In this review, we will be comparing Elysian C and VELA CC 401, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Wharfedale and ELAC.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Elysian C and ELAC VELA CC 401 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale Elysian C | ELAC VELA CC 401 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 27 x 45mm" Air Motion Transformer (AMT) | JET 5 folded ribbon |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8.5" coated fiberglass matrix | 2 x 6" aluminum/paper sandwich |
|---|
| Frequency response | 35-22k Hz | 30-50k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-250 watts | 40-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 30.23kg / 66.5lbs | 19.14kg / 42.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12-5/8" x 32-11/16" x 14-9/16"
321.0 x 831.0 x 370.0mm | 7-9/16" x 25-9/16" x 9-7/16"
193.0 x 650.0 x 240.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale Elysian C and ELAC VELA CC 401 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 C |
ELAC VELA CC 401 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Elysian C is a 3-way design whereas the VELA CC 401 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.
Wharfedale Elysian CELAC VELA CC 401
MidrangeWoofer
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 C |
ELAC VELA CC 401 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
27 x 45mm-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8.5-inch
|
2 x 6-inch
|
Elysian C features a 27 x 45mm" Air Motion Transformer (AMT) Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 2 x 8.5" coated fiberglass matrix Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 360Hz and 2900HZ. On the other hand, the VELA CC 401 features a " JET 5 folded ribbon Tweeter and 2 x 6" aluminum/paper sandwich Woofer.
Frequency Response
Elysian C has a frequency range of 35-22k Hz whereas VELA CC 401 has a frequency range of 30-50k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the VELA CC 401 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Elysian C's min frequency of 35Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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 C is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the VELA CC 401 which has a nominal impedance of 4 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 VELA CC 401 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Elysian C sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the VELA CC 401's is rated at 88 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Elysian C a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC VELA CC 401, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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.
Elysian C can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas VELA CC 401 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 130 watts less than the Elysian C.
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
Elysian C features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. VELA CC 401 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale Elysian C's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Elysian C and VELA CC 401 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
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 C's and ELAC VELA CC 401's external dimensions. Wharfedale Elysian C has external dimensions of 321.0 x 831.0 x 370.0mm (12-5/8 x 32-11/16 x 14-9/16inch) whereas ELAC VELA CC 401 has external dimensions of 193.0 x 650.0 x 240.0mm (7-9/16 x 25-9/16 x 9-7/16inch).
Wharfedale Elysian C is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 181mm wider, 128mm taller and 130mm deeper than ELAC VELA CC 401.
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 C is approximately 3074.7cm2 / 476.6inch2 and base area of the ELAC VELA CC 401 is approximately 1560.0cm2 / 241.8inch2. The Elysian C requires 97% more surface area than the VELA CC 401 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 C weighs 30.23kg / 66.5lbs and the ELAC VELA CC 401 weighs 19.14kg / 42.1lbs. This makes the Elysian C 58% heavier than the VELA CC 401.
Here is a comparison of how Elysian C and VELA CC 401's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
What's in the Box of Wharfedale Elysian C?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Elysian C:
- Center channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 2 Terminal-jumpers
- User Manual
What's in the Box of ELAC VELA CC 401?
Here are the items that come with the VELA CC 401:
- 1 Center channel speaker
- 2 Jumper straps (pre-installed)
- Operating And Safety Instructions
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
6 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
8.5 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Passive Radiator |
Foamed Rubber
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
|
Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
35 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
50k Hz
vs
22k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
193mm
vs
321mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1560cm2
vs
3074cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2300USD
vs
4995USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Wharfedale Elysian C |
ELAC VELA CC 401 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
50-250 watts |
40-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.5 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
35-22k Hz |
30-50k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8.5" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
coated fiberglass matrix |
aluminum/paper sandwich |
| Tweeter Size |
27 x 45mm" |
- |
| Tweeter Type |
Air Motion Transformer (AMT) |
JET 5 folded ribbon |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
360Hz and 2900HZ |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
321.0mm (12.6") |
193.0mm (7.6") |
| Width |
831.0mm (32.7") |
650.0mm (25.6") |
| Depth |
370.0mm (14.6") |
240.0mm (9.4") |
| Weight |
30.23kg (66.5lbs) |
19.14kg (42.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Piano Black, Piano Walnut,White |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
n/a |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Wharfedale Elysian C costs roughly 2.2x what ELAC VELA CC 401 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | ELAC VELA CC 401 digs deeper - 30Hz against 35Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Wharfedale Elysian C is more sensitive (91dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | Wharfedale Elysian C is the easier load at 6 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | Wharfedale Elysian C takes more power (250W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | ELAC VELA CC 401 is easier to place; Wharfedale Elysian C is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Wharfedale Elysian C: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | ELAC VELA CC 401 is cheaper - $2,300 against $4,995, about 54% less; arguably a different class. |
A Wharfedale Elysian C B ELAC VELA CC 401
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?
The usual trade-off: Wharfedale Elysian C measures better, ELAC VELA CC 401 costs about about 117% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 35Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, Wharfedale Elysian C has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, ELAC VELA CC 401 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.