In this review, we will be comparing EVO5.2 and AE500, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Wharfedale and Acoustic Energy.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale EVO5.2 and AE500 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Wharfedale EVO5.2 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1.375" AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter
- 2" Midrange
- 6.5" woven Kevlar Woofer
- 44-24k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:25-120watts
- Weight:15.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 497.0" x 10.2" x 15.4"( 497.0 x 260.0 x 350.0mm )
AE500 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" dome with waveguide Tweeter
- 5" carbon fibre cone Woofer
- 45Hz - 28kHz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:up to 120watts
- Weight:8.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 310.0" x 7.3" x 10.2"( 310.0 x 185.0 x 260.0mm )
What size room are the Wharfedale EVO5.2 and AE500 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 EVO5.2 |
AE500 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Average |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Wharfedale EVO5.2 and AE500 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 EVO5.2 is a 3-way design whereas the AE500 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 EVO5.2 |
AE500 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.375-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 2-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
EVO5.2 features a 1.375" SilentWeave cotton and felt damping fiber AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter , a 2" Midrange and 1 x 6.5" woven Kevlar Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 800 Hz and 4.3 kHz. On the other hand, the AE500 features a 1" carbon fibre dome with waveguide Tweeter and 1 x 5" carbon fibre cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800Hz.
Frequency Response
EVO5.2 has a frequency range of 44-24k Hz whereas AE500 has a frequency range of 45Hz - 28kHz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the EVO5.2 can go slightly deeper then the AE500's min frequency of 45Hz.
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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf 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
EVO5.2 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the AE500 which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the EVO5.2 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. EVO5.2 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the AE500's is rated at 87 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Wharfedale EVO5.2 a more sensitive speaker compared to AE500, 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. 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.
EVO5.2 can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS from the amp the whereas AE500 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the EVO5.2.
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.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
EVO5.2 has a bottom firing port whereas AE500 has a rear firing ports. Wharfedale EVO5.2's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to AE500 with its rear-firing port.
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 EVO5.2's and AE500's external dimensions. Wharfedale EVO5.2 has external dimensions of 497.0 x 260.0 x 350.0mm ( 19.6" × 10.2" × 15.4") whereas AE500 has external dimensions of 310.0 x 185.0 x 260.0mm ( 12.2 x 7.3 x 10.2inch) .
Wharfedale EVO5.2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 75mm wider, 187mm taller and 90mm deeper than AE500.
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 EVO5.2 is approximately 910.0cm2 / 141.1inch2 and base area of the AE500 is approximately 481.0cm2 / 74.6inch2. The EVO5.2 requires 89% more surface area than the AE500 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.