In this review, we will be comparing EVO5.2 and Aria Evo X No1, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Wharfedale and Focal.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale EVO5.2 and Focal Aria Evo X No1 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale EVO5.2 | Focal Aria Evo X No1 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Focal
France · founded 1979 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.375" AMT (Ribbon) | 1" inverted dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 2" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" woven Kevlar | 6.5" Flax |
|---|
| Frequency response | 44-24k Hz | 55-30kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 89.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-120 watts | 25-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 15.05kg / 33.1lbs | 8.50kg / 18.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 19.6" x 10.2" x 15.4"
497.0 x 260.0 x 391.0mm | 15-3/8" x 8-7/8" x 11"
391.0 x 225.0 x 280.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale EVO5.2 and Focal Aria Evo X No1 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 |
Focal Aria Evo X No1 |
| 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 EVO5.2 is a 3-way design whereas the Aria Evo X No1 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 EVO5.2Focal Aria Evo X No1
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 EVO5.2 |
Focal Aria Evo X No1 |
|
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 6.5-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 Aria Evo X No1 features a 1" Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Flax Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800 Hz.
Frequency Response
EVO5.2 has a frequency range of 44-24k Hz whereas Aria Evo X No1 has a frequency range of 55-30kHz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the EVO5.2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Aria Evo X No1's min frequency of 55Hz.
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
EVO5.2 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Aria Evo X No1 which has a nominal impedance of 8 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 Aria Evo X No1's is rated at 89.5 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Focal Aria Evo X No1 a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale EVO5.2, 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.
EVO5.2 and Aria Evo X No1 have the same power range of 25-120 watts.
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
Aria Evo X No1 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. EVO5.2 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale EVO5.2's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
EVO5.2 has a bottom firing port whereas Aria Evo X No1 has a front firing ports. Focal Aria Evo X No1's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Wharfedale EVO5.2 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 EVO5.2's and Focal Aria Evo X No1's external dimensions. Wharfedale EVO5.2 has external dimensions of 497.0 x 260.0 x 391.0mm (19.6" × 10.2" × 15.4") whereas Focal Aria Evo X No1 has external dimensions of 391.0 x 225.0 x 280.0mm (15-3/8 x 8-⅞ x 11).
Wharfedale EVO5.2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 35mm wider, 106mm taller and 111mm deeper than Focal Aria Evo X No1.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale EVO5.2 and Focal Aria Evo X No1 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale EVO5.2 and Focal Aria Evo X No1 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 EVO5.2 is approximately 1016.6cm2 / 157.6inch2 and base area of the Focal Aria Evo X No1 is approximately 630.0cm2 / 97.7inch2. The EVO5.2 requires 61% more surface area than the Aria Evo X No1 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 EVO5.2 weighs 15.05kg / 33.1lbs and the Focal Aria Evo X No1 weighs 8.50kg / 18.7lbs. This makes the EVO5.2 77% heavier than the Aria Evo X No1.
Here is a comparison of how EVO5.2 and Aria Evo X No1'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 EVO5.2?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of EVO5.2:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Jumper-bars (pre-installed)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Pair of white cloth gloves
- User Manual
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Low Frequency Response |
44 Hz
vs
55 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
1799USD
vs
2398USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Minimum Impedance |
4.6 ohms
vs
3.2 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
24k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
391mm
vs
497mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
630cm2
vs
1016cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Wharfedale EVO5.2 |
Focal Aria Evo X No1 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-120 watts |
25-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
89.5 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
4.6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
44-24k Hz |
55-30kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
woven Kevlar |
Flax |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
TMD |
| Tweeter Size |
1.375" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
AMT (Ribbon) |
inverted dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
2" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
800 Hz and 4.3 kHz |
2800 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
497.0mm (19.6") |
391.0mm (15.4") |
| Width |
260.0mm (10.2") |
225.0mm (8.9") |
| Depth |
391.0mm (15.4") |
280.0mm (11") |
| Weight |
15.05kg (33.1lbs) |
8.50kg (18.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-veneer |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Grey. Black, White |
Black High Gloss, Prime Walnut, Moss Green High Gloss |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
18-22" |
n/a |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Wharfedale EVO5.2 digs deeper - 44Hz against 55Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Focal Aria Evo X No1 is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Focal Aria Evo X No1 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (120W vs 120W). |
| Size | depends | Focal Aria Evo X No1 is easier to place; Wharfedale EVO5.2 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | Focal Aria Evo X No1: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Wharfedale EVO5.2 is cheaper - $1,799 against $2,398, about 25% less. |
A Wharfedale EVO5.2 B Focal Aria Evo X No1
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?
The usual trade-off: Focal Aria Evo X No1 measures better, Wharfedale EVO5.2 costs about about 33% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 55Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, Wharfedale EVO5.2 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Focal Aria Evo X No1 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.