In this review, we will be comparing Elysian 4 and PerformaBe F228Be, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Wharfedale and Revel.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Elysian 4 and Revel PerformaBe F228Be first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale Elysian 4 | Revel PerformaBe F228Be |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Revel
United States · founded 1996 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 27x90mm" AMT (Ribbon) | 1" dome with proprietary acoustic lens waveguide |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8.5" Coated Fiberglass | 2 x 8" DCC Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 30-22k Hz | 27-44k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 92 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-250 watts | 50-350 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 49.60kg / 109.1lbs | 37.27kg / 82lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 46-3/4" x 15-13/16" x 18-3/16"
1188.0 x 402.0 x 462.0mm | 46-1/2" x 11-13/16" x 13-1/4"
1182.0 x 301.0 x 337.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale Elysian 4 and Revel PerformaBe F228Be 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 |
Revel PerformaBe F228Be |
| 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Elysian 4 and PerformaBe F228Be are 3-way speakers.
Wharfedale Elysian 4Revel PerformaBe F228Be
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Wharfedale Elysian 4 |
Revel PerformaBe F228Be |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
27x90mm-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8.5-inch
|
2 x 8-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 PerformaBe F228Be features a 1" beryllium dome with proprietary acoustic lens waveguide Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 8" DCC Aluminum Woofer.
Frequency Response
Elysian 4 has a frequency range of 30-22k Hz whereas PerformaBe F228Be has a frequency range of 27-44k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 27Hz, the PerformaBe F228Be can go slightly deeper then the Elysian 4's min frequency of 30Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. 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 PerformaBe F228Be 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 PerformaBe F228Be's is rated at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Elysian 4 a more sensitive speaker compared to Revel PerformaBe F228Be, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
PerformaBe F228Be can handle a max power of 350 watts RMS, whereas Elysian 4 has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the PerformaBe F228Be.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Elysian 4 and PerformaBe F228Be 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 PerformaBe F228Be has a front firing ports. Revel PerformaBe F228Be's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Wharfedale Elysian 4 with its rear-firing port.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be 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 Revel PerformaBe F228Be'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 Revel PerformaBe F228Be has external dimensions of 1182.0 x 301.0 x 337.0mm (46-1/2 x 11-13/16 x 13-1/4inch).
Wharfedale Elysian 4 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 101mm wider, 6mm taller and 125mm deeper than Revel PerformaBe F228Be.
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 Revel PerformaBe F228Be is approximately 1014.4cm2 / 157.2inch2. The Elysian 4 requires 83% more surface area than the PerformaBe F228Be 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 Revel PerformaBe F228Be weighs 37.27kg / 82lbs. This makes the Elysian 4 33% heavier than the PerformaBe F228Be.
Here is a comparison of how Elysian 4 and PerformaBe F228Be'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 loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Terminal-jumpers (pre-installed)
- 4 Spike feet
- User Manual
What's in the Box of Revel PerformaBe F228Be?
Here are the items that come with the PerformaBe F228Be:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Locking rings
- 4 Washers
- 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- Foam port plug
- Owners Manual
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8.5 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Price per pair* |
9996USD
vs
11000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
350 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
27 Hz
vs
30 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
44k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1182mm
vs
1188mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1014cm2
vs
1857cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Wharfedale Elysian 4 |
Revel PerformaBe F228Be |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Revel |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
15-250 watts |
50-350 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
30-22k Hz |
27-44k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Coated Fiberglass |
DCC Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Foamed Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
27x90mm" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
AMT (Ribbon) |
dome with proprietary acoustic lens waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
340Hz and 3100Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1188.0mm (46.8") |
1182.0mm (46.5") |
| Width |
402.0mm (15.8") |
301.0mm (11.9") |
| Depth |
462.0mm (18.2") |
337.0mm (13.3") |
| Weight |
49.60kg (109.1lbs) |
37.27kg (82lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
Wood/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
Piano Black, Piano Walnut,White |
Gloss White |
| 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 |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Revel PerformaBe F228Be digs deeper - 27Hz against 30Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Wharfedale Elysian 4 is more sensitive (92dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Revel PerformaBe F228Be is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | B | Revel PerformaBe F228Be takes more power (350W vs 250W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Revel PerformaBe F228Be is easier to place; Wharfedale Elysian 4 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Wharfedale Elysian 4: bi-amping; Revel PerformaBe F228Be: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($9,996 vs $11,000 a pair). |
A Wharfedale Elysian 4 B Revel PerformaBe F228Be
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Revel PerformaBe F228Be has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. Match it to your room: we rate Revel PerformaBe F228Be the better fit for a very large room; elsewhere the two are rated the same. In a large or open-plan room, Wharfedale Elysian 4 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Revel PerformaBe F228Be is the easier speaker to get right.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.