Short answer: the ELAC DBR62, whose fault is the narrower one. The Yamaha NS-800A has an exceptionally well-built cabinet with no internal resonance issues, clean in burst decay and impedance, but a wide 2kHz-10kHz scoop gives it a laidback, soft, low-attack character that the reviewer found notably worse than his reference. The DBR62 gives up a little vocal presence to a slight 1-2kHz recess while keeping near-point-source coherence.
Buy the ELAC DBR62. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $4,320.93 less than the Yamaha NS-800A.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| ELAC DBR62 | Yamaha NS-800A | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $678.97 per pair | $4,999.90 per pair |
| Ranked | #57 of 134 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #58 of 134 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 35Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 53Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 68Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 14.1”H x 8.2”W x 10.8”D (358.1 x 208.3 x 274.3 mm) | 16.5”H x 9.1”W x 14.1”D (419.1 x 231.8 x 358.8 mm) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 5.2 ohms minimum (measured above 80Hz, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 6 ohms nominal, 4.3 ohms minimum (measured above 80Hz, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 84.3dB (measured average 300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner; 86dB manufacturer specified) | 84.9dB (measured average 300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner; 86.5dB manufacturer specified) |
| Drivers | 6.5” Aramid Fiber woofer, 1” soft dome tweeter | 1.25” dome tweeter, 6.5” mid-woofer |
| Weight | 18.1 lbs (8.2 kg) each | 28.7 lbs (13.0 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front | Bass reflex |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.07 | 4.66 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.27 | 6.43 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Crossover Frequency | - | 2600Hz |
| Power Handling | - | 40W nominal, 120W max |
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The Two Speakers In Full
ELAC DBR62: $678.97 per pair Amazon Crutchfield eBay
Pros: Two-way design with a 6.5” woofer and 1” dome tweeter in a shallow waveguide, with the tweeter positioned close to the woofer for near-point-source coherence: giving more vertical listening leeway than typical two-ways. Notably forgiving of placement and aiming: sounds good from directly on-axis all the way to 30° of toe-out (parallel with the rear wall), making it more room-independent than many speakers this price. Wide horizontal radiation of about ±70° until the tweeter starts beaming, right in the reviewer’s preferred sweet spot. A mild, wide-Q bass bump centered around 100Hz adds a bit of extra punch that the reviewer personally likes. On-axis linearity within about ±2.5dB, with a strong measured preference score of 5.3. Distortion stays below 3% at both 86dB and 96dB until around 50Hz. Vertical sweet spot of about ±10-20° works well for multi-row home theater seating. The reviewer calls it “the epitome of a good speaker” for its price, with no reservations recommending it. Measured bass extension of 53Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 84.3dB.
Cons: A slight recess in the 1-2kHz region reduces vocal presence somewhat compared to other speakers in direct comparison. A mild hot spot around 4-5kHz can read as slight sibilance when pointed directly on-axis. Low-to-mid sensitivity (about 84.3dB) combined with a current draw that behaves like roughly 2.4 ohms between 100-200Hz means it’s best driven by a dedicated 4-ohm-capable amplifier rather than an AVR. A diffraction dip from the baffle edge is visible in measurements: typical of any standard rectangular-baffle speaker and not correctable without a much more expensive curved-baffle design. Multitone distortion testing suggests some potential midrange distortion could be audible on certain material, though the reviewer didn’t personally notice it. Minor resonances appear around 700Hz and 1-1.5kHz, possibly tied to the enclosure, port, or cone/surround edge termination, though their audible impact appears minimal. F3 of 53Hz means a subwoofer is still needed for real bass extension below about 40Hz.
Full ELAC DBR62 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 53Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 14.1”H x 8.2”W x 10.8”D (358.1 x 208.3 x 274.3 mm) |
| Drivers | 6.5” Aramid Fiber woofer, 1” soft dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 5.2 ohms minimum (measured above 80Hz, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 84.3dB (measured average 300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner; 86dB manufacturer specified) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.07 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.27 |
| Weight | 18.1 lbs (8.2 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Erin’s Audio Corner: Top 3 Things You Need to Know About ELAC DBR62 Before You Buy More from Erin’s Audio Corner →
- Erin’s Audio Corner Website Elac DBR62
- Erin’s Audio Corner: 5 AWESOME SPEAKERS Under $1000 You Won’t Regret
- Erin’s Audio Corner: My Top Picks of 2023: Must-Haves Under $3000
- Audio Science Review Measurements More from Audio Science Review →
- Erin’s Audio Corner Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- ELAC DBR62 vs Definitive Technology Demand D11
- ELAC DBR62 vs ELAC Uni-Fi Reference UBR62
- ELAC DBR62 vs Technics SB-C700
- ELAC DBR62 vs Ascend Acoustics Sierra Duo V2 Ribbon
- ELAC DBR62 vs Dynaudio Contour 20i
- ELAC DBR62 vs Revel Concerta2 M16
- ELAC DBR62 vs SVS Ultra Bookshelf
- ELAC DBR62 vs Buchardt S400 MKII
- See all 67 comparisons
Yamaha NS-800A: $4,999.90 per pair The Music Room eBay
Pros: Exceptionally well-built cabinet with no internal resonance issues at all: confirmed clean in both burst decay and impedance measurements. Good, wide directivity (~75 degrees horizontal) that stays consistent enough to EQ successfully. Distortion is low, staying under 3% at 96dB, and dynamic range holds up well until right near its 102dB limit. A shallower, higher-frequency bass rolloff profile (F3 68Hz, F10 35Hz) means it can be placed closer to the wall (about a foot) without turning boomy, actually gaining bass presence rather than losing it. Measured bass extension of 68Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 84.9dB.
Cons: A wide, roughly 2kHz-10kHz scoop in the upper-midrange/lower-treble gives it a laidback, soft, low-attack character: notably worse than the reviewer’s Audio First Fidelia reference in an A/B comparison. On top of that, treble breaks up badly above 10kHz, swinging up as much as 8dB: a significant, named flaw. Sounds inconsistently voiced as a result (bright on some material like cymbals and shakers, dull/laidback on vocals and instrument attack) until corrected with real parametric EQ (the reviewer needed a +2dB boost around 4.5kHz at Q0.5 plus taming the treble spike to bring it to life) combined with near-wall placement and 30-degree toe-out. Without that combination, it’s a tough sale for a $5000 bookshelf speaker.
Full Yamaha NS-800A review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 68Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 2600Hz |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 16.5”H x 9.1”W x 14.1”D (419.1 x 231.8 x 358.8 mm) |
| Drivers | 1.25” dome tweeter, 6.5” mid-woofer |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 4.3 ohms minimum (measured above 80Hz, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Power Handling | 40W nominal, 120W max |
| Sensitivity | 84.9dB (measured average 300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner; 86.5dB manufacturer specified) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.66 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.43 |
| Weight | 28.7 lbs (13.0 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | Bass reflex |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Yamaha NS-800A vs Definitive Technology Demand D11
- Yamaha NS-800A vs Technics SB-C700
- Yamaha NS-800A vs Dynaudio Contour 20i
- Yamaha NS-800A vs ELAC Uni-Fi Reference UBR62
- Yamaha NS-800A vs SVS Ultra Bookshelf
- Yamaha NS-800A vs Revel Concerta2 M16
- Yamaha NS-800A vs Infinity Reference R162
- Yamaha NS-800A vs JBL HDI-1600
- See all 22 comparisons