If you're trying to get a budget 5.1, this system is actually really fantastic when the price point is under $200. I did a lot of research before I bought these and needed something specific, these checked off the list perfectly.
The design is beautifully minimal with the satellites and speakers featuring all black details. The only branding is the ELAC logo on the metal grille, which you can barely see. The subwoofer matches the styling from ELAC’s Andrew Jones designed higher end line. This is probably the only piece in the set that has a clear brand name with its embossed ELAC branding in dark silver.
I tested the ELAC CINEMA 5 system running off a DENON S750H AVR in Surround with lots of different content. The system is setup in my living room that measures approx 10x12’ with high ceilings.
I tested the system with the following media:
Films and shows: Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Witcher, Our Planet.
Video games on the PS4 such as God of War, Spider-man, Jedi: Fallen Order.
Music ranging from Latin, Jazz, trap, hip-hop, house, techno, and mid-range to bass heavy music.
It's a satellite based sound system, so you need to accept that the midrange and low-end of the satellites will not compare to the bookshelf-type speakers that most audiophile forums/posters/etc will recommend all the time...but that’s perfectly fine in this use case.
Everything coming out of the satellites is super clear and crisp, but as they don't have deep mids or lows the subwoofer picks up those frequencies. If you have your sound setup properly via your AVR this will be seamless and sound perfect.
The subwoofer is pretty beefy sound wise even at 100 watts PEAK RMS. Is it as powerful or detailed as a studio sub which can go down to 23hz? No, of course not. But you're not buying it for that. Yes it doesn't go below 40hz, but neither do a lot of subs at this price point (go look, you won't find any decent ones that do).
Footsteps from an alien in Star Wars: The Force Awakens sounded clear and defined. The hum of Thano's spaceship in Avengers: Endgame makes you feel like you're on board (I had a 250 watt sub from another HTIB before that didn't have this definition), and music bumps with clear definition between the kick and sub-bass. With that said, it's really good for the price point and will shake your apartment.
Here's the other thing, as I said before it also comes down to how you tweak your sound settings in your AVR. Nothing will sound amazing by default on any speaker unless you optimize. With the right settings on your AVR this system will sound great in your room.
Construction is solid, no rattling or vibration. The satellites and subwoofer have a hefty weight but are minimal and clean.
**Here's who should get the system:**
You have an apartment or small area with limited space but you want better sound than a sound bar
You want a 5.1 setup to use with an AVR and don't want to shell out a lot of money for absurdly oversized "bookshelf" speakers
You want small satellites for your surrounds
You can't convince yourself to pay 500+ for a Sound bar system
You don't want to pay 1500+ for a sound bar that has "virtual" Surround Sound and Atmos for your apartment.
You want something elegantly designed and discrete that doesn’t take a lot of space.
**Who shouldn't get this system:**
People with large spaces, specifically large dens or living rooms in a house where you need to cover a lot of space.
If you want full-range sound from your fronts. Small satellites will never give that to you, just a fact.
You want beefy big speakers. These are discrete and small.
Atmos Out of the box (you can add heights or Atmos enabled speakers later if you want and if you have an Atmos friendly AVR). You can even use these satellites for Atmos height speakers if you really wanted to.
You want really articulate bass that goes really, really deep. You'll need to shell out minimum $200 just for the Sub to get that.
**Bottom Line**
Time will tell how long these last and other factors, but out of the box, hooked up and tweaked to the right settings they sound amazing and exactly fit my needs.
Just understand that you are not going to get full-range sound from the satellites (you will with the whole system combined and optimized for your room). If that's what you're looking for then you simply need bigger speakers with a larger frequency range. At that point your fronts ALONE without a center channel will cost as much as this system (at the current price of $139).
If you want a compact and amazing sounding 5.1 surround system at a great price point, grab these when they’re under $200.
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Top reviews from the United States
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Top reviews from other countries
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