Short answer: the ELAC DB63. It ranks #20 of 47 bookshelf speakers at $500; the Revel Concerta2 M16 ranks #25 and costs $600, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the ELAC DB63 gets right: 1” aluminum dome tweeter with a distinctive partial-lens waveguide design paired with a 6.5” third-generation aramid fiber cone woofer. The tradeoff: A dip in the lower midrange (300-600Hz, about 1.5dB) reduces vocal warmth and can make voices sound slightly hollow.
On the Revel Concerta2 M16 side: CEA2034 spinorama shows an on-axis response that’s essentially flat from 200Hz to 10kHz, with some bass boost around 100Hz. Set against that: Harmonic distortion shows a notable peak around 80Hz and a sharp spike around 350Hz.
Buy the ELAC DB63 if the ranking matters more than the price. Buy the Revel Concerta2 M16 if the price matters more than the ranking.
Specifications Side By Side
| ELAC DB63 | Revel Concerta2 M16 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $500 | about $600 used |
| Ranked | #20 of 47 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #25 of 47 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| 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) | - |
| Impedance | 6 ohms | - |
| Sensitivity | 86dB | - |
| Drivers | 6.5" Aramid Fiber woofer, 1" soft dome tweeter | 25mm tweeter + 165mm woofer |
| Weight | 17.2 lbs / 7.8 kg each | 32 lbs / 14.5 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | Rear 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
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- ELAC DB63 vs Cerwin Vega LA165
- ELAC DB63 vs ELAC DBR62
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- ELAC DB63 vs Polk Monitor XT20
- ELAC DB63 vs Polk R200
- ELAC DB63 vs Zu Audio Method
- Links
Revel Concerta2 M16: about $600 used Ebay
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama shows an on-axis response that’s essentially flat from 200Hz to 10kHz, with some bass boost around 100Hz. Predicted in-room response is very nice, with just extra bass and a bit of roll-off above 20kHz - the reviewer calls it “nice!” Distortion is well controlled through most of the range at both test levels.
Cons: Harmonic distortion shows a notable peak around 80Hz and a sharp spike around 350Hz, plus the woofer appears to get a bit unhappy right before handing off to the tweeter. Cumulative spectral decay (waterfall) shows some lingering resonances in the 300Hz-1kHz region. The reviewer cautions not to over-cover the cabinet/grille area with thin fabric, as it can audibly affect the top-end response.
| Drivers | 25mm tweeter + 165mm woofer |
|---|---|
| Weight | 32 lbs / 14.5 kg |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- 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.