In this review, we will be comparing Olympica V and Elysian 4, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Sonus faber and Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus faber Olympica V and Wharfedale Elysian 4 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sonus faber Olympica V | Wharfedale Elysian 4 |
|---|
| Brand | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Soft-Dome | 27x90mm" AMT (Ribbon) |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 6.5" Paper | 2 x 8.5" Coated Fiberglass |
|---|
| Frequency response | 37-40k Hz | 30-22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-400 watts | 15-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 44.00kg / 96.8lbs | 49.60kg / 109.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 46-1/4" x 16-11/16" x 20-13/16"
1174.0 x 424.0 x 529.0mm | 46-3/4" x 15-13/16" x 18-3/16"
1188.0 x 402.0 x 462.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Sonus faber Olympica V 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* |
Sonus faber Olympica V |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Olympica V and Elysian 4 are 3-way speakers.
Sonus faber Olympica VWharfedale Elysian 4
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Sonus faber Olympica V |
Wharfedale Elysian 4 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
27x90mm-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8.5-inch
|
Olympica V features a 1.1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 370, 2390 Hz. 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
Olympica V has a frequency range of 37-40k Hz whereas Elysian 4 has a frequency range of 30-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the Elysian 4 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Olympica V's min frequency of 37Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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
Olympica V and Elysian 4 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Olympica V sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Elysian 4's is at 92 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Elysian 4 a more sensitive speaker compared to Sonus faber Olympica V, 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 Olympica V and the Olympica V 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Olympica V can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS, whereas Elysian 4 has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the Olympica V.
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
Both Olympica V and Elysian 4 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
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 Sonus faber Olympica V's and Wharfedale Elysian 4's external dimensions. Sonus faber Olympica V has external dimensions of 1174.0 x 424.0 x 529.0mm (46-1/4 x 16-11/16 x 20-13/16inch) 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).
Wharfedale Elysian 4 is 22mm narrower and 67mm less deeper than Sonus faber Olympica V but it is also 14mm taller.
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.
Sonus faber Olympica V needs about 21% more floor or shelf area. Sonus faber Olympica V is 67mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Wharfedale Elysian 4 is 14mm 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 Sonus faber Olympica V is approximately 2243.0cm2 / 347.7inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale Elysian 4 is approximately 1857.2cm2 / 287.9inch2. The Olympica V requires 21% more surface area than the Elysian 4 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 Sonus faber Olympica V weighs 44.00kg / 96.8lbs and the Wharfedale Elysian 4 weighs 49.60kg / 109.1lbs. This makes the Elysian 4 13% heavier than the Olympica V.
Here is a comparison of how Olympica V and Elysian 4's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Wharfedale Elysian 4?
Here are the items that come with the Elysian 4:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Terminal-jumpers (pre-installed)
- 4 Spike feet
- User Manual
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1174mm
vs
1188mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Woofer Size |
8.5 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
37 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
1857cm2
vs
2243cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
9996USD
vs
16500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Sonus faber Olympica V |
Wharfedale Elysian 4 |
| Brand |
Sonus faber |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-400 watts |
15-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
37-40k Hz |
30-22k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper |
Coated Fiberglass |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Foamed Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
27x90mm" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
AMT (Ribbon) |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
370, 2390 Hz |
340Hz and 3100Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1174.0mm (46.2") |
1188.0mm (46.8") |
| Width |
424.0mm (16.7") |
402.0mm (15.8") |
| Depth |
529.0mm (20.8") |
462.0mm (18.2") |
| Weight |
44.00kg (96.8lbs) |
49.60kg (109.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Piano Black, Piano Walnut,White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Sonus faber Olympica V costs roughly 1.7x what Wharfedale Elysian 4 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 | B | Wharfedale Elysian 4 digs deeper - 30Hz against 37Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Wharfedale Elysian 4 is more sensitive (92dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | Sonus faber Olympica V takes more power (400W vs 250W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Sonus faber Olympica V: bi-amping; Wharfedale Elysian 4: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Wharfedale Elysian 4 is cheaper - $9,996 against $16,500, about 39% less; arguably a different class. |
A Sonus faber Olympica V B Wharfedale Elysian 4
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 4 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 37Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Wharfedale Elysian 4 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.