In this review, we will be comparing Elysian 4 and 704 S2, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Wharfedale and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Elysian 4 and B&W 704 S2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Wharfedale Elysian 4 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 27x90mm" AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter
- 6" Midrange
- 2 x 8.5" Coated Fiberglass Woofer
- 30-22k Hz Frequency Response
- 92 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:15-250watts
- Weight:49.60kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1188.0" x 15-13/16" x 18-3/16"( 1188.0 x 402.0 x 462.0mm )
B&W 704 S2 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Tweeter
- 5" Midrange
- 2 x 5" Aerofoil Woofer
- 5" Midrange
- 48-28k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-150watts
- Weight:18.50kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 959.0" x 6.5" x 10.9"( 959.0 x 165.0 x 277.0mm )
What size room are the Wharfedale Elysian 4 and B&W 704 S2 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 4 |
B&W 704 S2 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| 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 4 and B&W 704 S2 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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Drivers
Both Elysian 4 and 704 S2 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Wharfedale Elysian 4 |
B&W 704 S2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
27x90mm-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8.5-inch
|
2 x 5-inch
|
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. On the other hand, the 704 S2 features a 1" Tweeter , a 5" Midrange and 2 x 5" Aerofoil Woofer .
Frequency Response
Elysian 4 has a frequency range of 30-22k Hz whereas 704 S2 has a frequency range of 48-28k 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 704 S2's min frequency of 48Hz.
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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing 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 4 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the 704 S2 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 4 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Elysian 4 sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the 704 S2's is rated at 88 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Elysian 4 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 704 S2, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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 4 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas 704 S2 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Elysian 4.
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
Both Elysian 4 and 704 S2 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Elysian 4 has a bottom firing port whereas 704 S2 has a rear firing ports. Wharfedale Elysian 4's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to B&W 704 S2 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 4's and B&W 704 S2's external dimensions. 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) whereas B&W 704 S2 has external dimensions of 959.0 x 165.0 x 277.0mm ( 37.8-inch x 6.5-inch x 10.9-inch) .
Wharfedale Elysian 4 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 237mm wider, 229mm taller and 185mm deeper than B&W 704 S2.
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 4 is approximately 1857.2cm2 / 287.9inch2 and base area of the B&W 704 S2 is approximately 457.1cm2 / 70.9inch2. The Elysian 4 requires 306% more surface area than the 704 S2 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.