dipping only to about 4.4 ohms (easily AVR-driven), and roughly 20-26dB of usable dynamic range. A clear improvement over its sibling ELAC DB62, which has a sibilance issue tied to the crossover that can’t be fixed with EQ. Wide horizontal radiation of about ±60°, giving a spacious soundstage. Distortion looks good at a moderate 86dB and still reasonable at 96dB. Takes well to EQ correction - the reviewer provides a specific filter set (a low-shelf boost at 650Hz plus peaking cuts/boosts at 550Hz, 660Hz, and 3kHz) that meaningfully smooths out its known deviations.
Cons: A dip in the lower midrange (300-600Hz, about 1.5dB) reduces vocal warmth and can make voices sound slightly hollow. A high-Q resonance around 650-750Hz shows up clearly in measurements, though the reviewer couldn’t reliably hear it in his own A/B testing. A dip around 2-3kHz (roughly 1-2dB) slightly reduces speech intelligibility and attack in the upper midrange. Directivity droops above about 2kHz as the midwoofer narrows toward its beaming frequency while the tweeter’s pattern behaves differently - an inherent trade-off of physically separated drivers that can’t be fully corrected without introducing other issues. Multitone distortion crosses the reviewer’s 3% threshold in the 200Hz-1kHz range, and adding a subwoofer at an 80Hz crossover only modestly reduces it. Toeing the speaker away from the listener loses noticeable top-end air and cymbal energy, giving a softer upper register. Practical loudness ceiling is around 90dB at typical listening distance before midrange distortion and bass attack begin to degrade. Still needs a subwoofer for extension below about 40Hz.
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 40Hz |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 76Hz |
| Dimensions | 13.3"H x 7.7"W x 11.7"D (337.8 x 195.6 x 297.2 mm) |
| Drivers | 6.5" Aramid Fiber woofer, 1" soft dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 6 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 86dB |
| Weight | 17.2 lbs / 7.8 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | Rear ported |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Links
GR-Research X-LS Encore: $1300 Gr-research
Pros: An amazing value, especially if you managed to snag one of these built by AV123 in the early 2000s for $200-300. CEA2034 spinorama shows a generally flat on-axis response, especially in the listening window. Predicted in-room response is generally smooth and on-target. Distortion at 86dB SPL/1m is pretty clean above 200Hz.
Cons: A slight depression in the upper bass and some peaking in the lower bass shows up on-axis, along with directivity error in the crossover region. Vertical directivity requires staying within about 20 degrees of the tweeter axis. At 96dB SPL/1m distortion becomes “rather unhappy,” with bass distortion, a possible woofer issue around 2kHz, and a tweeter problem above 7kHz. As a DIY kit, it requires building the cabinet and crossover yourself.
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 44Hz |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 64Hz |
| Dimensions | 13.5"H x 8.5"W x 12.125"D (342.9 x 215.9 x 308 mm) |
| Drivers | 6.5" Peerless M-165 paper composite cone, non-resonant polymer frame woofer, 1" Peerless India T26SG tweeter |
| Impedance | 8 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 87dB |
| Weight | 17 lbs / 7.7 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | Ported |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- GR-Research X-LS Encore vs ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
- GR-Research X-LS Encore vs Polk Monitor XT20
- GR-Research X-LS Encore vs HiVi Swans 3.1A Sehlin Sound Solutions mod
- GR-Research X-LS Encore vs Zu Audio Method
- GR-Research X-LS Encore vs MoFi SourcePoint 10
- GR-Research X-LS Encore vs AsciLab C6B
- GR-Research X-LS Encore vs GR-Research NX-Studio
- Links
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Product prices and availability were last checked August 9, 2026 at 6:57 AM UTC and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.