In this review, we will be comparing 702 S3 and Elysian 4, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Bowers Wilkins and Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of B&W 702 S3 and Wharfedale Elysian 4 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | B&W 702 S3 | Wharfedale Elysian 4 |
|---|
| Brand | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 27x90mm" AMT (Ribbon) |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 6.5" Aerofoil | 2 x 8.5" Coated Fiberglass |
|---|
| Frequency response | 46-28k Hz | 30-22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-300 watts | 15-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 33.46kg / 73.6lbs | 49.60kg / 109.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 44.8" x 7.6" x 15.4"
1138.0 x 192.0 x 391.0mm | 46-3/4" x 15-13/16" x 18-3/16"
1188.0 x 402.0 x 462.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the B&W 702 S3 and Wharfedale Elysian 4 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
B&W 702 S3 |
Wharfedale Elysian 4 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Average |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both 702 S3 and Elysian 4 are 3-way speakers.
B&W 702 S3Wharfedale Elysian 4
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
B&W 702 S3 |
Wharfedale Elysian 4 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
27x90mm-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8.5-inch
|
702 S3 features a 1" Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Aerofoil Woofer. On the other hand, the Elysian 4 features a 27x90mm" AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 8.5" Coated Fiberglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 340Hz and 3100Hz.
Frequency Response
702 S3 has a frequency range of 46-28k Hz whereas Elysian 4 has a frequency range of 30-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the Elysian 4 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the 702 S3's min frequency of 46Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
702 S3 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Elysian 4 which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Elysian 4 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. 702 S3 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Elysian 4's is rated at 92 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Elysian 4 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 702 S3, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
702 S3 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas Elysian 4 has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the 702 S3.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both 702 S3 and Elysian 4 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
B&W 702 S3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
702 S3 has a rear firing port whereas Elysian 4 has a bottom firing ports. Wharfedale Elysian 4's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to B&W 702 S3 with its rear-firing port.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare B&W 702 S3's and Wharfedale Elysian 4's external dimensions. B&W 702 S3 has external dimensions of 1138.0 x 192.0 x 391.0mm (44.8-inch x 7.6-inch x 15.4-inch) whereas Wharfedale Elysian 4 has external dimensions of 1188.0 x 402.0 x 462.0mm (46-3/4 x 15-13/16 x 18-3/16inch).
Wharfedale Elysian 4 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 210mm wider, 50mm taller and 71mm deeper than B&W 702 S3.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of B&W 702 S3 and Wharfedale Elysian 4 in scale.
Comparison image of B&W 702 S3 and Wharfedale Elysian 4 Size and External Dimensions
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the B&W 702 S3 is approximately 750.7cm2 / 116.4inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale Elysian 4 is approximately 1857.2cm2 / 287.9inch2. The 702 S3 requires 60% less surface area than the Elysian 4 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The B&W 702 S3 weighs 33.46kg / 73.6lbs and the Wharfedale Elysian 4 weighs 49.60kg / 109.1lbs. This makes the Elysian 4 48% heavier than the 702 S3.
Here is a comparison of how 702 S3 and Elysian 4's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of B&W 702 S3?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 702 S3:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Plinth (base)
- 2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- Two-piece foam port plug
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Lock-nuts
- 4 Screws
- 4 Washers
- 4 Lock washers
- Hex-key
- Manual
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
What's in the Box of Wharfedale Elysian 4?
Here are the items that come with the Elysian 4:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Terminal-jumpers (pre-installed)
- 4 Spike feet
- User Manual
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1138mm
vs
1188mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
750cm2
vs
1857cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
6998USD
vs
9996USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Woofer Size |
8.5 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
46 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Bowers & Wilkins 702 S3 |
Wharfedale Elysian 4 |
| Brand |
Bowers Wilkins |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-300 watts |
15-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.1 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
46-28k Hz |
30-22k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aerofoil |
Coated Fiberglass |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Foamed Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
27x90mm" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
AMT (Ribbon) |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
340Hz and 3100Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1138.0mm (44.8") |
1188.0mm (46.8") |
| Width |
192.0mm (7.6") |
402.0mm (15.8") |
| Depth |
391.0mm (15.4") |
462.0mm (18.2") |
| Weight |
33.46kg (73.6lbs) |
49.60kg (109.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black,Satin White,Mocha,Rosenut |
Piano Black, Piano Walnut,White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Wharfedale Elysian 4 digs deeper - 30Hz against 46Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Wharfedale Elysian 4 is more sensitive (92dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | B&W 702 S3 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (300W vs 250W). |
| Size | depends | B&W 702 S3 is easier to place; Wharfedale Elysian 4 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | B&W 702 S3: bi-amping; Wharfedale Elysian 4: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | B&W 702 S3 is cheaper - $6,998 against $9,996, about 30% less. |
A B&W 702 S3 B Wharfedale Elysian 4
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Wharfedale Elysian 4 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 43% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - B&W 702 S3 looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Wharfedale Elysian 4 appeals to you. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 46Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper B&W 702 S3 much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Wharfedale Elysian 4 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, B&W 702 S3 is the easier speaker to get right.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.