In this review, we will be comparing Rebellion and EVO4.2, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Klipsch and Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Klipsch Heritage Rebellion and Wharfedale EVO4.2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Klipsch Heritage Rebellion | Wharfedale EVO4.2 |
|---|
| Brand | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | Compression Horn | 1.18x2.36" AMT (Ribbon) |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 2" |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" Paper | 6.5" Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 60-20k Hz | 54-22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 95 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 200 watts | 25-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 14.51kg / 31.9lbs | 13.40kg / 29.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 19-1/8" x 12" x 9-3/4"
485.0 x 305.0 x 247.0mm | 17.9" x 9.8" x 13.7"
455.0 x 250.0 x 350.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Klipsch Heritage Rebellion and Wharfedale EVO4.2 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* |
Klipsch Heritage Rebellion |
Wharfedale EVO4.2 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Rebellion is a 2-way design whereas the EVO4.2 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.
Klipsch Heritage RebellionWharfedale EVO4.2
MidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Klipsch Heritage Rebellion |
Wharfedale EVO4.2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1.18x2.36-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 2-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Rebellion features a " K-702 driver Compression Horn Tweeter and 1 x 8" Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 715Hz. On the other hand, the EVO4.2 features a 1.18x2.36" AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter, a 2" Midrange and 1 x 6.5" Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
Rebellion has a frequency range of 60-20k Hz whereas EVO4.2 has a frequency range of 54-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 54Hz, the EVO4.2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Rebellion's min frequency of 60Hz.
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
Rebellion and EVO4.2 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Rebellion sensitivity is rated at 95 dB and the EVO4.2's is at 88 dB. This 7 dB difference makes the Klipsch Heritage Rebellion a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale EVO4.2, 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.
Rebellion can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas EVO4.2 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 80 watts less than the Rebellion.
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.
Klipsch Heritage Rebellion
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
EVO4.2 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Rebellion has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Rebellion has a rear firing port whereas EVO4.2 has a bottom firing ports. Wharfedale EVO4.2's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Klipsch Heritage Rebellion 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 Klipsch Heritage Rebellion's and Wharfedale EVO4.2's external dimensions. Klipsch Heritage Rebellion has external dimensions of 485.0 x 305.0 x 247.0mm (19-1/8 x 12 x 9-3/4inch) whereas Wharfedale EVO4.2 has external dimensions of 455.0 x 250.0 x 350.0mm (17.9 x 9.8 x 13.7inch).
Wharfedale EVO4.2 is 55mm narrower and 30mm shorter than Klipsch Heritage Rebellion but it is also 103mm deeper.
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 EVO4.2 needs about 16% more floor or shelf area. Wharfedale EVO4.2 is 103mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Klipsch Heritage Rebellion is 30mm 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 Klipsch Heritage Rebellion is approximately 753.4cm2 / 116.8inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale EVO4.2 is approximately 875.0cm2 / 135.6inch2. The Rebellion requires 14% less surface area than the EVO4.2 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 Klipsch Heritage Rebellion weighs 14.51kg / 31.9lbs and the Wharfedale EVO4.2 weighs 13.40kg / 29.5lbs. This makes the Rebellion 8% heavier than the EVO4.2.
Here is a comparison of how Rebellion and EVO4.2's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Klipsch Heritage Rebellion
What's in the Box of Wharfedale EVO4.2?
Here are the items that come with the EVO4.2:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Jumper-bars (pre-installed)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Pair of white cloth gloves
- User Manual
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
95 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Base Surface Area |
753cm2
vs
875cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Minimum Impedance |
4 ohms
vs
3.3 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
|
Low Frequency Response |
54 Hz
vs
60 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
22k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
455mm
vs
485mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Klipsch Heritage Rebellion |
Wharfedale EVO4.2 |
| Brand |
Klipsch |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
up to 200 watts |
25-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
95 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.3 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
60-20k Hz |
54-22k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper |
Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1.18x2.36" |
| Tweeter Type |
Compression Horn |
AMT (Ribbon) |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
2" |
| Crossover Frequency |
715Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
485.0mm (19.1") |
455.0mm (17.9") |
| Width |
305.0mm (12") |
250.0mm (9.8") |
| Depth |
247.0mm (9.7") |
350.0mm (13.8") |
| Weight |
14.51kg (31.9lbs) |
13.40kg (29.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
18 mm MDF with real wood veneer |
MDF/Wood-veneer |
| Available Colors |
Black Ash, Walnut |
Walnut,Black,White |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
18-22" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: Klipsch Heritage Rebellion is the newer design, against a 2019 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Wharfedale EVO4.2 digs deeper - 54Hz against 60Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Klipsch Heritage Rebellion is more sensitive (95dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | Klipsch Heritage Rebellion takes more power (200W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Wharfedale EVO4.2: bi-amping. Klipsch Heritage Rebellion sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($1,199 vs $1,199 a pair). |
A Klipsch Heritage Rebellion B Wharfedale EVO4.2
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?
Klipsch Heritage Rebellion has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 60Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Klipsch Heritage Rebellion is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.