In this review, we will be comparing EVO5.C and R400, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Wharfedale and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale EVO5.C and Polk R400 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale EVO5.C | Polk R400 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.375" AMT (Ribbon) | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5" woven Kevlar | 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 56-24k Hz | 48-39K Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-120 watts | 20-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 12.55kg / 27.6lbs | 14.91kg / 32.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 7.4" x 20.5" x 12"
188.0 x 520.0 x 305.0mm | 7-13/16" x 24-5/16" x 14-5/8"
199.0 x 618.0 x 372.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale EVO5.C and Polk R400 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.C |
Polk R400 |
| 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
Both EVO5.C and R400 are 2-way speakers.
Wharfedale EVO5.CPolk R400
TweeterWoofer
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.C |
Polk R400 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.375-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
EVO5.C features a 1.375" SilentWeave cotton and felt damping fiber AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter and 2 x 5" woven Kevlar Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2300Hz. On the other hand, the R400 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
EVO5.C has a frequency range of 56-24k Hz whereas R400 has a frequency range of 48-39K Hz. With a minimum frequency of 48Hz, the R400 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the EVO5.C's min frequency of 56Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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.C is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the R400 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.C can provide this impedance level.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 89 dBdB.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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.
R400 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas EVO5.C has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 80 watts less than the R400.
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
EVO5.C features Binding post type posts and R400 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk R400's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both EVO5.C and R400 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Polk R400 dual 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.C's and Polk R400's external dimensions. Wharfedale EVO5.C has external dimensions of 188.0 x 520.0 x 305.0mm (7.4" × 20.5" × 12.0") whereas Polk R400 has external dimensions of 199.0 x 618.0 x 372.0mm (7-13/16 x 24-5/16 x 14-5/8inch).
Polk R400 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 98mm wider, 11mm taller and 67mm deeper than Wharfedale EVO5.C.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale EVO5.C and Polk R400 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale EVO5.C and Polk R400 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.C is approximately 1586.0cm2 / 245.8inch2 and base area of the Polk R400 is approximately 2299.0cm2 / 356.3inch2. The EVO5.C requires 31% less surface area than the R400 which gives it a small advantage 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.C weighs 12.55kg / 27.6lbs and the Polk R400 weighs 14.91kg / 32.8lbs. This makes the R400 19% heavier than the EVO5.C.
Here is a comparison of how EVO5.C and R400's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
What's in the Box of Wharfedale EVO5.C?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of EVO5.C:
What's in the Box of Polk R400?
Here are the items that come with the R400:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- Owners Manual
- Online Registration
 Height |
188mm
vs
199mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1586cm2
vs
2299cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
48 Hz
vs
56 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
39k Hz
vs
24k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
Wharfedale EVO5.C |
Polk Audio Reserve R400 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
25-120 watts |
20-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4.1 ohms |
4.1 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
56-24k Hz |
48-39K Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
woven Kevlar |
Polypropylene Turbine Cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.375" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
AMT (Ribbon) |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2300Hz |
2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
188.0mm (7.4") |
199.0mm (7.8") |
| Width |
520.0mm (20.5") |
618.0mm (24.3") |
| Depth |
305.0mm (12") |
372.0mm (14.6") |
| Weight |
12.55kg (27.6lbs) |
14.91kg (32.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-veneer |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Grey. Black, White |
Black, Walnut |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: Wharfedale EVO5.C is the newer design, against a 2021 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Polk R400 digs deeper - 48Hz against 56Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | Polk R400 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | B | Polk R400 takes more power (200W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Wharfedale EVO5.C is easier to place; Polk R400 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. Polk R400 sits in a wider range (10 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($649 vs $649 a pair). |
A Wharfedale EVO5.C B Polk R400
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?
Polk R400 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 56Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, Polk R400 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Wharfedale EVO5.C 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.