When Andrew Jones starts making new affordable speakers, we are more or less guaranteed the loudspeakers will turn out really well. One such loudspeaker will be the Elac Debut B6, a talented pair of stereo speakers that has garnered plenty of rave reviews over the years, all thanks to the high level of sonic performance you can get for the price.
The Elac’s Debut series keeps churning out outstanding speakers and the Elac Debut B6 is definitely one of them. Like all Debut series loudspeakers, the B6 will need a matching amp to sound its very best and we are planning to list out some of the top amps that you can go for. We will first need to learn more about the Elac Debut B6 bookshelf speakers though such as their sonic characteristics.
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Sonic Characteristics and Strengths of Elac Debut B6
The Elac Debut B6 is a pair of traditional-looking bookshelf speakers, and we are hoping that they will sound better than they look. Taking off the speaker grille you’ll see 2 drivers, one of which is a 1″ (25mm) silk dome tweeter, and right below it will be a 6.5″ (165mm) aramid-fiber cone woofer. We do find the B6 speakers look better without the speaker grille on though. There is also a rear-firing bass port located at the back of the cabinet, you might want to place some distance between the Elac Debut B6 and the rear walls.
The frequency response is pretty good for a budget speaker which is 44Hz-20kHz and the nominal impedance at 6 Ohms ain’t bad either. The recommended amplifier power starts from 30 Watts and the Elac Debut B6 can handle up to 120 Watts (Max). The speaker sensitivity of 87dB is below average and so we can’t really match these stand-mounters to low-powered amplifiers. Whether we should add an active subwoofer into the mix will depend on how well the Debut B6 bass performance is.
More Details at Amazon – ELAC B6 Debut Series Bookshelf Speakers by Andrew Jones
Out of all the Elac’s Debut range of speakers, the B6 is one of the more energetic performers and gives a slightly fuller sound quality. Still, they are not as expressive and enthusiastic when compared to some other speaker brands at the same price range. The level of clarity is definitely one of the very best and it doesn’t have that harshness in the treble department. The music details and subtle nuances are cleanly delivered with clear sound quality. There is also a tiny hint of warmth in the overall sound reproduction which is welcoming.
The bass performance is more prominent when compared to other Debut series stand-mounters and deep bass reproduction is palpable which is unexpected for a speaker of this size. The low-ends of the Elac Debut B6 are well-controlled and have nice agility which works great for music. For a music stereo setup, you might not need an active subwoofer to supplement the bass as this pair of bookshelf speakers are quite self-sufficient. The midrange reproduction of the Debut B6 speakers is equally amazing with a very clean and detailed delivery, it would be better if is a bit more intense but at this price point, we are really nitpicking.
They would do fine in an HT setup but the Elac Debut B6 excels more in music performance and we really enjoy listening to them. The B6 can be a bit bright-sounding but we don’t find it an issue. At this budget price, the sonic performance you are getting is really worth every penny invested and what it needs right now is a solid amp to drive them. It is time for us to start sharing with you the best amps that you can choose to go for and pair them with the Elac Debut B6 bookshelf speakers. Since it is a pair of budget speakers, we will be looking at amps that are closely priced.
Elac Debut B6 Specifications
- Speaker Type: 2-Way (Rear-Firing Bass Port)
- Drive Units: 1″ (25mm) silk dome tweeter, 6.5″ (165mm) aramid-fiber cone woofer
- Frequency Response: 44Hz–20kHz
- Recommended Amplifier Power: 30-120 Watts
- Nominal Impedance: 6 Ohms
- Sensitivity (2.83v/1m): 87dB
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 216mm x 356mm x 254mm | 8.4″ x 13.9″ x 9.9″
- Weight: 6.5kg (14.3lbs)
Best Amps to match with Elac Debut B6
The Yamaha A-S501 is one of the best amps to pair with your Elac Debut B6 bookshelf speakers. This integrated amp has a rated power output of 100 Watts per channel into 6 Ohms which is more than enough to drive the B6. The sonic characteristics of the A-S501 are quite similar to the Elac Debut B6 with powerful low-end oomph and very detailed sound reproduction, providing its listeners with faithful music presentation. The tonality of the Yamaha A-S501 is well-balanced too and if you want more bass, you can always connect an active subwoofer to the dedicated output.
