What, lost the timbre?
The timbre is still there. However, the GRs are back on the stands after many weeks of Elac listening. (Not ready to off them at 1/2 price yet, haha, perhaps in another system.) I think my ears prefer the GRs as my everyday, reference listeners, though props to the Elacs for being so very good for so little money. They're a hit for sure - a superb entry-level experience - and could make a fine destination speaker in many contexts.
As for specific critiques:
- I find that they can become too harsh with high, strident strings and brass, and I listen to a lot of that stuff.
- I am wont to get up to concert level listening on occasion and they do, to my ears, start yelling, especially very high midrange frequencies. I think it might be more the aluminum mid rather than the soft-dome tweeter that I'm "hearing" and disliking, but that just could be my bias (see other thread).
- Bass is just a tad too loose, but not a "problem" in my room/setup; see bung-hole inserts above for possible solutions.
I think I'm going to try them downstairs in the Family Room (push-pull EL84 amp, so we know that won't work well).