Полочная акустика — QUAD Elegan 1

The Elegan 1 is the two-way standmount in the Elegan range from QUAD, the entry point into the brand's current loudspeaker catalogue. QUAD presents the pair as a spiritual successor to its L Series speakers of the early 2000s. Announced in July 2026 and on sale from 24 July, it lists at GBP 749 a pair in Britain and USD 995 a pair in America, with the three-way Elegan 2 floorstander priced at GBP 1,499 above it. It is aimed at smaller listening rooms.

Key specs that matter

A 165 mm woven Kevlar cone handles bass and midrange, and a 25 mm fabric dome covers the treble. The two drivers hand over at 2.9 kHz. QUAD quotes 56 Hz to 24 kHz at plus or minus 3 dB, with output reaching 44 Hz at the minus 6 dB point. Sensitivity is 86 dB at 2.83 V and 1 m. Nominal impedance is 8 ohm, falling to a minimum of 4.3 ohm, and the recommended amplifier range is 30 to 150 W. Each cabinet stands 365 mm tall, 220 mm wide and 300 mm deep, with a weight of 8.9 kg. Finish choices are deep matt black or real walnut veneer.

Engineering and use context

A profiled waveguide surrounds the tweeter and controls how the upper frequencies spread, with the stated aim of a consistent response away from the tweeter axis. The crossover follows a Linkwitz-Riley alignment and is built with polypropylene capacitors and air-core inductors. Bass loading comes from a reflex port that QUAD calls Airflow, whose geometry was optimised to cut turbulence and the distortion it produces in the port. The enclosure is high-density MDF with strategic internal bracing and damping material to keep panel resonance down. Protective feet come in the box, and the matching floorstander uses the same Kevlar cone diameter in pairs alongside a separate 125 mm midrange unit.

Pairing

The impedance minimum is a moderate load, so any amplifier that is stable into 4 ohm and delivers power within the stated band will drive the Elegan 1 without difficulty. The modest sensitivity means lower-powered designs near the bottom of the range will reach normal levels in a small space but have less reserve than a 100 W unit. QUAD positions the range alongside its 3 Series electronics, including the 33 preamplifier and the 303 stereo power amplifier, each listed at USD 1,599, and the cabinets share their styling cues with that series.

Alternatives

The QUAD Revela 1 is a two-way standmount from the same catalogue that pairs a composite-fibre mid/bass driver with a 27 x 60 mm true ribbon tweeter.