The enclosure Elipson Heritage XLS 15 is a 3-way model with a vintage aesthetic inspired by speakers from the 60s / 70s such as the iconic Celestion Ditton 551, JBL 4312 or Pioneer HPM-100. A true tribute to these speakers, the XLS 15 takes up the recipes with a three-way design, a large woofer with a white paper membrane, a bass-reflex load with front vent and potentiometers on the front. These deniers have an amplitude of 2 dB to adjust the mid and high registers according to the listening room or the preferences of the listener. Will the old formulas of high fidelity be able to breathe new life into music?
Elipson Heritage XLS 15: the brand
Oldest French brand of acoustic loudspeakers, Elipson became known in the 1950s for its spherical loudspeakers which quickly made its success and became its signature. This solution is acclaimed by the brand for its many acoustic advantages, including the reduction of distortion and vibrations, as we mentioned in the article: Do modern design and vintage look rhyme with high fidelity? . Since then, the French manufacturer has continued to develop new acoustic solutions to provide speakers that are always more efficient, but also elegant. The range of spherical speakers Elipson Planet L and Planet M illustrates in particular this desire of Elipson. Today, the brand uses its know-how in many areas such as hi-fi vinyl turntables , WiFi / Bluetooth amplifiers , cinema speakers , bluetooth turntables , portable bluetooth speakers , connected speakers or even the subwoofers .
Elipson Heritage XLS 15: packaging & accessories
Each Elipson Heritage XLS 15 loudspeaker is delivered in its own box, inside which the loudspeaker is covered with a synthetic fabric and correctly wedged between several foam plates. It is accompanied by an installation guide, a foam plug for the vent as well as wooden feet allowing the enclosure to be slightly tilted to optimize the acoustic phasing.
Elipson Heritage XLS 15: presentation
Design
Right out of the box, the Elipson Heritage XLS 15 speaker captures our full attention. It is truly sublime and plunges us into the 60s / 70s with its resolutely vintage aesthetic directly inspired by the three-way models of the time such as the Celestion Ditton 551 and Pioneer HPM-100. We find a very similar design, with large paper speaker loaded by a front vent, as well as a chassis halfway between the small column speaker and the large bookshelf speaker (420 mm wide for 730 mm high) .
The cabinet of the Elipson Heritage XLS 15 loudspeaker is made of medium density wood fibers of high thickness and benefits from internal reinforcements to limit harmful vibrations and resonances. It rests on the ground on a flared base allowing both to raise the enclosure and to optimize the phase. The quality of assembly of the cabinetry is irreproachable and benefits from a beautiful finish. The different external faces of the Elipson Heritage XLS 15 loudspeaker adopt a walnut imitation coating with a very realistic grain, while the front of the loudspeaker is painted black.
The speakers of the Elipson Heritage XLS 15 speaker are concealed behind a large acoustic fiber grille on which is flanked the Elipson logo. This grille adopts a magnetic fixing system which allows it to be removed very easily to reveal the speakers. This mounting system also has the advantage of eliminating any notch on the front face of the speaker, thus enhancing the aesthetics of these pretty objects when the speakers are used without the grille.
Acoustic design
The Elipson XLS15 loudspeaker adopts a 3-way bass-reflex loaded design. Its main advantage is the integration of a large loudspeaker 30 cm in diameter made of cellulose fibers. This “old school” composition makes it possible to obtain a membrane that is both light and rigid, capable of moving air very efficiently and very quickly. It is coupled with a large coil as well as a powerful magnetic crew to provide an intense and responsive bass. The large diameter of this membrane ensures that the Heritage XLS 15 loudspeaker resonates very low in frequency, up to 40 Hz.
Treble reproduction is entrusted to a 22mm diameter silk dome tweeter. This is derived from the iconic tweeter fitted to the speakers of the range. Prestige Facet from the French manufacturer. It was selected by the brand’s acoustic engineers for its excellent transient regime as well as its ability to maintain perfect control of high frequencies up to 25 kHz.
For midrange, the Elipson Heritage XLS 15 loudspeaker uses a 55mm diameter treated dome speaker. This has the particularity of being able to cover on its own nearly three octaves in the most sensitive frequency ranges of our auditory perception. The reproduction of the medium register thus turns out to be freer, and perfectly coherent with the upper register. It also allows the Elipson Heritage XLS 15 speaker to limit distortion to provide the listener with rich, natural and crisp midrange.
The Elipson Heritage XLS 15 loudspeaker is loaded with bass-reflex through a circular vent opening onto its front face. It is delivered with a foam plug to block the vent to facilitate its placement in the room by reducing the necessary spacing between the enclosure and the wall. It is advisable to leave a few tens of centimeters of amplitude with the back wall, unless you want to artificially amplify the bass level.
Adjustable gain
Practical, it is possible to adjust the reproduction of the medium and high frequencies according to the preferences of the listener, the source or the listening room. To do this, the Elipson XLS15 loudspeaker incorporates two selectors on its front panel: the first is dedicated to treble, while the second is responsible for mediums. Each selector then allows the speaker response to be adjusted by + or – 1 dB in the medium or high register. A function usually encountered on monitoring speakers and vintage speakers such as the iconic Yamaha NS-1000, Celestion Ditton 551, JBL 4312 and Pioneer HPM-100 from which the Elipson XLS15 draw their inspiration. These potentiometers are useful for modifying musical reproduction, as we have seen in this test by enhancing vocals, high frequencies or even the presence of an instrument. However, as the Elipson Heritage XLS 15 loudspeaker proved to be correctly calibrated and in perfect harmony with our reference amplifiers, the factory setting proved to be the most natural and the best balanced with the tracks being listened to.
