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Wharfedale Elysian 4 vs Focal Aria 948 Comparison

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Wharfedale Elysian 4

Passive Floor-standing | 30-22k Hz

Wharfedale Elysian 4
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Focal Aria 948

Passive Floor-standing | 37-28k Hz

Focal Aria 948
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Wharfedale Elysian 4 Wharfedale Elysian 4
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Focal Aria 948 Focal Aria 948
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Wharfedale Elysian 4
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Focal Aria 948
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Wharfedale Elysian 4 vs Focal Aria 948 Speaker Comparison

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.

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 )

Focal Aria 948 Key Specs

  • 3-way Design
  • 1" inverted dome Tweeter
  • 6.5" Midrange
  • 2 x 8.25" Flax Woofer
  • 6.5" Midrange
  • 37-28k Hz Frequency Response
  • 92.5 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:50-350watts
  • Weight:35.00kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 1150.0" x 14-5/8" x 16-9/16"( 1150.0 x 372.0 x 421.0mm )

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:

Listening Environment* Wharfedale Elysian 4 Focal Aria 948
Near-field Bad Are you nuts?
Small Room Poor Poor
Mid-size Room Average Average
Large Room Good Good
Very Large Room Average Good

(* 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 Focal Aria 948 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

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

Elysian 4
Aria 948
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Floor-standing Speakers

Wharfedale Elysian 4
Focal Aria 948
Min
Average
Max

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

Elysian 4
Aria 948
Min
Average
Max

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
Wharfedale Elysian 4
Focal Aria 948
Min
Average
Max

What's in the Box of Wharfedale Elysian 4?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of Elysian 4:
  • Floorstanding loudspeaker
  • Grille
  • 2 Terminal-jumpers (pre-installed)
  • 4 Spike feet
  • User Manual
  • What's in the Box of Focal Aria 948?

    Here are the items that come with the Aria 948:
  • Floorstanding loudspeaker
  • Grille
  • Base
  • 4 Spike feet (pre-installed in base)
  • 4 Plastic feet
  • 4 Screws
  • Allen-key
  • Hex-tool
  • User Manual

  • Reasons to choose Wharfedale Elysian 4 over Focal Aria 948
    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

    Reasons to choose Focal Aria 948 over Wharfedale Elysian 4

    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 vs 1857cm2 Takes less floor space
    Price per pair* 6598USD vs 9996USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
    Wharfedale Elysian 4 vs Focal Aria 948 Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    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

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