In this review, we will be comparing Elysian 4 and Aria 948, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Wharfedale and Focal. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Elysian 4 and Focal Aria 948 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Wharfedale Elysian 4 and Focal Aria 948 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Wharfedale Elysian 4 and Focal Aria 948 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 Aria 948 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Wharfedale Elysian 4 |
Focal Aria 948 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
27x90mm-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
1 x 6.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8.5-inch
|
2 x 8.25-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 Aria 948 features a 1" TNF Al/Mg inverted dome Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8.25" Flax Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 280Hz and 2,600Hz.
Frequency Response
Elysian 4 has a frequency range of 30-22k Hz whereas Aria 948 has a frequency range of 37-28k 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 Aria 948's min frequency of 37Hz.
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 Aria 948 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 Aria 948's is rated at 92.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Focal Aria 948 a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale Elysian 4, 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 350 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Elysian 4 has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS , 100 watts less than the Aria 948.
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 4 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Aria 948 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
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 Focal Aria 948'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 Focal Aria 948 has external dimensions of 1150.0 x 372.0 x 421.0mm ( 45-1/4 x 14-5/8 x 16-9/16inch) .
Wharfedale Elysian 4 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 30mm wider, 38mm taller and 41mm deeper than Focal Aria 948.
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 Focal Aria 948 is approximately 1566.1cm2 / 242.7inch2. The Elysian 4 requires 19% more surface area than the Aria 948 which gives it a small disadvantage 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 4 weighs 49.60kg / 109.1lbs and the Focal Aria 948 weighs 35.00kg / 77lbs. This makes the Elysian 4 42% heavier than the Aria 948.
Here is a comparison of how Elysian 4 and Aria 948'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 are included inside the box of Elysian 4:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille2 Terminal-jumpers (pre-installed)4 Spike feetUser Manual
What's in the Box of Focal Aria 948?
Here are the items that come with the Aria 948:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrilleBase4 Spike feet (pre-installed in base)4 Plastic feet4 ScrewsAllen-keyHex-toolUser Manual
 Woofer Size |
8.5 inches
vs
8.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
37 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Max Input Power |
350 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
93 dB
vs
92 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1150mm
vs
1188mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1566cm2 (372x421mm)
vs
1857cm2 (402x462mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
6598USD
vs
9996USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Wharfedale Elysian 4 |
Focal Aria 948 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Focal |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
15-250 watts |
50-350 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
92.5 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
2.5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
30-22k Hz |
37-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8.5" |
8.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Coated Fiberglass |
Flax |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Foamed Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
27x90mm" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
AMT (Ribbon) |
inverted dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
6.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
340Hz and 3100Hz |
280Hz and 2,600Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1188.0mm (46.8") |
1150.0mm (45.3") |
| Width |
402.0mm (15.8") |
372.0mm (14.6") |
| Depth |
462.0mm (18.2") |
421.0mm (16.6") |
| Weight |
49.60kg (109.1lbs) |
35.00kg (77lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
MDF/Glass/Leather |
| Available Colors |
Piano Black, Piano Walnut,White |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |