The Elac UB5 is a highly admired bookshelf speaker which has gained plenty of accolades, thanks to its exceptional sonic performance and high sound quality. All these and yet they are still affordably priced, not that we are complaining, we too rejoice on the fact it is easy on our wallets. To make full use of the Elac UB5 speakers’ sonic prowess, we will need to match them with a matching amplifier and bring out their very best.
To find the right amplifiers, we will need to learn more about the Elac UB5, and finding out the important details such as the speakers’ sonic characteristics, will bring us closer to our goal. The goal is to share with you a list of the best amplifiers to pair with the Elac UB5 once we have gathered enough crucial details.
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Sonic Characteristics and Merits of Elac UB5
At first glance, the Elac UB5 looks like any traditional bookshelf speaker and has a low profile design which will allow them to blend in nicely in most listening room interiors. On closer inspection after removing the speaker grille, we start to notice something special. The Elac Uni-fi UB5 is actually a 3-way speaker design, with a 1″ (25mm) soft dome tweeter concentrically mounted to a 4″ (100mm) midrange driver, and right below it will be a 5.25″ aluminum cone woofer. This speaker design is pretty rare for a bookshelf speaker at this price point. There is also a rear-firing bass port and you might want to give them some breathing space between the speaker and rear walls.
They are quite compact in size and will be ideal desktop speakers for nearfield listening. The frequency response is really impressive for their size, it is 46Hz-25kHz and this shows promising deep bass reproduction. The speaker sensitivity at 85dB is very low and the nominal impedance is at 4 Ohms with a minimum of 3.4 Ohms which is quite a bummer. The recommended amplifier power is between 40 Watts to 140 Watts and all these strongly indicate that the Elac UB5 speakers are difficult to drive. We should be looking at high-powered amplifiers that can output 80 Watts per channel or more and could drive 4 Ohms speakers.
More Details at Amazon – ELAC UB5 Bookshelf Speaker
The Elac UB5 has accuracy and balanced sound reproduction, the music delivery is smooth and clean as well. The stereo imaging is sharp and defined, tightly focused on a wide soundstage with nice stereo separations. This is certainly impressive for an affordable pair of stand-mounters. The music presentation is well-paced and along with the dynamics, the Elac UB5 is entertaining as it is engaging. The highs and mids work in cohesion, producing a natural sound reproduction with plenty of details to boot.
We find the bass performance even more remarkable as the Elac UB5 bookshelf speakers are able to deliver very deep bass which has weight and presence. The midbass reproduction is hefty as well and would be amazing for a home theater performance. There is good control of the low-ends and the bass are detailed too. This helps to provide a more full-bodied music presentation and adds a musical presence that you can feel while listening to your favorite tunes. The Elac UB5 speakers certainly scale well with power and you can notice their performance start to build up as you crank up the volume.
The overall sound quality is neutral and a bit bright but never sounded harsh. The bass performance is really slamming which is great for bass fanatics and home theater enthusiasts. We will still recommend adding an active subwoofer into your home theater setup though. The Elac UB5 can be expressive and energetic when paired with a powerful amplifier if not, they may sound a bit restrained or soft. It is a talented all-rounder, a pair of bookshelf speakers suitable for both home theater and music use. We have gathered enough details and it is time to start sharing with you a list of the best matching amplifiers to pair with the Elac UB5 speakers.
Elac UB5 Specifications
- Speaker Type: 3-Way (rear-firing port)
- Drive Units: 1″ (25mm) soft dome tweeter concentrically mounted to a 4″ (100mm) aluminum midrange, 5.25″ aluminum cone woofer
- Frequency Response: 46Hz–25kHz
- Recommended Amplifier Power: 40-140 Watts
- Nominal Impedance: 4 Ohms
- Sensitivity: 85dB
- Dimensions: 200mm x 324mm x 273mm | 7.9″ x 12.8″ x 10.8″
- Weight: 7.5kg (16.5lbs)
Best Amplifiers to match with Elac UB5
The Parasound NewClassic 200 integrated amplifier will be an amazing choice for your Elac UB5 speakers. The NewClassic 200 has a rated power output of 110 Watts per channel into 4 Ohms using Class D amplification (Pascal) and would allow this amplifier to drive your Elac UB5 with ease. There is also a dedicated subwoofer output (80Hz low pass) where you can connect to an active sub for even better bass performance. The Parasound NewClassic 200 is a modestly priced amplifier with airy and musical sonic performance, able to dig out high amounts of music details. There are also more features that come built-in with this Parasound integrated amplifier.
