Turntables, Arms & Cartridges

Having an HQ in the German port of Kiel is no coincidence as ELAC was originally focused on hydroacoustics (sonar), only launching a turntable in 1948. A spin-off – sold to a UK defence group – remains to this day a major producer of sonar systems, proving there are more ways to earn money from sound than catering to hi-fi buffs. So when ELAC dived back into the turntable scene in 2016, the company was already celebrating its 90th birthday.

Nevertheless, ELAC opted for major expansion rather than retiring, grabbing noted loudspeaker designer Andrew Jones after his departure from Pioneer in 2015, opening up US offices, and acquiring engineers from Audio Alchemy a year later. This led to a plethora of new ELAC products, including the well-received Debut speaker series [HFN May '16]. Heading into 2023, ELAC has refocused. Andrew Jones has left the company to work on a loudspeaker for US brand MoFi, while the latest Concentro lineup sees the company's Kiel-designed JET tweeter in a novel coaxial design [HFN Oct '22]. Meanwhile Alchemy's Peter Madnick remains on call as a technical advisor and his influence remains noticeable in a range of slimline electronics and CI products bearing the ELAC Alchemy badge.