In this review, we will be comparing Dovedale and Elysian 2, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Dovedale and Wharfedale Elysian 2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale Dovedale | Wharfedale Elysian 2 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" soft dome | 27x90mm" AMT (Ribbon) |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 10" black woven Kevlar cone | 8.5" Coated Fiberglass |
|---|
| Frequency response | 36-20k Hz | 35-22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 DB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6.5 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-250 watts | 25-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 26.20kg / 57.6lbs | 30.50kg / 67.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 26.0" x 14.6" x 16.4"
660 x 370 x 417mm | 27.5" x 13.1" x 18.1"
700.0 x 334.0 x 462.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale Dovedale 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* |
Wharfedale Dovedale |
Wharfedale Elysian 2 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| 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.
**This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Dovedale and Elysian 2 are 3-way speakers.
Wharfedale DovedaleWharfedale Elysian 2
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Wharfedale Dovedale |
Wharfedale Elysian 2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
27x90mm-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 10-inch
|
1 x 8.5-inch
|
Dovedale features a 1" soft dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 1 x 10" black woven Kevlar cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 560Hz and 2900Hz. 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
Dovedale has a frequency range of 36-20k Hz whereas Elysian 2 has a frequency range of 35-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the Elysian 2 can go slightly deeper then the Dovedale's min frequency of 36Hz.
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
Dovedale is a 6.5 ohms speaker compared to the Elysian 2 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 2 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Dovedale sensitivity is rated at 89 DB and the Elysian 2's is rated at 89 dB.
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.
Dovedale and Elysian 2 have the same power range of 25-250 watts.
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 Dovedale and Elysian 2 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Wharfedale Dovedale's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Wharfedale Elysian 2's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Dovedale has a rear firing port whereas Elysian 2 has a bottom firing ports. Wharfedale Elysian 2's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Wharfedale Dovedale 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 Wharfedale Dovedale's and Wharfedale Elysian 2's external dimensions. Wharfedale Dovedale has external dimensions of 660 x 370 x 417mm (23.6 x 14.6 x 16.4 inch) 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 Dovedale is 40mm shorter and 45mm less deeper than Wharfedale Elysian 2 but it is also 36mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale Dovedale and Wharfedale Elysian 2 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale Dovedale and Wharfedale Elysian 2 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 Dovedale is approximately 1542.9cm2 / 239.1inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale Elysian 2 is approximately 1543.1cm2 / 239.2inch2. The Dovedale requires 0% 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 Wharfedale Dovedale weighs 26.20kg / 57.6lbs and the Wharfedale Elysian 2 weighs 30.50kg / 67.1lbs. This makes the Elysian 2 16% heavier than the Dovedale.
Here is a comparison of how Dovedale 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 Wharfedale Elysian 2?
Here are the items that come with the Elysian 2:
- Stand-mount loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Terminal-jumpers (pre-installed)
- User Manual
 Nominal Impedance |
6.5 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
660mm
vs
700mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1542cm2
vs
1543cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
5000USD
vs
6996USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
|
Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
36 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
22k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
Wharfedale Dovedale |
Wharfedale Elysian 2 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-250 watts |
25-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 DB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
6.5 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.6 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
36-20k Hz |
35-22k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
8.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
black woven Kevlar cone |
Coated Fiberglass |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Foamed Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
27x90mm" |
| Tweeter Type |
soft dome |
AMT (Ribbon) |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
560Hz and 2900Hz |
360Hz and 2900Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
660.0mm (26") |
700.0mm (27.6") |
| Width |
370.0mm (14.6") |
334.0mm (13.1") |
| Depth |
417.0mm (16.4") |
462.0mm (18.2") |
| Weight |
26.20kg (57.6lbs) |
30.50kg (67.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
MDF/Wood-veneer |
| Available Colors |
Walnut |
Piano Black, Piano Walnut,White |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
16-22" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 years |
Both are Wharfedale, from different ranges - so the house sound is shared and the differences are mostly in scale, engineering and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (36Hz vs 35Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | Wharfedale Dovedale is the easier load at 6.5 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (250W vs 250W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Wharfedale Dovedale: bi-amping; Wharfedale Elysian 2: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Wharfedale Dovedale is cheaper - $5,000 against $6,996, about 29% less. |
A Wharfedale Dovedale B Wharfedale Elysian 2
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 Dovedale 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 your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Wharfedale Dovedale 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.