More Info at Amazon – Parasound NewClassic 200
The Denon PMA-800NE will be one of the best amplifiers to pair with the Elac UB5, with 85 Watts per channel into 4 Ohms, it has enough power to drive the bookshelf speakers. This integrated amplifier also comes loaded with features such as a built-in Phono preamp which will be great for turntable users. You can use the Denon PMA-800NE’s Analog Mode for more detailed and clearer sound reproduction from your analog sources. You can also use the digital inputs where they support PCM signals up to 192kHz/24bit. It is a versatile integrated amplifier at a modest price, the sonic characteristics of the PMA-800NE are well suited for Elac UB5 too.
More Info at Amazon – Denon PMA-800NE Integrated Amplifier
PS Audio Sprout 100 is another integrated amplifier that can easily drive your Elac UB5 speakers as it has a rated power output of 100 Watts into 4 Ohms (both channels driven). The Sprout 100 has a built-in premium D/A converter ESS Sabre 9016 DAC, enabling you to listen to high-resolution audio files with pristine sound quality. There is even a Bluetooth receiver where you can stream your favorite music and if you prefer some private music listening, you can use the low output headphone amp. The PS Audio Sprout 100 has almost all you need for an enjoyable music listening experience at a modest price point.
More Info at Amazon – PS Audio Sprout100
The Elac UB5 bookshelf speakers will be solid performers in a home theater setup and at the heart of your system, will be the Denon AVR-X6700H which is one of the very best AVR on the market. It is a powerful 11.2 channel 8K UHD AVR and uses Audyssey MultEQ XT32 as its room correction technology. This will help you to calibrate your speakers and optimize them to sound their very best in your listening room. Providing you with accurate sound reproduction and an immersive surround sound experience. The bass performance of the Elac Uni-fi UB5 will be suitable in this HT setting and match well with the Denon AVR-X6700H.
More Info at Amazon – Denon AVR-X6700H
The Marantz SR7013 is another ideal AVR choice to partner with the Elac UB5 especially for listeners who listen to music as much as they watch movies via their home theater system. The overall sound reproduction of the Marantz SR7013 is smooth with a touch of warmth and has that musical refinement where the bass is tightly controlled and blends in nicely with the rest of the higher frequencies. This 9.2 channel 4K AVR also has the muscles to drive the Elac UB5 stand-mounters and uses Audyssey to automatic calibrate the speakers. If you are a fan of Marantz house sound then you definitely need to check out the SR7013 AVR.
More Info at Amazon – Marantz SR7013
Power amplifiers can also be used to drive the Elac UB5 speakers and they need not be costly but you need to make sure your current amps/AVRs can connect to external power amps. The Parasound NewClassic 275 v.2 stereo power amplifier will be an amazing choice as it has 150 Watts per channel into 4 Ohms (both channels driven) and will make your Elac UB5 speakers sing. You might also want to take a look at Emotiva power amplifiers. They are sanely priced and provide loads of sonic performance for the money. You can check out Emotiva BasX A2 for a start.
More Info at Amazon – Parasound 275v2 Power Amplifier
To Sum It Up
If you are using Elac UB5 bookshelf speakers as part of your home theater system, we will recommend adding an active subwoofer such as the SVS PB-2000 Pro as this will help ease the load off the AVR and produce deeper bass. The listed amplifiers are suitable matches with the Elac UB5 and well worth your time to hear them out. If possible, have a side-by-side comparison during the amplifiers auditions to see which amp sounds the best to you. You can also use this as a reference when searching for other amplifier brands or models.
