In this review, we will be comparing Kanta No.1 and Elysian 2, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Focal and Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Focal Kanta No.1 and Wharfedale Elysian 2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Focal Kanta No.1 | Wharfedale Elysian 2 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Hard-Dome | 27x90mm" AMT (Ribbon) |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Flax | 8.5" Coated Fiberglass |
|---|
| Frequency response | 46-40k Hz | 35-22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-150 watts | 25-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 13.05kg / 28.7lbs | 30.50kg / 67.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 24-28" x 9-1/4" x 15-7/16"
609.6 x 228.6 x 393.0mm | 27.5" x 13.1" x 18.1"
700.0 x 334.0 x 462.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Focal Kanta No.1 and Wharfedale Elysian 2 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* |
Focal Kanta No.1 |
Wharfedale Elysian 2 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Kanta No.1 is a 2-way design whereas the Elysian 2 is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Focal Kanta No.1Wharfedale Elysian 2
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Focal Kanta No.1 |
Wharfedale Elysian 2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
27x90mm-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 8.5-inch
|
Kanta No.1 features a 1.1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Flax Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2400 Hz. On the other hand, the Elysian 2 features a 27x90mm" AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 1 x 8.5" Coated Fiberglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 360Hz and 2900Hz.
Frequency Response
Kanta No.1 has a frequency range of 46-40k Hz whereas Elysian 2 has a frequency range of 35-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the Elysian 2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Kanta No.1'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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
Kanta No.1 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Elysian 2 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 2 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Kanta No.1 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Elysian 2's is rated at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Elysian 2 a more sensitive speaker compared to Focal Kanta No.1, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
Elysian 2 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas Kanta No.1 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Elysian 2.
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
Elysian 2 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Kanta No.1 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Focal Kanta No.1's Binding post terminals
Wharfedale Elysian 2's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Kanta No.1 has a rear firing port whereas Elysian 2 has a bottom firing ports. Wharfedale Elysian 2's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Focal Kanta No.1 with its rear-firing port.
New
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 Focal Kanta No.1's and Wharfedale Elysian 2's external dimensions. Focal Kanta No.1 has external dimensions of 609.6 x 228.6 x 393.0mm (24-28inch x 9-1/4inch x 15-7/16inch) whereas Wharfedale Elysian 2 has external dimensions of 700.0 x 334.0 x 462.0mm (27.5 x 13.1 x 18.1inch).
Wharfedale Elysian 2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 105.4mm wider, 90.4mm taller and 69mm deeper than Focal Kanta No.1.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Focal Kanta No.1 and Wharfedale Elysian 2 in scale.
Comparison image of Focal Kanta No.1 and Wharfedale Elysian 2 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 Focal Kanta No.1 is approximately 898.4cm2 / 139.3inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale Elysian 2 is approximately 1543.1cm2 / 239.2inch2. The Kanta No.1 requires 42% less surface area than the Elysian 2 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 Focal Kanta No.1 weighs 13.05kg / 28.7lbs and the Wharfedale Elysian 2 weighs 30.50kg / 67.1lbs. This makes the Elysian 2 134% heavier than the Kanta No.1.
Here is a comparison of how Kanta No.1 and Elysian 2's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Focal Kanta No.1?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Kanta No.1:
- Bookshelf loudspeaker
- Grille
- Port plug
- 4 Slicone pads
- User Manual
What's in the Box of Wharfedale Elysian 2?
Here are the items that come with the Elysian 2:
- Stand-mount loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Terminal-jumpers (pre-installed)
- User Manual
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
609mm
vs
700mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
898cm2
vs
1543cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
89 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 |
35 Hz
vs
46 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Price per pair* |
6996USD
vs
7998USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Focal Kanta No.1 |
Wharfedale Elysian 2 |
| Brand |
Focal |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-150 watts |
25-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.9 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
46-40k Hz |
35-22k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Flax |
Coated Fiberglass |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Foamed Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
27x90mm" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
AMT (Ribbon) |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2400 Hz |
360Hz and 2900Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
609.6mm (24") |
700.0mm (27.6") |
| Width |
228.6mm (9") |
334.0mm (13.1") |
| Depth |
393.0mm (15.5") |
462.0mm (18.2") |
| Weight |
13.05kg (28.7lbs) |
30.50kg (67.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Multi-ply/Polymer/Veneer |
MDF/Wood-veneer |
| Available Colors |
High-Gloss Carrara White, High-Gloss Black/Deep Black, Matte Walnut/Dark Grey,Matte Walnut/Ivory |
Piano Black, Piano Walnut,White |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24-28" |
16-22" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
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 2 digs deeper - 35Hz against 46Hz. |
| Amplifier needs |
evenly matched |
Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match |
A |
Focal Kanta No.1 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom |
B |
Wharfedale Elysian 2 takes more power (250W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
Focal Kanta No.1 is easier to place; Wharfedale Elysian 2 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability |
B |
Wharfedale Elysian 2: bi-amping. |
| Price |
B |
Wharfedale Elysian 2 is cheaper - $6,996 against $7,998, about 13% less. |
A Focal Kanta No.1
B Wharfedale Elysian 2
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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 2 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Focal Kanta No.1 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 46Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Focal Kanta No.1 the better fit for a small room, and Wharfedale Elysian 2 for a large room and a very large room.
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.