In this review, we will be comparing Elysian 3 R and R600, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Wharfedale and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Elysian 3 R and Polk R600 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale Elysian 3 R | Polk R600 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 3.5" AMT | 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 7" | 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 44-22k Hz | 43-38k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 87.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | — | 25-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 28.44kg / 62.6lbs | 21.50kg / 47.3lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 41-5/16" x 10-7/16" x 12-7/16"
1049.3 x 265.1 x 315.9mm | 41.9" x 11" x 15"
1063.8 x 280.7 x 381.6mm |
|---|
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 Elysian 3 R is a 3-way design whereas the R600 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 Elysian 3 RPolk R600
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 Elysian 3 R |
Polk R600 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
3.5-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 7-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Elysian 3 R features a 3.5" AMT Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 7" Woofer. On the other hand, the R600 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz.
Frequency Response
Elysian 3 R has a frequency range of 44-22k Hz whereas R600 has a frequency range of 43-38k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 43Hz, the R600 can go slightly deeper then the Elysian 3 R's min frequency of 44Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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
Elysian 3 R is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the R600 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 3 R can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Elysian 3 R sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the R600's is rated at 87.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Elysian 3 R a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk R600, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
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 3 R features Post type posts and R600 has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk R600's Post terminals
Polk R600 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 Elysian 3 R's and Polk R600's external dimensions. Wharfedale Elysian 3 R has external dimensions of 1049.3 x 265.1 x 315.9mm () whereas Polk R600 has external dimensions of 1063.8 x 280.7 x 381.6mm (41.9 x 11 x 15inch).
Polk R600 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 15.6mm wider, 14.5mm taller and 65.7mm deeper than Wharfedale Elysian 3 R.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Polk R600 needs about 28% more floor or shelf area. Polk R600 is 66mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Polk R600 is 15mm taller.
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 3 R is approximately 837.5cm2 / 129.8inch2 and base area of the Polk R600 is approximately 1071.2cm2 / 166.0inch2. The Elysian 3 R requires 22% less surface area than the R600 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 Elysian 3 R weighs 28.44kg / 62.6lbs and the Polk R600 weighs 21.50kg / 47.3lbs. This makes the Elysian 3 R 32% heavier than the R600.
Here is a comparison of how Elysian 3 R and R600's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Polk R600?
Here are the items that come with the R600:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 4 Outrigger feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Spike feet (pre-installed)
- Grille
- Hex-key
- Owner's Manual
- Online Registration
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
7 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
1049mm
vs
1063mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
837cm2
vs
1071cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
43 Hz
vs
44 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
38k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
Wharfedale Elysian 3 R |
Polk Audio Reserve R600 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
87.5 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
44-22k Hz |
43-38k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
7" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Polypropylene Turbine Cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
3.5" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
AMT |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
2700Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1049.3mm (41.3") |
1063.8mm (41.9") |
| Width |
265.1mm (10.4") |
280.7mm (11.1") |
| Depth |
315.9mm (12.4") |
381.6mm (15") |
| Weight |
28.44kg (62.6lbs) |
21.50kg (47.3lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Walnut |
Black, Walnut, White |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: Wharfedale Elysian 3 R 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 | evenly matched | Much the same reach (44Hz vs 43Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | Polk R600 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Size | depends | Wharfedale Elysian 3 R is easier to place; Polk R600 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. Polk R600 sits in a wider range (10 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
A Wharfedale Elysian 3 R B Polk R600
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 R600 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 your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Polk R600 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.