In this review, we will be comparing Synchrony T800 and Elysian 4, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from PSB and Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of PSB Synchrony T800 and Wharfedale Elysian 4 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
PSB Synchrony T800 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 5.25" Midrange
- 3 x 8" Cast Basket Carbon Fibre Cone Woofer
- 21-23k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:20-300watts
- Weight:45.40kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1212.0" x 14 7/8" x 15 5/8"( 1212 x 377 x 396mm )
Wharfedale Elysian 4 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 27x90mm" AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter
- 6" Midrange
- 2 x 8.5" Coated Fiberglass Woofer
- 6" Midrange
- 30-22k Hz Frequency Response
- 92 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:15-250watts
- Weight:49.60kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1188.0" x 15-13/16" x 18-3/16"( 1188.0 x 402.0 x 462.0mm )
What size room are the PSB Synchrony T800 and Wharfedale Elysian 4 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* |
PSB Synchrony T800 |
Wharfedale Elysian 4 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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 PSB Synchrony T800 and Wharfedale Elysian 4 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
Both Synchrony T800 and Elysian 4 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
PSB Synchrony T800 |
Wharfedale Elysian 4 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
27x90mm-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 8-inch
|
2 x 8.5-inch
|
Synchrony T800 features a 1" titanium with ferrofluid cooling and neodymium magnet Dome Tweeter , a 5.25" Midrange and 3 x 8" Cast Basket Carbon Fibre Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 1800Hz. On the other hand, the Elysian 4 features a 27x90mm" AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 2 x 8.5" Coated Fiberglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 340Hz and 3100Hz.
Frequency Response
Synchrony T800 has a frequency range of 21-23k Hz whereas Elysian 4 has a frequency range of 30-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 21Hz, the Synchrony T800 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Elysian 4's min frequency of 30Hz.
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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing 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
Synchrony T800 and Elysian 4 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Synchrony T800 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Elysian 4's is at 92 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Elysian 4 a more sensitive speaker compared to PSB Synchrony T800, 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 Synchrony T800 and the Synchrony T800 can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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.
Synchrony T800 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Elysian 4 has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Synchrony T800.
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 Synchrony T800 and Elysian 4 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
PSB Synchrony T800's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Synchrony T800 has a rear firing port whereas Elysian 4 has a bottom firing ports. Wharfedale Elysian 4's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to PSB Synchrony T800 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 PSB Synchrony T800's and Wharfedale Elysian 4's external dimensions. PSB Synchrony T800 has external dimensions of 1212 x 377 x 396mm ( 47 3/4 x 14 7/8 x 15 5/8-inch) whereas Wharfedale Elysian 4 has external dimensions of 1188.0 x 402.0 x 462.0mm ( 46-3/4 x 15-13/16 x 18-3/16inch) .
PSB Synchrony T800 is 25mm narrower and 66mm less deeper than Wharfedale Elysian 4 but it is also 24mm 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 PSB Synchrony T800 is approximately 1492.0cm2 / 231.3inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale Elysian 4 is approximately 1857.2cm2 / 287.9inch2. The Synchrony T800 requires 20% less surface area than the Elysian 4 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.