Полочная акустика — ELAC Debut ConneX DCB41

The Debut ConneX DCB41 is ELAC's compact powered bookshelf pair, in which the master speaker holds every amplifier, converter and input and sends power to its passive partner over the supplied speaker wire. The pair sells for USD 599.98, GBP 499 or EUR 529 and comes in Black Ash, Walnut, Royal Blue and Orange. In 2024 ELAC also used it as the basis of the Designer Series DCB41-DS edition made together with the clothing label Adsum.

Key specs that matter

Inside each box, a vented two-way arrangement combines a 3/4 inch soft dome tweeter behind a waveguide with a 4.5 inch long-throw polypropylene woofer on a wide-rolled surround, and the port is a slot at the rear. Two Class D amplifiers of 50 W each sit in the master unit. ELAC specifies 66 Hz to 25,000 Hz measured anechoically and 50 Hz to 25,000 Hz in a room, THD of 0.20 percent or lower, noise at least 90 dB down and a maximum output of 102 dB at 1 m. Both boxes measure roughly 140 x 244 x 203 mm, and the powered one weighs 3.4 kg against 2.9 kg for the passive one. The power supply works on 120 to 240 V.

Engineering and use context

Sources connect through HDMI with ARC, a USB port for a computer at up to 24 bit and 96 kHz, an optical input, Bluetooth with aptX and an RCA input that can be set to line level or to the internal phono stage, with a ground lug beside it for the turntable earth wire. A separate USB-A socket is used only to load firmware. XBass is ELAC's own bass lift circuit with two settings - Level 1 adds 3.5 dB centred on 55 Hz and Level 2 adds 7 dB - and it can be turned off. The subwoofer output carries a signal low-passed from 200 Hz downward. An infrared remote switches inputs and toggles XBass, so the system can be run from the listening position. Firmware can be updated as ELAC releases new versions, and the master unit carries all controls, leaving the passive speaker with only its input terminals.

Pairing

As a self-contained system, the DCB41 needs nothing more than the sources themselves - a TV using HDMI ARC, a laptop via USB, any Bluetooth device or a record deck plugged straight into the phono input. Small cabinets and a compact woofer make it a fit for a desk, a shelf or a TV unit, and the filtered sub out can hand the lowest octave to an active subwoofer when more bass extension is needed.

Alternatives

The ELAC Debut ConneX DCB61 is the larger powered pair of the family, with a 6.5 inch woofer, 160 W RMS of amplification and HDMI eARC.