In this review, we will be comparing EVO4.3 and S60, 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 S60 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Wharfedale EVO4.3 and Polk S60 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Wharfedale EVO4.3 and Polk S60 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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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that EVO4.3 is a 3-way design whereas the S60 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 S60 |
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 S60 features a 1" Terylene 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 S60 has a frequency range of 26-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 26Hz, the S60 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 S60 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 S60's is at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk S60 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 S60.
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 S60 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both EVO4.3 and S60 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 S60'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 S60 has external dimensions of 1131.0 x 299.0 x 401.0mm ( 44-1/2 x 11-3/4 x 15-3/4inch) .
Polk S60 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 64mm wider, 254mm taller and 64mm deeper than Wharfedale EVO4.3.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale EVO4.3 and Polk S60 in scale.
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 S60 is approximately 1199.0cm2 / 185.8inch2. The EVO4.3 requires 34% less surface area than the S60 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 S60?
Here are the items that come with the S60:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille (attached)4 Feet (pre-installed)Owners ManualOnline Product Registration