In this review, we will be comparing EVO4.1 and S10, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Wharfedale and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale EVO4.1 and Polk S10 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale EVO4.1 | Polk S10 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.18x2.36" AMT (Ribbon) | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5" Kevlar | 4" Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 64-22k Hz | 67-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-100 watts | 20-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 7.80kg / 17.2lbs | 2.73kg / 6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 13.1" x 8.2" x 11.6"
335.0 x 210.0 x 295.0mm | 8.4" x 5.0" x 6.1"
214.0 x 127.0 x 155.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale EVO4.1 and Polk S10 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 EVO4.1 |
Polk S10 |
| Near-field |
Average |
Average |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
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 EVO4.1 and S10 are 2-way speakers.
Wharfedale EVO4.1Polk S10
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 EVO4.1 |
Polk S10 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.18x2.36-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
1 x 4-inch
|
EVO4.1 features a 1.18x2.36" AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter and 1 x 5" Kevlar Woofer. On the other hand, the S10 features a 1" Terylene Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
EVO4.1 has a frequency range of 64-22k Hz whereas S10 has a frequency range of 67-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 64Hz, the EVO4.1 can go slightly deeper then the S10's min frequency of 67Hz.
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
EVO4.1 and S10 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 87 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 100 watts RMS, though EVO4.1 is rated 25-100 watts and S10 20-100 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
EVO4.1 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. S10 has a 5-way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale EVO4.1's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Polk S10's 5-way post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
EVO4.1 has a bottom firing port whereas S10 has a rear firing ports. Wharfedale EVO4.1's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Polk S10 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 EVO4.1's and Polk S10's external dimensions. Wharfedale EVO4.1 has external dimensions of 335.0 x 210.0 x 295.0mm (13.1 x 8.2 x 11.6inch) whereas Polk S10 has external dimensions of 214.0 x 127.0 x 155.0mm (8.4 x 5.0 x 6.1inch).
Wharfedale EVO4.1 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 83mm wider, 121mm taller and 140mm deeper than Polk S10.
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 EVO4.1 is approximately 619.5cm2 / 96.0inch2 and base area of the Polk S10 is approximately 196.9cm2 / 30.5inch2. The EVO4.1 requires 215% more surface area than the S10 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 Wharfedale EVO4.1 weighs 7.80kg / 17.2lbs and the Polk S10 weighs 2.73kg / 6lbs. This makes the EVO4.1 186% heavier than the S10.
Here is a comparison of how EVO4.1 and S10'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 EVO4.1?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of EVO4.1:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Jumper-bars (pre-installed)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Pair of white cloth gloves
- User Manual
What's in the Box of Polk S10?
Here are the items that come with the S10:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grille (attached)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Wall-mount template
- Owners Manual
- Online Product Registration
 Woofer Size |
5 inches
vs
4 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
64 Hz
vs
67 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Mounting Bracket |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows mounting on walls |
 Height |
214mm
vs
335mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
196cm2
vs
619cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
199USD
vs
799USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Wharfedale EVO4.1 |
Polk Audio Signature S10 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Satellite speakers |
| Power Range |
25-100 watts |
20-100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.5 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
64-22k Hz |
67-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
4" |
| Woofer Composition |
Kevlar |
Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Butyl rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.18x2.36" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
AMT (Ribbon) |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
335.0mm (13.2") |
214.0mm (8.4") |
| Width |
210.0mm (8.3") |
127.0mm (5") |
| Depth |
295.0mm (11.6") |
155.0mm (6.1") |
| Weight |
7.80kg (17.2lbs) |
2.73kg (6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-veneer |
Meddite MDF |
| Available Colors |
Walnut,Black,White |
Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
Keyhole |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24-26" |
28-31" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Wharfedale EVO4.1 costs roughly 4x what Polk S10 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 | A | Wharfedale EVO4.1 digs deeper - 64Hz against 67Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 87dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (100W vs 100W). |
| Size | depends | Polk S10 is easier to place; Wharfedale EVO4.1 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Wharfedale EVO4.1: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Polk S10 is cheaper - $199 against $799, about 75% less; arguably a different class. |
A Wharfedale EVO4.1 B Polk S10
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: Wharfedale EVO4.1 measures better, Polk S10 costs about about 4x 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. In a large or open-plan room, Wharfedale EVO4.1 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Polk S10 is the easier speaker to get right. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $600 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.