In this review, we will be comparing EVO5.2 and Elysian 1, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale EVO5.2 and Wharfedale Elysian 1 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale EVO5.2 | Wharfedale Elysian 1 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.375" AMT (Ribbon) | 27x90mm" AMT (Ribbon) |
|---|
| Midrange | 2" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" woven Kevlar | 7" Coated Fiberglass |
|---|
| Frequency response | 44-24k Hz | 49-22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-120 watts | 25-175 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 15.05kg / 33.1lbs | 15.03kg / 33.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 19.6" x 10.2" x 15.4"
497.0 x 260.0 x 391.0mm | 18-24" x 10-3/8" x 12-7/16"
458.0 x 264.0 x 316.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale EVO5.2 and Wharfedale Elysian 1 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 |
Wharfedale Elysian 1 |
| 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 Elysian 1 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 EVO5.2Wharfedale Elysian 1
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 |
Wharfedale Elysian 1 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.375-inch
|
27x90mm-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 2-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 7-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 Elysian 1 features a 27x90mm" AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter and 1 x 7" Coated Fiberglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
EVO5.2 has a frequency range of 44-24k Hz whereas Elysian 1 has a frequency range of 49-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the EVO5.2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Elysian 1's min frequency of 49Hz.
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 and Elysian 1 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. EVO5.2 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Elysian 1's is at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Elysian 1 a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale EVO5.2, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the EVO5.2 and the EVO5.2 can provide this impedance level.
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.
Elysian 1 can handle a max power of 175 watts RMS, whereas EVO5.2 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 55 watts less than the Elysian 1.
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
Elysian 1 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
Wharfedale Elysian 1's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both EVO5.2 and Elysian 1 have bottom firing ports.
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 Wharfedale Elysian 1'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 Wharfedale Elysian 1 has external dimensions of 458.0 x 264.0 x 316.0mm (18-24 x 10-3/8 x 12-7/16inch).
Wharfedale Elysian 1 is 39mm shorter and 75mm less deeper than Wharfedale EVO5.2 but it is also 4mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale EVO5.2 and Wharfedale Elysian 1 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale EVO5.2 and Wharfedale Elysian 1 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 Wharfedale Elysian 1 is approximately 834.2cm2 / 129.3inch2. The EVO5.2 requires 22% more surface area than the Elysian 1 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 Wharfedale Elysian 1 weighs 15.03kg / 33.1lbs. This makes the EVO5.2 0% heavier than the Elysian 1.
Here is a comparison of how EVO5.2 and Elysian 1'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
What's in the Box of Wharfedale Elysian 1?
Here are the items that come with the Elysian 1:
- 2 Stand-mount loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Terminal-jumpers (pre-installed)
- User Manual
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Low Frequency Response |
44 Hz
vs
49 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
24k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
1799USD
vs
4995USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
175 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Minimum Impedance |
3.8 ohms
vs
3.2 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
|
Woofer Size |
7 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
458mm
vs
497mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
834cm2
vs
1016cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Wharfedale EVO5.2 |
Wharfedale Elysian 1 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-120 watts |
25-175 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
3.8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
44-24k Hz |
49-22k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
7" |
| Woofer Composition |
woven Kevlar |
Coated Fiberglass |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Foamed Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.375" |
27x90mm" |
| Tweeter Type |
AMT (Ribbon) |
AMT (Ribbon) |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
2" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
800 Hz and 4.3 kHz |
2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
497.0mm (19.6") |
458.0mm (18") |
| Width |
260.0mm (10.2") |
264.0mm (10.4") |
| Depth |
391.0mm (15.4") |
316.0mm (12.4") |
| Weight |
15.05kg (33.1lbs) |
15.03kg (33.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-veneer |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Grey. Black, White |
Piano Black, Piano Walnut,White |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
18-22" |
18-24" |
| 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 |
These sit in different price classes - Wharfedale Elysian 1 costs roughly 2.8x what Wharfedale EVO5.2 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Wharfedale EVO5.2 digs deeper - 44Hz against 49Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | B | Wharfedale Elysian 1 takes more power (175W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Wharfedale Elysian 1 is easier to place; Wharfedale EVO5.2 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | Wharfedale Elysian 1: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Wharfedale EVO5.2 is cheaper - $1,799 against $4,995, about 64% less; arguably a different class. |
A Wharfedale EVO5.2 B Wharfedale Elysian 1
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?
Wharfedale Elysian 1 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 2.8x the price. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Wharfedale EVO5.2 looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Wharfedale Elysian 1 appeals to you. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 49Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $3,196 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.