In this review, we will be comparing D310 and Carina BS243.4, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Wharfedale and ELAC.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale D310 and ELAC Carina BS243.4 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale D310 | ELAC Carina BS243.4 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" JET AMT (Ribbon) |
|---|
| Woofer | 4" Woven Kevlar | 5.25" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 65-20k Hz | 46-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 85 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-60 watts | 30-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 4.00kg / 8.8lbs | 6.70kg / 14.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 10-7/16" x 6-1/8" x 8-13/16"
266.0 x 156.0 x 224.0mm | 12-5/8" x 8-1/16" x 9-11/16"
321.0 x 205.0 x 247.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale D310 and ELAC Carina BS243.4 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* |
Wharfedale D310 |
ELAC Carina BS243.4 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Average |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
Bad |
(* 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 D310 and Carina BS243.4 are 2-way speakers.
Wharfedale D310ELAC Carina BS243.4
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Wharfedale D310 |
ELAC Carina BS243.4 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 4-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
D310 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4" Woven Kevlar Woofer. On the other hand, the Carina BS243.4 features a 1" JET AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer.
Frequency Response
D310 has a frequency range of 65-20k Hz whereas Carina BS243.4 has a frequency range of 46-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 46Hz, the Carina BS243.4 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the D310's min frequency of 65Hz.
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
D310 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Carina BS243.4 which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. D310 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the Carina BS243.4's is rated at 85 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Wharfedale D310 a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC Carina BS243.4, 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.
Carina BS243.4 can handle a max power of 100 watts RMS, whereas D310 has a max power handling value of 60 watts RMS, 40 watts less than the Carina BS243.4.
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
Carina BS243.4 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. D310 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale D310's Post terminals
ELAC Carina BS243.4's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both D310 and Carina BS243.4 have bottom firing ports.
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 Wharfedale D310's and ELAC Carina BS243.4's external dimensions. Wharfedale D310 has external dimensions of 266.0 x 156.0 x 224.0mm (10-7/16 x 6-1/8 x 8-13/16inch) whereas ELAC Carina BS243.4 has external dimensions of 321.0 x 205.0 x 247.0mm (12-5/8 x 8-1/16 x 9-11/16inch).
ELAC Carina BS243.4 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 49mm wider, 55mm taller and 23mm deeper than Wharfedale D310.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale D310 and ELAC Carina BS243.4 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale D310 and ELAC Carina BS243.4 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 Wharfedale D310 is approximately 349.4cm2 / 54.2inch2 and base area of the ELAC Carina BS243.4 is approximately 506.4cm2 / 78.5inch2. The D310 requires 31% less surface area than the Carina BS243.4 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of Wharfedale D310 and ELAC Carina BS243.4 on a Media Console
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 Wharfedale D310 weighs 4.00kg / 8.8lbs and the ELAC Carina BS243.4 weighs 6.70kg / 14.7lbs. This makes the Carina BS243.4 68% heavier than the D310.
Here is a comparison of how D310 and Carina BS243.4'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 D310?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of D310:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Tweeter grilles (pre-installed)
- 2 Woofer grilles (pre-installed)
- User-feets Manual
- Installation Guide
What's in the Box of ELAC Carina BS243.4?
Here are the items that come with the Carina BS243.4:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 4 Jumper straps (pre-intalled)
- Operating Instructions
 Sensitivity |
86 dB
vs
85 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Height |
266mm
vs
321mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
349cm2
vs
506cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
199USD
vs
1500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
100 watts
vs
60 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
5.25 inches
vs
4 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
46 Hz
vs
65 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
| General |
Wharfedale D310 |
ELAC Carina BS243.4 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Compact bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
20-60 watts |
30-100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
85 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.6 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
65-20k Hz |
46-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
4" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Woven Kevlar |
Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Foamed Polyether |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
JET AMT (Ribbon) |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
266.0mm (10.5") |
321.0mm (12.6") |
| Width |
156.0mm (6.1") |
205.0mm (8.1") |
| Depth |
224.0mm (8.8") |
247.0mm (9.7") |
| Weight |
4.00kg (8.8lbs) |
6.70kg (14.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Polymer |
| Available Colors |
Rosewood, Black, White, Walnut |
Satin Black,Satin White |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
22-26" |
24-28" |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Years |
These sit in different price classes - ELAC Carina BS243.4 costs roughly 7.5x what Wharfedale D310 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 | ELAC Carina BS243.4 digs deeper - 46Hz against 65Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (86dB vs 85dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | Wharfedale D310 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | B | ELAC Carina BS243.4 takes more power (100W vs 60W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Wharfedale D310 is easier to place; ELAC Carina BS243.4 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | ELAC Carina BS243.4: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Wharfedale D310 is cheaper - $199 against $1,500, about 87% less; arguably a different class. |
A Wharfedale D310 B ELAC Carina BS243.4
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?
The usual trade-off: ELAC Carina BS243.4 measures better, Wharfedale D310 costs about about 7.5x the price% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 65Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Wharfedale D310 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Wharfedale D310 the better fit for near-field listening; elsewhere the two are rated the same.
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.