Elac Navis 5 1/4" Powered Floor Standing Speakers, Pair (ARF51GB)

Note: Navis ARF-51 powered speakers do not have a volume control. If connected directly to a fixed output source, the volume will be at maximum level and may damage the speakers and your hearing.

Ideal amplification

In audio-design lingo, these speakers are "three-way" — with dedicated woofers handling the bass frequencies, plus a separate midrange and tweeter. To make sure each driver section does its job with maximum efficiency and precision, ELAC gave them individual amplifiers, each with their own power supply. There's 160 watts for the woofers, 100 watts for the midrange driver, and 40 for the tweeter.

All analog, all the way

ELAC's Navis lineup makes one major departure from the usual design approach used by others in their class. They don't use DSP (digital signal processing), so input from an analog source — like a nice turntable — never gets digitized. This approach keeps the signal as pure and uncolored as possible.

Wired and wireless connectivity

Ever the innovators, ELAC created their own wireless protocol called AirX that helps solve a specific bothersome issue: the only way to synchronize the left and right speaker is to run a cable between them. The ELAC Discovery Connect (not included) provides a robust streaming platform for Spotify® Connect, Bluetooth®, Apple® AirPlay® and Roon, so you can eliminate one more wire from your system.

For making wired connections to your preamp or audio source, each speaker has a single unbalanced RCA input and a single balanced XLR input.

Customizable EQ

The final piece of the puzzle when trying to get the best sound out of any pair of speakers is finding out how they sound in your unique listening space. Each ARF-51 comes with its own separate EQ switches on the back for adjusting high-, mid-, and low-frequency response.

Each individual tower also has a switchable high-pass filter that can be set "flat" to get the most out of the speakers alone, or switched to cut off at 60 Hz or 80 Hz for easy integration with a subwoofer. A subwoofer can be added to your system via your preamplifier's subwoofer output.