In this review, we will be comparing EVO4.2 and Motion 15, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Wharfedale and MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale EVO4.2 and MartinLogan 15 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale EVO4.2 | MartinLogan 15 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | MartinLogan
United States · founded 1982 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.18x2.36" AMT (Ribbon) | 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion |
|---|
| Midrange | 2" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Kevlar | 5.25" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 54-22k Hz | 60-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 5 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-120 watts | 20-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 13.40kg / 29.5lbs | 5.40kg / 11.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 17.9" x 9.8" x 13.7"
455.0 x 250.0 x 350.0mm | 11.4" x 6.8" x 9.4"
290.0 x 173.0 x 240.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale EVO4.2 and MartinLogan 15 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 EVO4.2 |
MartinLogan 15 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that EVO4.2 is a 3-way design whereas the Motion 15 is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Wharfedale EVO4.2MartinLogan 15
MidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Wharfedale EVO4.2 |
MartinLogan 15 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.18x2.36-inch
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 2-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
EVO4.2 features a 1.18x2.36" AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter, a 2" Midrange and 1 x 6.5" Kevlar Woofer. On the other hand, the Motion 15 features a 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz.
Frequency Response
EVO4.2 has a frequency range of 54-22k Hz whereas Motion 15 has a frequency range of 60-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 54Hz, the EVO4.2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Motion 15's min frequency of 60Hz.
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
EVO4.2 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Motion 15 which has a nominal impedance of 5 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. EVO4.2 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Motion 15's is rated at 92 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the MartinLogan 15 a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale EVO4.2, 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.
Motion 15 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas EVO4.2 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 80 watts less than the Motion 15.
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
EVO4.2 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Motion 15 has a Custom 5-way tool-less binding posts which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
EVO4.2 has a bottom firing port whereas Motion 15 has a rear firing ports. Wharfedale EVO4.2's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to MartinLogan 15 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 EVO4.2's and MartinLogan 15's external dimensions. Wharfedale EVO4.2 has external dimensions of 455.0 x 250.0 x 350.0mm (17.9 x 9.8 x 13.7inch) whereas MartinLogan 15 has external dimensions of 290.0 x 173.0 x 240.0mm (11.4 x 6.8 x 9.4inch).
Wharfedale EVO4.2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 77mm wider, 165mm taller and 110mm deeper than MartinLogan 15.
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 EVO4.2 is approximately 875.0cm2 / 135.6inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan 15 is approximately 415.2cm2 / 64.4inch2. The EVO4.2 requires 111% more surface area than the Motion 15 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 EVO4.2 weighs 13.40kg / 29.5lbs and the MartinLogan 15 weighs 5.40kg / 11.9lbs. This makes the EVO4.2 148% heavier than the Motion 15.
Here is a comparison of how EVO4.2 and Motion 15'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 EVO4.2?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of EVO4.2:
- 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 MartinLogan 15?
Here are the items that come with the Motion 15:
- Bookshelf loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Rubber feet
- Users Manual
- Warranty/Registration Information
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
5 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
54 Hz
vs
60 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
290mm
vs
455mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
415cm2
vs
875cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
800USD
vs
1199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Wharfedale EVO4.2 |
MartinLogan Motion 15 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-120 watts |
20-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
5 ohms |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
54-22k Hz |
60-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Kevlar |
Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.18x2.36" |
1.0 x 1.4" |
| Tweeter Type |
AMT (Ribbon) |
Folded Motion |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
2" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
2700Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
rear |
| Suggested Break-in Period |
n/a |
Allow 72 hours of break-in at 90 dB |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
455.0mm (17.9") |
290.0mm (11.4") |
| Width |
250.0mm (9.8") |
173.0mm (6.8") |
| Depth |
350.0mm (13.8") |
240.0mm (9.4") |
| Weight |
13.40kg (29.5lbs) |
5.40kg (11.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-veneer |
Piano Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Walnut,Black,White |
Gloss Black, Matt White, Red Walnut |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
18-22" |
24-30" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Yrs w/ Registration |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Yrs w/ Registration |
A generation apart: Wharfedale EVO4.2 is the newer design, against a 2014 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Wharfedale EVO4.2 digs deeper - 54Hz against 60Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | MartinLogan 15 is more sensitive (92dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | Wharfedale EVO4.2 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | B | MartinLogan 15 takes more power (200W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | MartinLogan 15 is easier to place; Wharfedale EVO4.2 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Wharfedale EVO4.2: bi-amping. MartinLogan 15 sits in a wider range (18 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | MartinLogan 15 is cheaper - $800 against $1,199, about 33% less. |
A Wharfedale EVO4.2 B MartinLogan 15
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 60Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper MartinLogan 15 much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Wharfedale EVO4.2 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, MartinLogan 15 is the easier speaker to get right.
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.