Elac Debut 2.0 F5.2 vs Klipsch RP-280F: which to buy?

The Klipsch RP-280F is my pick, and it is not a close call. It leads on sound quality, bass, midrange, treble, design and value, and its 98 dB sensitivity lets a modest amplifier drive it hard without strain.

Buy the Elac Debut 2.0 F5.2 if your room or your budget sets the limits. It is the smaller, lighter tower at 1016 mm and 34.4 lb, so it is easier to place and easier to move, and the removable spikes let it sit properly on carpet or on a hard floor. It does not demand expensive amplification, though it does want a decent receiver before it gives its best. Bass from the 5.25 inch mid-woofer is tight and controlled rather than big, so plan on a subwoofer. The 90 to 350 Hz region is where I hear it thin out, the highs can sound a little polite, and the warranty runs 3 years rather than 5.

Everyone else should take the Klipsch RP-280F. It is the bigger, heavier speaker at 1095 mm and 62.5 lb, so give it room to breathe, ideally over carpet rather than bare wood. In return it reaches down to 32 Hz, with bass deep and clean enough that I rarely reached for a subwoofer during music, and both the highs and the midrange stay legible as the volume climbs. The 98 dB sensitivity into 8 Ω means it plays loud on very little power, the 5-way binding posts make it simple to wire into an existing system, and the 5 year warranty is the longer of the two. Give it a break-in period before you judge it.