In this review, we will be comparing ELYSIAN 2R and ELYSIAN 1R, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Wharfedale
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Elysian 2R and Wharfedale Elysian 1R first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Wharfedale Elysian 2R Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- " AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter
- 6" Midrange
- 8.5" Coated glass fibre matrix Woofer
- 35-22k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:25-250watts
- Weight:30.50kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 27-9/16" x 13-1/8" x 18-3/16" ( 700.0 x 334.0 x 462.0mm )
Wharfedale Elysian 1R Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- " AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter
- 7" Coated glass fibre matrix Woofer
- 49-22k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:25-175watts
- Weight:15.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 19-5/16" x 10-3/8" x 12-3/8" ( 490.0 x 263.0 x 315.0mm )
ELYSIAN 2R and ELYSIAN 1R are members of Wharfedale's Elysian R series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Wharfedale Elysian R Series
History
What size room are the Wharfedale Elysian 2R and Wharfedale Elysian 1R 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 2R |
Wharfedale Elysian 1R |
| 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Wharfedale Elysian 2R and Wharfedale Elysian 1R compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
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 2R is a 3-way design whereas the ELYSIAN 1R 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 2R |
Wharfedale Elysian 1R |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8.5-inch
|
1 x 7-inch
|
ELYSIAN 2R features a " AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 1 x 8.5" Coated glass fibre matrix Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 360Hz and 2900Hz. On the other hand, the ELYSIAN 1R features a " AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter and 1 x 7" Coated glass fibre matrix Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2600Hz.
Frequency Response
ELYSIAN 2R has a frequency range of 35-22k Hz whereas ELYSIAN 1R has a frequency range of 49-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the ELYSIAN 2R can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the ELYSIAN 1R's min frequency of 49Hz.
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 2R and ELYSIAN 1R have the same Impedance of 4 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 89 dB.
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 ELYSIAN 2R and the ELYSIAN 2R 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. 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 2R can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas ELYSIAN 1R has a max power handling value of 175 watts RMS, 75 watts less than the ELYSIAN 2R.
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 2R features Binding post type posts and ELYSIAN 1R has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both ELYSIAN 2R and ELYSIAN 1R 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.
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 2R's and Wharfedale Elysian 1R's external dimensions. Wharfedale Elysian 2R has external dimensions of 700.0 x 334.0 x 462.0mm ( 27-9/16 x 13-1/8 x 18-3/16inch) whereas Wharfedale Elysian 1R has external dimensions of 490.0 x 263.0 x 315.0mm ( 19-5/16 x 10-3/8 x 12-3/8inch) .
Wharfedale Elysian 2R is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 71mm wider, 210mm taller and 147mm deeper than Wharfedale Elysian 1R.
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 2R is approximately 1543.1cm2 / 239.2inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale Elysian 1R is approximately 828.5cm2 / 128.4inch2. The ELYSIAN 2R requires 86% more surface area than the ELYSIAN 1R which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.