In this review, we will be comparing Elysian 4 and L800, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Wharfedale and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Elysian 4 and Polk L800 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 )
Polk L800 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter
- 5.25" Midrange
- 2 x 10" Polypropylene Woofer
- 5.25" Midrange
- 32-38k Hz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:25-300watts
- Weight:68.50kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1236.0" x 18" x 17-7/16"( 1236.0 x 458.0 x 443.0mm )
What size room are the Wharfedale Elysian 4 and Polk L800 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 |
Polk L800 |
| 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Wharfedale Elysian 4 and Polk L800 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 L800 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Wharfedale Elysian 4 |
Polk L800 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
27x90mm-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
2 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8.5-inch
|
2 x 10-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 L800 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter , a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 10" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 370Hz and 2800Hz.
Frequency Response
Elysian 4 has a frequency range of 30-22k Hz whereas L800 has a frequency range of 32-38k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the Elysian 4 can go slightly deeper then the L800's min frequency of 32Hz.
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 and L800 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Elysian 4 sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the L800's is at 87 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Elysian 4 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk L800, 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 4 and the Elysian 4 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. 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 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Elysian 4 has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS , 50 watts less than the L800.
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 L800 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Polk L800's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Elysian 4 has a bottom firing port whereas L800 has a down firing ports.
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 Polk L800'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 Polk L800 has external dimensions of 1236.0 x 458.0 x 443.0mm ( 48-5/8 x 18 x 17-7/16inch) .
Wharfedale Elysian 4 is 56mm narrower and 48mm shorter than Polk L800 but it is also 19mm deeper.
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 Polk L800 is approximately 2028.9cm2 / 314.5inch2. The Elysian 4 requires 8% less surface area than the L800 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.