In this review, we will be comparing SuperCenter Reference and Elysian C, two Passive Center Channel speakers from GoldenEar and Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of GoldenEar SC Ref and Wharfedale Elysian C first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | GoldenEar SC Ref | Wharfedale Elysian C |
|---|
| Brand | GoldenEar
United States · founded 2010 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | 27 x 45mm" Air Motion Transformer (AMT) |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 4 x 5.25" | 2 x 8.5" coated fiberglass matrix |
|---|
| Frequency response | 33-35k Hz | 35-22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-350 watts | 50-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 14.09kg / 31lbs | 30.23kg / 66.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 5-7/8" x 35" x 11-1/16"
150.0 x 889.0 x 281.0mm | 12-5/8" x 32-11/16" x 14-9/16"
321.0 x 831.0 x 370.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the GoldenEar SC Ref and Wharfedale Elysian C 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* |
GoldenEar SC Ref |
Wharfedale Elysian C |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Bad |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
Poor |
(* 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.
Drivers
Both SuperCenter Reference and Elysian C are 3-way speakers.
GoldenEar SC RefWharfedale Elysian C
MidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
GoldenEar SC Ref |
Wharfedale Elysian C |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
27 x 45mm-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
4 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 8.5-inch
|
SuperCenter Reference features a " Tweeter and 4 x 5.25" Woofer. On the other hand, the Elysian C features a 27 x 45mm" Air Motion Transformer (AMT) Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 8.5" coated fiberglass matrix Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 360Hz and 2900HZ.
Frequency Response
SuperCenter Reference has a frequency range of 33-35k Hz whereas Elysian C has a frequency range of 35-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 33Hz, the SuperCenter Reference can go slightly deeper then the Elysian C's min frequency of 35Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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
SuperCenter Reference is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Elysian C which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 91 dBdB.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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.
SuperCenter Reference can handle a max power of 350 watts RMS, whereas Elysian C has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the SuperCenter Reference.
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 C features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. SuperCenter Reference has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale Elysian C's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 GoldenEar SC Ref's and Wharfedale Elysian C's external dimensions. GoldenEar SC Ref has external dimensions of 150.0 x 889.0 x 281.0mm (5-7/8 x 35 x 11-1/16inch) whereas Wharfedale Elysian C has external dimensions of 321.0 x 831.0 x 370.0mm (12-5/8 x 32-11/16 x 14-9/16inch).
GoldenEar SC Ref is 171mm shorter and 89mm less deeper than Wharfedale Elysian C but it is also 58mm wider.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Wharfedale Elysian C needs about 23% more floor or shelf area. Wharfedale Elysian C is 89mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Wharfedale Elysian C is 171mm taller.
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 GoldenEar SC Ref is approximately 2498.1cm2 / 387.2inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale Elysian C is approximately 3074.7cm2 / 476.6inch2. The SuperCenter Reference requires 19% less surface area than the Elysian C 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 GoldenEar SC Ref weighs 14.09kg / 31lbs and the Wharfedale Elysian C weighs 30.23kg / 66.5lbs. This makes the Elysian C 115% heavier than the SuperCenter Reference.
Here is a comparison of how SuperCenter Reference and Elysian C's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
What's in the Box of GoldenEar SC Ref?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of SuperCenter Reference:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- 4 Leveling feet
- 4 Threaded-inserts
- Owners Manual
What's in the Box of Wharfedale Elysian C?
Here are the items that come with the Elysian C:
- Center channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Terminal-jumpers
- User Manual
 Max Input Power |
350 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Number of Woofers |
4
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
33 Hz
vs
35 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
150mm
vs
321mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
2498cm2
vs
3074cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1899USD
vs
4995USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
|
Woofer Size |
8.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| General |
GoldenEar SuperCenter Reference |
Wharfedale Elysian C |
| Brand |
GoldenEar |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
20-350 watts |
50-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
33-35k Hz |
35-22k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
4 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
8.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
coated fiberglass matrix |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
27 x 45mm" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Air Motion Transformer (AMT) |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
360Hz and 2900HZ |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
150.0mm (5.9") |
321.0mm (12.6") |
| Width |
889.0mm (35") |
831.0mm (32.7") |
| Depth |
281.0mm (11.1") |
370.0mm (14.6") |
| Weight |
14.09kg (31lbs) |
30.23kg (66.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Piano Black, Piano Walnut,White |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Wharfedale Elysian C costs roughly 2.6x what GoldenEar SC Ref does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (33Hz vs 35Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (91dB vs 91dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | GoldenEar SC Ref is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | A | GoldenEar SC Ref takes more power (350W vs 250W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | GoldenEar SC Ref is easier to place; Wharfedale Elysian C is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Passive Radiator vs Ported. |
| Expandability | B | Wharfedale Elysian C: bi-amping. Wharfedale Elysian C sits in a wider range (6 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | GoldenEar SC Ref is cheaper - $1,899 against $4,995, about 62% less; arguably a different class. |
A GoldenEar SC Ref B Wharfedale Elysian C
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?
GoldenEar SC Ref has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. Match it to your room: we rate GoldenEar SC Ref the better fit for a large room and a very large room, and Wharfedale Elysian C for a small room and a mid-size room. In a large or open-plan room, Wharfedale Elysian C has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, GoldenEar SC Ref 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.