In this review, we will be comparing EVO4.3 and R700, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Wharfedale and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale EVO4.3 and Polk R700 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale EVO4.3 | Polk R700 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.18x2.36" AMT (Ribbon) | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
|---|
| Midrange | 2" | 6.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5" Kevlar | 2 x 8" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 48-22k Hz | 38-38k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-150 watts | 50-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | — | 35.90kg / 79lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 34-1/2" x 9-1/4" x 13-1/4"
877.0 x 235.0 x 337.0mm | 45" x 12.6" x 16.9"
1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale EVO4.3 and Polk R700 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 EVO4.3 |
Polk R700 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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 EVO4.3 and R700 are 3-way speakers.
Wharfedale EVO4.3Polk R700
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 EVO4.3 |
Polk R700 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.18x2.36-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 2-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
EVO4.3 features a 1.18x2.36" AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter, a 2" Midrange and 2 x 5" Kevlar Woofer. On the other hand, the R700 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350Hz and 2700Hz.
Frequency Response
EVO4.3 has a frequency range of 48-22k Hz whereas R700 has a frequency range of 38-38k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the R700 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the EVO4.3's min frequency of 48Hz.
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
EVO4.3 and R700 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. EVO4.3 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the R700's is at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Wharfedale EVO4.3 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk R700, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
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.
R700 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas EVO4.3 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the R700.
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 EVO4.3 and R700 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Polk R700's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both EVO4.3 and R700 have bottom firing ports.
Polk R700 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 EVO4.3's and Polk R700's external dimensions. Wharfedale EVO4.3 has external dimensions of 877.0 x 235.0 x 337.0mm (34-1/2 x 9-1/4 x 13-1/4inch) whereas Polk R700 has external dimensions of 1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm (45 x 12.6 x 16.9inch).
Polk R700 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 85.7mm wider, 266.8mm taller and 91.3mm deeper than Wharfedale EVO4.3.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale EVO4.3 and Polk R700 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale EVO4.3 and Polk R700 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 EVO4.3 is approximately 792.0cm2 / 122.8inch2 and base area of the Polk R700 is approximately 1373.6cm2 / 212.9inch2. The EVO4.3 requires 42% less surface area than the R700 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Wharfedale EVO4.3?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of EVO4.3:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Outrigger feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Spikes (pre-installed)
- 4 Isolation pucks
- 2 Jumper-bars (pre-installed)
- Pair of white cloth gloves
- User Manual
What's in the Box of Polk R700?
Here are the items that come with the R700:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 4 Outrigger feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Spike feet (pre-installed)
- Grille
- Hex-key
- Owner's Manual
- Online Registration