I have performed level-matched A-B comparisons involving the following speakers from Elac:
Elac B5 Debut
Elac UniFi UB5
Elac DBR-62 Debut Reference
These are all bookshelf speakers and you don't mention whether you are looking for BS or towers.
However, I would expect the sound signature to be generally consistent between these BS speakers and the corresponding towers given that Andrew Jones designed each of them and I am pretty sure that they employ the same tweeter within each series.
I cannot recommend either the B5 Debut or the UniFi UB5 because they both sounded dull to me. Being more specific, I play in a couple of Big Bands in the Atlanta area and when I listened to big band music, the high energy associated with a big band was missing. I cannot recommend either of these.
The DBR-62 Debut Reference is definitely a step up from the two lower models and I could understand this being someone's preference. For me, they simply did not have the presence I look for in a quality speakers. For me these sounded as if they had a single layer of thin (but not acoustically transparent) fabric over the speaker, however, they did offer plenty of detail and solid bass.
Here is more detail from when I compared them to the Canton Vento:
I received the DBR-62's I ordered from Crutchfield and finally got the chance to do a comparison with the Canton Vento. I was inspired to check these out because Amir's review was very positive and he is generally a picky SOB! :) ;) He also caught my attention with his comment: So far my reviews...
forums.audioholics.com
I, personally, would get the Canton 830.2 at $800 (also in white if that is your preference):
www.accessories4less.com
...this model has the 7" woofer which performs competitively with the DBR-62 (but still not quite as good).
However, if you prefer
1) a slightly laid back speaker,
2) a the assurance of a safe trial/return option (Crutchfield charges a flat $15 for returns but pays shipping both ways and you have 60 days to decide)
3) to buy ELAC (for whatever reason)
I think the DBR-62 is a great option!
Bookshelf speakers
www.crutchfield.com
If you must have towers, you can get the Elac DFR-52's if you are willing to increase your budget to $1200.
Floor-standing speaker
www.crutchfield.com
(also look for open box deals under the "add to cart" button on this page)
If you must have towers, but have a hard budget at $1000, I would pass on the ELACs entirely and keep an eye out for the JBL Studio 580 or 590 (on sale they run around $400 and $500 each, respectively). If this is a strong consideration, let us know and we can link you to threads from past sales so you can find out more.