In this review, we will be comparing ELYSIAN 3 and Elysian 4, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Elysian 3 and Wharfedale Elysian 4 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale Elysian 3 | Wharfedale Elysian 4 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | AMT (Ribbon) | 27x90mm" AMT (Ribbon) |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 7" Coated glass fibre matrix | 2 x 8.5" Coated Fiberglass |
|---|
| Frequency response | 44-22k Hz | 30-22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 92 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-200 watts | 15-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 28.44kg / 62.6lbs | 49.60kg / 109.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 41-5/16" x 10-3/8" x 12-3/8"
1050.0 x 263.0 x 315.0mm | 46-3/4" x 15-13/16" x 18-3/16"
1188.0 x 402.0 x 462.0mm |
|---|
ELYSIAN 3 and Elysian 4 are members of Wharfedale's Elysian series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Wharfedale Elysian Series
History
What size room are the Wharfedale Elysian 3 and Wharfedale Elysian 4 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 3 |
Wharfedale Elysian 4 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Average |
(* 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 ELYSIAN 3 and Elysian 4 are 3-way speakers.
Wharfedale Elysian 3Wharfedale Elysian 4
MidrangeWoofer
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 |
Wharfedale Elysian 4 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
27x90mm-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 7-inch
|
2 x 8.5-inch
|
ELYSIAN 3 features a " AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 7" Coated glass fibre matrix Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 375Hz and 2900Hz. On the other hand, the Elysian 4 features a 27x90mm" AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 8.5" Coated Fiberglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 340Hz and 3100Hz.
Frequency Response
ELYSIAN 3 has a frequency range of 44-22k Hz whereas Elysian 4 has a frequency range of 30-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the Elysian 4 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the ELYSIAN 3'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 and Elysian 4 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. ELYSIAN 3 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Elysian 4's is at 92 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Elysian 4 a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale Elysian 3, 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 ELYSIAN 3 and the ELYSIAN 3 can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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 4 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas ELYSIAN 3 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Elysian 4.
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
Both ELYSIAN 3 and Elysian 4 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
ELYSIAN 3 has a rear firing port whereas Elysian 4 has a bottom firing ports. Wharfedale Elysian 4's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Wharfedale Elysian 3 with its rear-firing 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's and Wharfedale Elysian 4's external dimensions. Wharfedale Elysian 3 has external dimensions of 1050.0 x 263.0 x 315.0mm (41-5/16 x 10-3/8 x 12-3/8inch) whereas Wharfedale Elysian 4 has external dimensions of 1188.0 x 402.0 x 462.0mm (46-3/4 x 15-13/16 x 18-3/16inch).
Wharfedale Elysian 4 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 139mm wider, 138mm taller and 147mm deeper than Wharfedale Elysian 3.
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.
Wharfedale Elysian 4 needs about 124% more floor or shelf area. Wharfedale Elysian 4 is 147mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Wharfedale Elysian 4 is 138mm 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 is approximately 828.5cm2 / 128.4inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale Elysian 4 is approximately 1857.2cm2 / 287.9inch2. The ELYSIAN 3 requires 55% less surface area than the Elysian 4 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 weighs 28.44kg / 62.6lbs and the Wharfedale Elysian 4 weighs 49.60kg / 109.1lbs. This makes the Elysian 4 74% heavier than the ELYSIAN 3.
Here is a comparison of how ELYSIAN 3 and Elysian 4'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 Wharfedale Elysian 4?
Here are the items that come with the Elysian 4:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Terminal-jumpers (pre-installed)
- 4 Spike feet
- User Manual
 Height |
1050mm
vs
1188mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
828cm2
vs
1857cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
7495USD
vs
9996USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8.5 inches
vs
7 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
44 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Wharfedale Elysian 3 |
Wharfedale Elysian 4 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-200 watts |
15-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
92 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.2 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
44-22k Hz |
30-22k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
7" |
8.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Coated glass fibre matrix |
Coated Fiberglass |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Foamed Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
27x90mm" |
| Tweeter Type |
AMT (Ribbon) |
AMT (Ribbon) |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
375Hz and 2900Hz |
340Hz and 3100Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1050.0mm (41.3") |
1188.0mm (46.8") |
| Width |
263.0mm (10.4") |
402.0mm (15.8") |
| Depth |
315.0mm (12.4") |
462.0mm (18.2") |
| Weight |
28.44kg (62.6lbs) |
49.60kg (109.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Piano Black, Piano Walnut,White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Siblings in Wharfedale's Elysian series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Wharfedale Elysian 4 digs deeper - 30Hz against 44Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Wharfedale Elysian 4 is more sensitive (92dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | Wharfedale Elysian 4 takes more power (250W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Wharfedale Elysian 3 is easier to place; Wharfedale Elysian 4 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Wharfedale Elysian 3: bi-amping; Wharfedale Elysian 4: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Wharfedale Elysian 3 is cheaper - $7,495 against $9,996, about 25% less. |
A Wharfedale Elysian 3 B Wharfedale Elysian 4
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?
The usual trade-off: Wharfedale Elysian 4 measures better, Wharfedale Elysian 3 costs about about 33% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 44Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Wharfedale Elysian 3 much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Wharfedale Elysian 4 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Wharfedale Elysian 3 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.