In this review, we will be comparing Elysian 4 and ELYSIAN 3, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Wharfedale
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Elysian 4 and Wharfedale Elysian 3 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): 46-3/4" x 15-13/16" x 18-3/16" ( 1188.0 x 402.0 x 462.0mm )
Wharfedale Elysian 3 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- " AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter
- 6" Midrange
- 2 x 7" Coated glass fibre matrix Woofer
- 6" Midrange
- 44-22k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:30-200watts
- Weight:28.44kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 41-5/16" x 10-3/8" x 12-3/8" ( 1050.0 x 263.0 x 315.0mm )
Elysian 4 and ELYSIAN 3 are members of Wharfedale's Elysian series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Wharfedale Elysian Series
History
What size room are the Wharfedale Elysian 4 and Wharfedale Elysian 3 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 Elysian 3 |
| 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 Wharfedale Elysian 3 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 ELYSIAN 3 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Wharfedale Elysian 4 |
Wharfedale Elysian 3 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
27x90mm-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8.5-inch
|
2 x 7-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 ELYSIAN 3 features a " AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 2 x 7" Coated glass fibre matrix Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 375Hz and 2900Hz.
Frequency Response
Elysian 4 has a frequency range of 30-22k Hz whereas ELYSIAN 3 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 ELYSIAN 3'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 and ELYSIAN 3 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 ELYSIAN 3's is at 89 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Elysian 4 a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale Elysian 3, 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 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas ELYSIAN 3 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
Elysian 4 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. ELYSIAN 3 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Elysian 4 has a bottom firing port whereas ELYSIAN 3 has a rear firing ports. Wharfedale Elysian 4's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Wharfedale Elysian 3 with its rear-firing port.
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 Elysian 3'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 Elysian 3 has external dimensions of 1050.0 x 263.0 x 315.0mm ( 41-5/16 x 10-3/8 x 12-3/8inch) .
Wharfedale Elysian 4 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 139mm wider, 138mm taller and 147mm deeper than Wharfedale Elysian 3.
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 Elysian 3 is approximately 828.5cm2 / 128.4inch2. The Elysian 4 requires 124% more surface area than the ELYSIAN 3 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.