In this review, we will be comparing Reference 1 Meta and Elysian 1, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from KEF and Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Reference 1 Meta and Wharfedale Elysian 1 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
KEF Reference 1 Meta Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 12th Generation Uni-Q Driver
- 1" aluminium dome with MAT Tweeter
- 5" Midrange
- 6.5" aluminium cone Woofer
- 45-35k Hz Frequency Response
- 85 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:50-200watts
- Weight:18.20kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 440.0" x 8.1" x 16.6"( 440 x 205 x 422 mm )
Wharfedale Elysian 1 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 27x90mm" AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter
- 7" Coated Fiberglass Woofer
- 49-22k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:25-175watts
- Weight:15.03kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 458.0" x 10-3/8" x 12-7/16"( 458.0 x 264.0 x 316.0mm )
What size room are the KEF Reference 1 Meta and Wharfedale Elysian 1 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* |
KEF Reference 1 Meta |
Wharfedale Elysian 1 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the KEF Reference 1 Meta and Wharfedale Elysian 1 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Reference 1 Meta is a 3-way design whereas the Elysian 1 is a 2-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.
| Driver |
KEF Reference 1 Meta |
Wharfedale Elysian 1 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
27x90mm-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 7-inch
|
Reference 1 Meta features a 1" aluminium dome with MAT Tweeter , a 5" Midrange and 1 x 6.5" aluminium cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 2100Hz. On the other hand, the Elysian 1 features a 27x90mm" AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter and 1 x 7" Coated Fiberglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Reference 1 Meta has a frequency range of 45-35k Hz whereas Elysian 1 has a frequency range of 49-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the Reference 1 Meta can go slightly deeper then the Elysian 1's min frequency of 49Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Reference 1 Meta and Elysian 1 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Reference 1 Meta sensitivity is rated at 85 dB and the Elysian 1's is at 89 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Elysian 1 a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Reference 1 Meta, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Reference 1 Meta and the Reference 1 Meta can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Reference 1 Meta can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Elysian 1 has a max power handling value of 175 watts RMS, 25 watts less than the Reference 1 Meta.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Reference 1 Meta and Elysian 1 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
KEF Reference 1 Meta's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Wharfedale Elysian 1's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Reference 1 Meta has a rear firing port whereas Elysian 1 has a bottom firing ports. Wharfedale Elysian 1's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to KEF Reference 1 Meta with its rear-firing port.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare KEF Reference 1 Meta's and Wharfedale Elysian 1's external dimensions. KEF Reference 1 Meta has external dimensions of 440 x 205 x 422 mm ( 17.3 x 8.1 x 16.6 ) whereas Wharfedale Elysian 1 has external dimensions of 458.0 x 264.0 x 316.0mm ( 18-24 x 10-3/8 x 12-7/16inch) .
KEF Reference 1 Meta is 59mm narrower and 18mm shorter than Wharfedale Elysian 1 but it is also 106mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF Reference 1 Meta and Wharfedale Elysian 1 in scale.
Comparison image of KEF Reference 1 Meta and Wharfedale Elysian 1 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 KEF Reference 1 Meta is approximately 865.1cm2 / 134.1inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale Elysian 1 is approximately 834.2cm2 / 129.3inch2. The Reference 1 Meta requires 4% more surface area than the Elysian 1 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.