Elipson Heritage XLS 15: installation
When out of the box, the vintage Elipson Heritage XLS 15 speaker is mounted on a flat wooden stand. It is possible to use it as is, or to prefer the inclined support provided to optimize the phase and the perception of the different frequencies. This is made up of three wooden sections that are very quick to assemble. To do this, simply unscrew the flat support already mounted on the speaker, then fit each part of the feet in the order mentioned in the instructions and using the screws supplied with the speaker. This inclined support reinforces the vintage side of the speaker and contributes greatly to the general aesthetic. Note that it is also possible to raise it further by placing it on a foot like the NorStone Vintage Stand .
Once the inclined stand is installed, the Elipson Heritage XLS 15 speakers just need to be connected to the amplifier. For this test, we chose to connect them using speaker cables Viard Audio Silver HD12 HP to the tube amplifier Cayin CS-55A KT88 . With 2×40 watts of power in triode mode, our benchmark tube amp had no difficulty effectively powering the speakers and their 30cm woofer in our 20m2 room. We have them in a second time coupled to the amplifier Atoll IN200 , capable of developing up to 2×120 watts. Its greater power reserve allowed us to enjoy a more impactful listening. The source used for this test of the Elipson Heritage XLS 15 speakers is a network player providing access to Hi-Res music shared on the local network, as well as to the online music services Spotify and Qobuz.
Elipson Heritage XLS 15: listening impressions
We started listening to the Elipson XLS 15 speakers with the Cayin amplifier. On the title Salvadore by Lana Del Rey, the soundstage is very transparent and striking in scale. The singer’s voice enchants with the quality of the timbres and their softness. It is very well cut out, even on the highest intonations. This voice blossoms with great finesse and a beautiful harmonic palette in the center of the stage.
In a completely different register with the album The Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd, the Elipson Heritage XLS 15 speakers allow to perfectly reproduce the various stereo effects which develop with a very nice amplitude in our listening room. On the title Time , the basses are energetic, dynamic and show a nice extension. You gain more depth and material by removing the foam plug from the vent. With this, the bass is a little more tense and less rounded, as you can find on closed speakers.
The Elipson Heritage XLS 15 loudspeaker displays a spectral balance and a respect for different unruffled registers. Still on the title Time by Pink Floyd, the electric guitar is audible in great detail and reproduced without a hint of aggressiveness, even during the most delicate chords. The reproduction of the Elipson Heritage XLS 15 speakers is always elegant and velvety. This mastery continues as the tracks follow one another, even on the most delicate titles, whether Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix or Barn by ZZ Top.
The Elipson Heritage XLS 15 loudspeakers show great versatility and know how to adapt perfectly to any musical style. On a jazz song like the Para Machuchar Meu Coracao of the emblematic duo Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto, listening is warm, gentle and adorned with a beautiful coquetry. The saxophone is textured and unfolds with depth in space. The Elipson Heritage XLS 15 loudspeakers manage to embody with great skill this instrument that seems to stand right in front of us, in the hands of the saxophonist.
The great dynamics of the Elipson Heritage XLS 15 speakers are also beneficial for listening to classical music. On the interpretation of the 4 seasons of Vivaldi by Anne-Sophie Mutter, the speakers react instantly to the slightest impulse of the orchestra. The XLS 15 manage to combine balance, dynamics and beauty of tone. The orchestra is sublimated and ideally materialized, just like the acoustics of the recording room. Even at high volume, the Elipson Heritage XLS 15 speakers know how to remain faithful and never aggressive, even with the most complicated stringed instruments to reproduce.
Elipson Heritage XLS 15: compared to…
Magnate Transpuls 1500 : marketed at 1090 €, the Magnat Transpuls 1500 loudspeaker is a real benchmark in the world of vintage-look loudspeakers. It takes advantage of a large woofer 38cm in diameter, allowing it to deliver more powerful and deep bass than the 30cm speaker of the Elipson Heritage XLS 15 speaker. Apart from that, the Elipson Heritage XLS 15 speaker provides a richer reproduction with more material and texture in the midrange. We also enjoy a wider and deeper soundstage.
Klipsch Heresy IV : offered at € 3,790, this Klipsch speaker uses the vintage design of the speakers in the Klipsch Heritage range. It benefits from even more careful cabinetry, with real wood veneer. Acoustically, the Klipsch Heresy IV uses a 30 cm bass driver coupled with a 44.5 mm diameter compression midrange driver and a 25 mm titanium cone tweeter and Tractrix horn. When tuned, the Klipsch Heresy IV offers treble that seems to go higher, which benefits acoustic instruments in particular. The Elipson Heritage XLS 15 speaker, on the other hand, has better bass extension. Listening is also a little softer and warmer on the Elipson side.
Elipson Heritage XLS 15: conclusion
Visually sublime and musically exceptional, the Elipson Heritage XLS 15 speakers appeal to all levels. The retro design is undoubtedly mastered by the oldest French hi-fi brand and will appeal to any lover of vintage equipment. In addition, the Elipson Heritage XLS 15 loudspeakers ensure an always well-controlled balance of the different registers which are perfectly expressed in the space. The different sound planes are well layered and we take advantage of a very wide harmonic palette. The 30 cm loudspeaker is the real asset of these Elipson speakers, providing energetic, dynamic bass with good extension. On the other hand, because of its large diameter, an amplifier with a good current reserve like the Atoll IN200 Signature to use the full dynamic range of the speakers. We also prefer to choose the inclined foot to perfect the aesthetic rather than the one installed in the factory.
What we liked
- The very successful vintage design
- The depth and control of the bass
- The ample and deep soundstage
- The clarity and naturalness of the voices
What we would have liked
- Why 2 feet of ground?
- Frequency adjustment on the front a little gadget
- Have them under the tree at Christmas!
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