In this review, we will be comparing EVO4.3 and ES60, 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 ES60 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Wharfedale EVO4.3 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1.18x2.36" AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter
- 2" Midrange
- 2 x 5" Kevlar Woofer
- 48-22k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:25-150watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 877.0" x 9-1/4" x 13-1/4"( 877.0 x 235.0 x 337.0mm )
Polk ES60 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 3 x 6.5" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer
- 32-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:50-300watts
- Weight:23.60kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1131.0" x 8-1/2" x 15-3/4"( 1131.0 x 216.0 x 401.0mm )
What size room are the Wharfedale EVO4.3 and Polk ES60 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 ES60 |
| 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Wharfedale EVO4.3 and Polk ES60 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that EVO4.3 is a 3-way design whereas the ES60 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.
| Driver |
Wharfedale EVO4.3 |
Polk ES60 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.18x2.36-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 2-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
3 x 6.5-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 ES60 features a 1" Terylene High-Res Soft-Dome Tweeter and 3 x 6.5" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
EVO4.3 has a frequency range of 48-22k Hz whereas ES60 has a frequency range of 32-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the ES60 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the EVO4.3's min frequency of 48Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
EVO4.3 and ES60 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 ES60's is at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk ES60 a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale EVO4.3, 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. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
EVO4.3 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas EVO4.3 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS , 150 watts less than the ES60.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both EVO4.3 and ES60 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both EVO4.3 and ES60 have bottom firing ports.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 ES60'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 ES60 has external dimensions of 1131.0 x 216.0 x 401.0mm ( 44-1/2 x 8-1/2 x 15-3/4inch) .
Wharfedale EVO4.3 is 254mm shorter and 64mm less deeper than Polk ES60 but it is also 19mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale EVO4.3 and Polk ES60 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale EVO4.3 and Polk ES60 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 ES60 is approximately 866.2cm2 / 134.3inch2. The EVO4.3 requires 9% less surface area than the ES60 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 loudspeakerGrille4 Outrigger feet (pre-installed)4 Spikes (pre-installed)4 Isolation pucks2 Jumper-bars (pre-installed)Pair of white cloth glovesUser Manual
What's in the Box of Polk ES60?
Here are the items that come with the ES60:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille (attached)4 Feet (pre-installed)Owners ManualOnline Product Registration