In this review, we will be comparing SourcePoint 8 and Elysian 1, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from MoFi and Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MoFi SourcePoint 8 and Wharfedale Elysian 1 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | MoFi SourcePoint 8 | Wharfedale Elysian 1 |
|---|
| Brand | MoFi
United States · founded 2016 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.25" wide roll soft dome | 27x90mm" AMT (Ribbon) |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" Paper-pulp | 7" Coated Fiberglass |
|---|
| Frequency response | 47-30k Hz | 49-22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-150 watts | 25-175 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 12.70kg / 27.9lbs | 15.03kg / 33.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 18" x 11.4" x 12.6"
456 x 290 x 320mm | 18-24" x 10-3/8" x 12-7/16"
458.0 x 264.0 x 316.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the MoFi SourcePoint 8 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* |
MoFi SourcePoint 8 |
Wharfedale Elysian 1 |
| 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
Both SourcePoint 8 and Elysian 1 are 2-way speakers.
MoFi SourcePoint 8Wharfedale Elysian 1
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
MoFi SourcePoint 8 |
Wharfedale Elysian 1 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.25-inch
|
27x90mm-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
1 x 7-inch
|
SourcePoint 8 features a 1.25" wide roll soft dome Tweeter and 1 x 8" Paper-pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1600 Hz. 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
SourcePoint 8 has a frequency range of 47-30k Hz whereas Elysian 1 has a frequency range of 49-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 47Hz, the SourcePoint 8 can go slightly deeper then the Elysian 1's min frequency of 49Hz.
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
SourcePoint 8 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Elysian 1 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 1 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. SourcePoint 8 sensitivity is rated at 87dB and the Elysian 1's is rated at 89 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Elysian 1 a more sensitive speaker compared to MoFi SourcePoint 8, 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 1 can handle a max power of 175 watts RMS, whereas SourcePoint 8 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 25 watts less than the Elysian 1.
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 1 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. SourcePoint 8 has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
MoFi SourcePoint 8's 5-Way post terminals
Wharfedale Elysian 1's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
SourcePoint 8 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 MoFi SourcePoint 8 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 MoFi SourcePoint 8's and Wharfedale Elysian 1's external dimensions. MoFi SourcePoint 8 has external dimensions of 456 x 290 x 320mm (18 x 11.4 x 12.6 inch) 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).
Wharfedale Elysian 1 is 26mm narrower and 4mm less deeper than MoFi SourcePoint 8 but it is also 2mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of MoFi SourcePoint 8 and Wharfedale Elysian 1 in scale.
Comparison image of MoFi SourcePoint 8 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 MoFi SourcePoint 8 is approximately 928.0cm2 / 143.8inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale Elysian 1 is approximately 834.2cm2 / 129.3inch2. The SourcePoint 8 requires 11% more surface area than the Elysian 1 which gives it a small disadvantage 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 MoFi SourcePoint 8 weighs 12.70kg / 27.9lbs and the Wharfedale Elysian 1 weighs 15.03kg / 33.1lbs. This makes the Elysian 1 18% heavier than the SourcePoint 8.
Here is a comparison of how SourcePoint 8 and Elysian 1's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Wharfedale Elysian 1?
Here are the items that come with the Elysian 1:
- 2 Stand-mount loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Terminal-jumpers (pre-installed)
- User Manual
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Minimum Impedance |
6.4 ohms
vs
3.8 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
7 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
47 Hz
vs
49 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
456mm
vs
458mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
2999USD
vs
4995USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
175 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Base Surface Area |
834cm2
vs
928cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
MoFi SourcePoint 8 |
Wharfedale Elysian 1 |
| Brand |
MoFi |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
30-150 watts |
25-175 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
6.4 ohms |
3.8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
47-30k Hz |
49-22k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
7" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper-pulp |
Coated Fiberglass |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Foamed Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.25" |
27x90mm" |
| Tweeter Type |
wide roll soft dome |
AMT (Ribbon) |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
1600 Hz |
2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
456.0mm (18") |
458.0mm (18") |
| Width |
290.0mm (11.4") |
264.0mm (10.4") |
| Depth |
320.0mm (12.6") |
316.0mm (12.4") |
| Weight |
12.70kg (27.9lbs) |
15.03kg (33.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
real wood veneer |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Black, Walnut, Satin White |
Piano Black, Piano Walnut,White |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
18-24" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Wharfedale Elysian 1 costs roughly 1.7x what MoFi SourcePoint 8 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 (47Hz vs 49Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | B | Wharfedale Elysian 1 is more sensitive (89dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | MoFi SourcePoint 8 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 (150W vs 175W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | B | Wharfedale Elysian 1: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | MoFi SourcePoint 8 is cheaper - $2,999 against $4,995, about 40% less; arguably a different class. |
A MoFi SourcePoint 8 B Wharfedale Elysian 1
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 1 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 67% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - MoFi SourcePoint 8 looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Wharfedale Elysian 1 appeals to you. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Wharfedale Elysian 1 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $1,996 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.