In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Wharfedale. Wharfedale Elysian 4R is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the ELYSIAN CR is a Center Channel speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Elysian 4R and Wharfedale Elysian CR first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Wharfedale Elysian 4R Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- " AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter
- 6" Midrange
- 2 x 8.5" Coated glass fibre matrix Woofer
- 30-22k Hz Frequency Response
- 92 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:15-250watts
- Weight:49.50kg
- 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 CR Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- " AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter
- 6" Midrange
- 2 x 8.5" Coated glass fibre matrix Woofer
- 6" Midrange
- 35-22k Hz Frequency Response
- 91 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:25-250watts
- Weight:30.20kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 12-5/8" x 32-11/16" x 14-9/16" ( 320.0 x 830.0 x 370.0mm )
ELYSIAN 4R and ELYSIAN CR are members of Wharfedale's Elysian R series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Wharfedale Elysian R Series
History
What size room are the Wharfedale Elysian 4R and Wharfedale Elysian CR 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 4R |
Wharfedale Elysian CR |
| Near-field |
Are you nuts? |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Good |
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 4R and Wharfedale Elysian CR 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 4R and ELYSIAN CR are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Wharfedale Elysian 4R |
Wharfedale Elysian CR |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8.5-inch
|
2 x 8.5-inch
|
ELYSIAN 4R features a " AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 2 x 8.5" Coated glass fibre matrix Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 340Hz and 3100Hz. On the other hand, the ELYSIAN CR features a " AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 2 x 8.5" Coated glass fibre matrix Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 360Hz and 2900Hz.
Frequency Response
ELYSIAN 4R has a frequency range of 30-22k Hz whereas ELYSIAN CR has a frequency range of 35-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the ELYSIAN 4R can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the ELYSIAN CR's min frequency of 35Hz.
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 4R is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the ELYSIAN CR which has a nominal impedance of 6 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 4R can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. ELYSIAN 4R sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the ELYSIAN CR's is rated at 91 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Elysian 4R a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale Elysian CR, 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.
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 4R features Binding post type posts and ELYSIAN CR has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both ELYSIAN 4R and ELYSIAN CR have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 4R's and Wharfedale Elysian CR's external dimensions. Wharfedale Elysian 4R 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 CR has external dimensions of 320.0 x 830.0 x 370.0mm ( 12-5/8 x 32-11/16 x 14-9/16inch) .
Wharfedale Elysian CR is 868mm shorter and 92mm less deeper than Wharfedale Elysian 4R but it is also 428mm wider.
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 4R is approximately 1857.2cm2 / 287.9inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale Elysian CR is approximately 3071.0cm2 / 476.0inch2. The ELYSIAN 4R requires 40% less surface area than the ELYSIAN CR which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.