In this review, we will be comparing Elysian 2 and Q350, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Wharfedale and KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Elysian 2 and KEF Q350 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Wharfedale Elysian 2 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 27x90mm" AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter
- 6" Midrange
- 8.5" Coated Fiberglass Woofer
- 35-22k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:25-250watts
- Weight:30.50kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 700.0" x 13.1" x 18.1"( 700.0 x 334.0 x 462.0mm )
KEF Q350 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 11th Generation Uni-Q Driver
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Aluminum Woofer
- 63-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:10-120watts
- Weight:7.60kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 358.0" x 8.2" x 12.0"( 358.0 x 210.0 x 306.0mm )
What size room are the Wharfedale Elysian 2 and KEF Q350 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 Elysian 2 |
KEF Q350 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Wharfedale Elysian 2 and KEF Q350 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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through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Elysian 2 is a 3-way design whereas the Q350 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 Elysian 2 |
KEF Q350 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
27x90mm-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Elysian 2 features a 27x90mm" AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 1 x 8.5" Coated Fiberglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 360Hz and 2900Hz. On the other hand, the Q350 features a 1" vented aluminum Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Elysian 2 has a frequency range of 35-22k Hz whereas Q350 has a frequency range of 63-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the Elysian 2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Q350's min frequency of 63Hz.
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
Elysian 2 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Q350 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 Elysian 2 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Elysian 2 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Q350's is rated at 87 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Elysian 2 a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Q350, 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.
Elysian 2 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Q350 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 130 watts less than the Elysian 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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Elysian 2 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Q350 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale Elysian 2's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
KEF Q350's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Elysian 2 has a bottom firing port whereas Q350 has a rear firing ports. Wharfedale Elysian 2's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to KEF Q350 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 Elysian 2's and KEF Q350's external dimensions. Wharfedale Elysian 2 has external dimensions of 700.0 x 334.0 x 462.0mm ( 27.5 x 13.1 x 18.1inch) whereas KEF Q350 has external dimensions of 358.0 x 210.0 x 306.0mm ( 14.0 x 8.2 x 12.0inch) .
Wharfedale Elysian 2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 124mm wider, 342mm taller and 156mm deeper than KEF Q350.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale Elysian 2 and KEF Q350 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale Elysian 2 and KEF Q350 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 Elysian 2 is approximately 1543.1cm2 / 239.2inch2 and base area of the KEF Q350 is approximately 642.6cm2 / 99.6inch2. The Elysian 2 requires 140% more surface area than the Q350 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.