More Info at Amazon – YAMAHA A-S501 Integrated Stereo Amp
Marantz PM6007 will be one of the most ideal musical integrated amps to partner with your Elac Debut B6 speakers. The warm-sounding nature and smooth music delivery of the PM6007 amplifier will help slightly ease the edges off, giving you a pleasant sound quality. The overall sound reproduction of the Marantz PM6007 may be easy on the ears but it can still be a punchy performer when it is required to. The musicality of the integrated amplifier is well-match with the Elac Debut B6 and the speakers themselves bring a more weighty deep bass performance onto the table.
More Info at Amazon – Marantz PM6007 Integrated Amp
The Denon PMA-600NE is another matching amp to go with the Elac Debut B6 speakers, it has a hint of warmth to its overall sound reproduction, and has sufficient power to drive the stand-mounters. The price point of the PMA-600NE integrated amp is affordable and the number of features that come with it makes it even more worthwhile. It has a built-in D/A converter and a MM Phono equalizer, this Denon amp even has Bluetooth support. This highly rated Denon amplifier is well-suited for the Elac Debut B6 bookshelf speakers and deserves an audition with you.
More Info at Amazon – Denon PMA-600NE Amp
Another entry-level integrated amp that you want to check out will be the NAD C 316BEE. It is affordably priced and has a power output of 45 Watts per channel into 8/4 Ohms. The IHF Dynamic Power feature enables the NAD amp to muster up to 120 Watts into 4 Ohms (short-term) to handle music peaks. There is also a Moving Magnet Phono stage but is a pity it doesn’t have a built-in DAC. The most important sonic aspect of the NAD C 316BEE is in its lively music delivery and enthusiastic performance which complements the Elac Debut B6 stand-mounters really well.
More Info at Amazon – NAD C 316BEE Integrated Amplifier
If watching movies is one of your main entertainments at home and you prefer to use a stereo/2.1 instead of a multi-channel surround sound setup. The Marantz NR1200 will be a fantastic stereo receiver to go for and match with your Elac Debut B6 speakers. The NR1200 is capable of processing 4K video signals and you can connect up to 2 active subwoofers for an exhilarating home movie experience. The stereo receiver is also masterfully tuned by Marantz sound masters so to provide you with musical sound quality which you can enjoy for hours on end. The power output of the Marantz NR1200 is rated at 100 Watts per channel into 6 Ohms (both channels driven), more than enough to drive your Elac Debut B6 stand-mounters.
More Info at Amazon – Marantz NR1200 2-Channel Home Theater Amp
For surround sound system setup, you can go with Marantz SR6015 which is one of the latest AV receivers with 8K UHD video processing capability. For a more all-rounded AV receiver, you might want to take a look at Denon AVR-X3700H which is also capable of processing 8K UHD video signals and possesses neutral warm sonic characteristics well suited to pair with the Elac Debut B6 bookshelf speakers. It is highly recommended to connect to at least 1 active subwoofer and you can go with the Elac SUB3010 or the SVS PB-1000 Pro which we prefer the latter as it is a better overall performer and is able to reach down to 17Hz.
More Info at Amazon – ELAC Debut 2.0 SUB3010 Subwoofer
More Info at Amazon – SVS PB-1000 Pro (Black Ash)
To Conclude
Entering the world of High Fidelity can be an inexpensive experience and you can still enjoy listening to your favorite tunes on a low budget. The Elac Debut B6 is one of the finest budget stereo speakers that you can go for and you can match them with the amps listed here as they are some of the best to pair with the Debut B6 stand-mounters. We would suggest arranging an audition and hear the amps out, to see which one of them you like to hear more. It will be terrific if you could arrange the auditions in your own listening room as it would give you a more accurate result.
