In this review, we will be comparing Nero MB5 and Elysian 2, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from OSD and Wharfedale. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of OSD Nero MB5 and Wharfedale Elysian 2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
OSD Nero MB5 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 5.25" Fiberglass Woofer
- 50-30k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:100watts
- Weight:5.45kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 304.0" x 7-5/16" x 9-5/8"( 304.0 x 177.8 x 245.0mm )
Wharfedale Elysian 2 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 27x90mm" AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter
- 6" Midrange
- 8.5" Coated Fiberglass Woofer
- 6" Midrange
- 35-22k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:25-250watts
- Weight:30.50kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 700.0" x 13.1" x 18.1"( 700.0 x 334.0 x 462.0mm )
What size room are the OSD Nero MB5 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* |
OSD Nero MB5 |
Wharfedale Elysian 2 |
| Near-field |
Average |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the OSD Nero MB5 and Wharfedale Elysian 2 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 Nero MB5 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.
| Driver |
OSD Nero MB5 |
Wharfedale Elysian 2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
27x90mm-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 8.5-inch
|
Nero MB5 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Fiberglass Woofer . 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
Nero MB5 has a frequency range of 50-30k 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 Nero MB5's min frequency of 50Hz.
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
Nero MB5 and Elysian 2 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Nero MB5 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Elysian 2's is at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the OSD Nero MB5 a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale Elysian 2, 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 Nero MB5 and the Nero MB5 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.
Nero MB5 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Nero MB5 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS , 150 watts less than the Elysian 2.
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
Elysian 2 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Nero MB5 has a --- which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale Elysian 2's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 OSD Nero MB5's and Wharfedale Elysian 2's external dimensions. OSD Nero MB5 has external dimensions of 304.0 x 177.8 x 245.0mm ( 11-15/16inch x 7-5/16inch x 9-5/8inch ) 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 156.2mm wider, 396mm taller and 217mm deeper than OSD Nero MB5.
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 OSD Nero MB5 is approximately 435.6cm2 / 67.5inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale Elysian 2 is approximately 1543.1cm2 / 239.2inch2. The Nero MB5 requires 72% 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 OSD Nero MB5 weighs 5.45kg / 12lbs and the Wharfedale Elysian 2 weighs 30.50kg / 67.1lbs. This makes the Elysian 2 460% heavier than the Nero MB5.
Here is a comparison of how Nero MB5 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 OSD Nero MB5?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Nero MB5:
2 Bookshelf loudspeakers2 Grilles
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