In this review, we will be comparing Elysian 4 and S55, 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 S55 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Wharfedale Elysian 4 and Polk S55 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 Polk S55 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Elysian 4 is a 3-way design whereas the S55 is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Driver |
Wharfedale Elysian 4 |
Polk S55 |
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
Tweeter
|
27x90mm-inch
|
1-inch
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
- |
Woofer
|
2 x 8.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-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 S55 features a 1" Terylene Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Elysian 4 has a frequency range of 30-22k Hz whereas S55 has a frequency range of 32-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the Elysian 4 can go slightly deeper then the S55'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 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the S55 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 S55's is rated at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Elysian 4 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk S55, 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 S55 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 50 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 S55 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Elysian 4 and S55 have bottom 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 S55'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 S55 has external dimensions of 1056.0 x 299.0 x 315.0mm ( 41-9/16 x 11-3/4 x 12-3/8inch) .
Wharfedale Elysian 4 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 103mm wider, 132mm taller and 147mm deeper than Polk S55.
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 S55 is approximately 941.9cm2 / 146.0inch2. The Elysian 4 requires 97% more surface area than the S55 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 Polk S55 weighs 20.00kg / 44lbs. This makes the Elysian 4 148% heavier than the S55.
Here is a comparison of how Elysian 4 and S55'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 Polk S55?
Here are the items that come with the S55:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille (attached)4 Feet (pre-installed)Owners ManualOnline Product Registration
Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
Woofer Size |
8.5 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
Height |
1056mm
vs
1188mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
Base Surface Area |
941cm2 (299x315mm)
vs
1857cm2 (402x462mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
Price per pair* |
658USD
vs
9996USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
General |
Wharfedale Elysian 4 |
Polk Audio Signature S55 |
Brand |
Wharfedale |
Polk Audio |
Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
Power Range |
15-250 watts |
20-200 watts |
Sensitivity |
92 dB |
90 dB |
Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
Frequency Response |
30-22k Hz |
32-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
Woofer Size |
8.5" |
6.5" |
Woofer Composition |
Coated Fiberglass |
Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
Woofer Surround Material |
Foamed Rubber |
Butyl rubber |
Tweeter Size |
27x90mm" |
1" |
Tweeter Type |
AMT (Ribbon) |
Dome |
Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
Midrange Driver |
6" |
No |
Crossover Frequency |
340Hz and 3100Hz |
2500Hz |
Firing Direction |
bottom |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
Height |
1188.0mm (46.8") |
1056.0mm (41.6") |
Width |
402.0mm (15.8") |
299.0mm (11.8") |
Depth |
462.0mm (18.2") |
315.0mm (12.4") |
Weight |
49.60kg (109.1lbs) |
20.00kg (44lbs) |
Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
Meddite MDF |
Available Colors |
Piano Black, Piano Walnut,White |
Black |
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 |