Short answer: the ELAC Debut 3.0 DB63. It ranks #41 of 125 bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $499; the Infinity Reference R162 ranks #66 and costs $500, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the ELAC Debut 3.0 DB63 offers: 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. Watch for: 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.
What the Infinity Reference R162 offers: CEA2034 spinorama shows good directivity with wide, consistent horizontal and vertical response, and blended early reflections that need little room treatment. 1” CMMD waveguide tweeter and 6.5” CMMD woofer, 85.5dB sensitivity. Watch for: Elevated output above 3kHz adds brightness, with a resonance around 700Hz and some distortion near the crossover point. EQ or a simple inline tweeter resistor can tame the treble; the reviewer still called it a very enjoyable system for the price.
Buy the ELAC Debut 3.0 DB63. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Infinity Reference R162 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| ELAC Debut 3.0 DB63 | Infinity Reference R162 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $499.00 | $500 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #41 of 125 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #66 of 125 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 40Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 58Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 76Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 78Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 13.3"H x 7.7"W x 11.7"D (337.8 x 195.6 x 297.2 mm) | 15.5"H x 7.9"W x 11.2"D (394 x 200 x 285 mm) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal (4.4 ohms minimum, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 8 ohms nominal |
| Sensitivity | 86.2dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 87dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Drivers | 6.5" Aramid Fiber woofer, 1" soft dome tweeter | 1" CMMD tweeter with waveguide, 6.5" CMMD woofer |
| Weight | 17.2 lbs / 7.8 kg each | 17.6 lbs / 8 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
| Frequency Response | - | 49Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
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- ELAC Debut 3.0 DB63 vs Wharfedale Diamond 9.1
- Infinity Reference R162 vs Klipsch RP-600M II
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The Two Speakers In Full
ELAC Debut 3.0 DB63: $499.00 Amazon Crutchfield eBay
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.
Full ELAC Debut 3.0 DB63 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 40Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 76Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| 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 nominal (4.4 ohms minimum, measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 86.2dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 17.2 lbs / 7.8 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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- ELAC Debut 3.0 DB63 vs ELAC VELA BS 403
- ELAC Debut 3.0 DB63 vs Revel M126Be
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Infinity Reference R162: $500 Discontinued Bhphotovideo eBay
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama shows good directivity with wide, consistent horizontal and vertical response, and blended early reflections that need little room treatment. 1” CMMD waveguide tweeter and 6.5” CMMD woofer, 85.5dB sensitivity.
Cons: Elevated output above 3kHz adds brightness, with a resonance around 700Hz and some distortion near the crossover point. EQ or a simple inline tweeter resistor can tame the treble; the reviewer still called it a very enjoyable system for the price. Discontinued.
Full Infinity Reference R162 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 58Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 78Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 15.5"H x 7.9"W x 11.2"D (394 x 200 x 285 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 1" CMMD tweeter with waveguide, 6.5" CMMD woofer |
| Frequency Response | 49Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal |
| Sensitivity | 87dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Weight | 17.6 lbs / 8 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
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