In this review, we will be comparing Elysian 4 and EVO4.4, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Wharfedale
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Elysian 4 and Wharfedale EVO4.4 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 )
Wharfedale EVO4.4 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1.18x2.36" AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter
- 2" Midrange
- 2 x 6.5" Kevlar Woofer
- 2" Midrange
- 44-22k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-200watts
- Weight:25.60kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1060.0" x 9.8" x 14.2"( 1060.0 x 250.0 x 360.0mm )
What size room are the Wharfedale Elysian 4 and Wharfedale EVO4.4 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 |
Wharfedale EVO4.4 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
(* 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 Wharfedale EVO4.4 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 EVO4.4 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Wharfedale Elysian 4 |
Wharfedale EVO4.4 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
27x90mm-inch
|
1.18x2.36-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
1 x 2-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 EVO4.4 features a 1.18x2.36" AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter , a 2" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Kevlar Woofer .
Frequency Response
Elysian 4 has a frequency range of 30-22k Hz whereas EVO4.4 has a frequency range of 44-22k 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 EVO4.4's min frequency of 44Hz.
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 EVO4.4 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 EVO4.4's is rated at 89 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Elysian 4 a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale EVO4.4, 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 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas EVO4.4 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 EVO4.4 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Wharfedale EVO4.4's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Elysian 4 and EVO4.4 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 Wharfedale EVO4.4'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 Wharfedale EVO4.4 has external dimensions of 1060.0 x 250.0 x 360.0mm ( 41.7 x 9.8 x 14.2inch) .
Wharfedale Elysian 4 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 152mm wider, 128mm taller and 102mm deeper than Wharfedale EVO4.4.
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 Wharfedale EVO4.4 is approximately 90.0cm2 / 14.0inch2. The Elysian 4 requires 1,964% more surface area than the EVO4.4 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 Wharfedale EVO4.4 weighs 25.60kg / 56.3lbs. This makes the Elysian 4 94% heavier than the EVO4.4.
Here is a comparison of how Elysian 4 and EVO4.4'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 Wharfedale EVO4.4?
Here are the items that come with the EVO4.4:
Floorstanding loudspeaker Grille 4 Outrigger feet (pre-installed) 4 Spikes (pre-installed) 4 Isolation pucks 2 Jumper-bars (pre-installed) Pair of white cloth gloves User Manual
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
89 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
44 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Height |
1060mm
vs
1188mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
90cm2
vs
1857cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2198USD
vs
9996USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Wharfedale Elysian 4 |
Wharfedale EVO4.4 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
15-250 watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
92 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
4.3 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
30-22k Hz |
44-22k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Coated Fiberglass |
Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Foamed Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
27x90mm" |
1.18x2.36" |
| Tweeter Type |
AMT (Ribbon) |
AMT (Ribbon) |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
2" |
| Crossover Frequency |
340Hz and 3100Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1188.0mm (46.8") |
1060.0mm (41.7") |
| Width |
402.0mm (15.8") |
250.0mm (9.8") |
| Depth |
462.0mm (18.2") |
360.0mm (14.2") |
| Weight |
49.60kg (109.1lbs) |
25.60kg (56.3lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
MDF/Wood-veneer |
| Available Colors |
Piano Black, Piano Walnut,White |
Walnut |
| 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 |