Elac Loudspeakers?

Indeed, good measured performance.
Also, if I read the graph correctly, the highest phase angles occur at or near impedance peaks. This may help, but still and all, 60 degrees is pretty brisk and corrosponds to a power factor of 0.5 (Cos 60) which means that at that particular frequency, only half the amplifiers power is available to do actual work. This occurs at a frequency range in which there is substantial musical energy.
In general, I prefer the Smith Chart for this presentation, since you can easily see displacement from the horizontal axis as phase angle data.
As a matter of fact, simply speaking from a measured / electrical aspect, this is indeed a somewhat demanding speaker. Good watts are a must.

If you were a Chemical or Mechanical engineer, you have a good reasonable excuse for not knowing about PF and phase. I work with a bunch of EEs, in a semiconductor manufacturing enviroment. At least one of 'em NEVER forgot anything he ever saw in a math class@!!
But the math is pretty straightforward. Most audiophiles get hung up on impedance and you can't talk 'em out of it!
I used to drive a Baracudo.

I had a chat with the local Elac dealer and he assured me my amplifier and CD player would pair up nicely with the 208's (of course he would say that, right?). I had a listen to them, it wasn't paired with the same amp I have, but with 50 watt Shanling tube mono blocks and I was pleased with it's performance. My amplifier is an Audio Space AS-6i [http://www.charismaaudio.com/AS_6i.html] and when I was A/B'ing amps, the Audio Space trumped the Shanling IMHO. I think I might just end up bringing my amp down there and have a listen for a piece of mind. I'm looking at the Elacs because I heard a few speakers like the ProAc studio 140's and they just seemed TOO laid back and coloured for me. I have a tube amp and tube cd player so I need something a little more lively to balance things out. The Elacs seem like they will bring a little "snap" and speed back, from what I've heard so far.

if you listen to mostly rock and jazz, Elac is difficult to beat, the separation of all the instruments and the quality of the tone is amazing, but if you like only acoustic or classical recordings, Elac can be a bit clinical, not saying it's boring but for long hour listening, i recommend a tubed equipment somewhere in your system.
I have gone from Elac to Spendor, i feel the timbre is much more true and alive than Elac, then again it's your taste, i really enjoyed my elac though.

Magfan:

You've got it. I'm an ME. I've got to see, touch, and listen. Never did too well with understanding those invisible electrons.

BTW: Was that Baracudo pretty fast?

Regards,

Karmatogdral, which models did you have?