In this review, we will be comparing NS-600A and EVO5.2, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Yamaha and Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Yamaha NS-600A and Wharfedale EVO5.2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Yamaha NS-600A | Wharfedale EVO5.2 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.25" Dome | 1.375" AMT (Ribbon) |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 2" |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.125" Cone | 6.5" woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 47-65k Hz | 44-24k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 85.5 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-120 watts | 25-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 9.89kg / 21.8lbs | 15.05kg / 33.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 15.125" x 8.125" x 13"
384.2 x 206.4 x 330.2mm | 19.6" x 10.2" x 15.4"
497.0 x 260.0 x 350.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Yamaha NS-600A and Wharfedale EVO5.2 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* |
Yamaha NS-600A |
Wharfedale EVO5.2 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
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.
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through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that NS-600A is a 2-way design whereas the EVO5.2 is a 3-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.
Yamaha NS-600AWharfedale EVO5.2
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Yamaha NS-600A |
Wharfedale EVO5.2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.25-inch
|
1.375-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 2-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.125-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
NS-600A features a 1.25" Dome Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.125" Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2.6 kHz. On the other hand, the EVO5.2 features a 1.375" SilentWeave cotton and felt damping fiber AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter, a 2" Midrange and 1 x 6.5" woven Kevlar Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 800 Hz and 4.3 kHz.
Frequency Response
NS-600A has a frequency range of 47-65k Hz whereas EVO5.2 has a frequency range of 44-24k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the EVO5.2 can go slightly deeper then the NS-600A's min frequency of 47Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
NS-600A is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the EVO5.2 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 EVO5.2 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. NS-600A sensitivity is rated at 85.5 dB and the EVO5.2's is rated at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Wharfedale EVO5.2 a more sensitive speaker compared to Yamaha NS-600A, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 120 watts RMS, though NS-600A is rated 40-120 watts and EVO5.2 25-120 watts.
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
NS-600A features Binding post type posts and EVO5.2 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale EVO5.2's Binding post terminals
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 Yamaha NS-600A's and Wharfedale EVO5.2's external dimensions. Yamaha NS-600A has external dimensions of 384.2 x 206.4 x 330.2mm (15.125 x 8.125 x 13inch) whereas Wharfedale EVO5.2 has external dimensions of 497.0 x 260.0 x 350.0mm (19.6" × 10.2" × 15.4").
Wharfedale EVO5.2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 53.6mm wider, 112.8mm taller and 19.8mm deeper than Yamaha NS-600A.
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 Yamaha NS-600A is approximately 681.5cm2 / 105.6inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale EVO5.2 is approximately 910.0cm2 / 141.1inch2. The NS-600A requires 25% less surface area than the EVO5.2 which gives it a small advantage 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 Yamaha NS-600A weighs 9.89kg / 21.8lbs and the Wharfedale EVO5.2 weighs 15.05kg / 33.1lbs. This makes the EVO5.2 52% heavier than the NS-600A.
Here is a comparison of how NS-600A and EVO5.2's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Wharfedale EVO5.2?
Here are the items that come with the EVO5.2:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Jumper-bars (pre-installed)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Pair of white cloth gloves
- User Manual
 Nominal Impedance |
6 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Minimum Impedance |
3.6 ohms
vs
3.2 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 High Frequency Response |
65k Hz
vs
24k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
384mm
vs
497mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
681cm2
vs
910cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.125 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
44 Hz
vs
47 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
1299USD
vs
3200USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Yamaha NS-600A |
Wharfedale EVO5.2 |
| Brand |
Yamaha |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
40-120 watts |
25-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
85.5 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.6 ohms |
3.2 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
47-65k Hz |
44-24k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.125" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Cone |
woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.25" |
1.375" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
AMT (Ribbon) |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
2" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2.6 kHz |
800 Hz and 4.3 kHz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
384.2mm (15.1") |
497.0mm (19.6") |
| Width |
206.4mm (8.1") |
260.0mm (10.2") |
| Depth |
330.2mm (13") |
350.0mm (13.8") |
| Weight |
9.89kg (21.8lbs) |
15.05kg (33.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood-veneer |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Walnut, Grey. Black, White |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
18-22" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Yamaha NS-600A costs roughly 2.5x what Wharfedale EVO5.2 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 |
Wharfedale EVO5.2 digs deeper - 44Hz against 47Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs |
B |
Wharfedale EVO5.2 is more sensitive (88dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match |
A |
Yamaha NS-600A is the easier load at 6 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom |
evenly matched |
Similar power handling (120W vs 120W). |
| Size |
depends |
Yamaha NS-600A is easier to place; Wharfedale EVO5.2 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price |
B |
Wharfedale EVO5.2 is cheaper - $1,299 against $3,200, about 59% less; arguably a different class. |
A Yamaha NS-600A
B Wharfedale EVO5.2
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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?
Wharfedale EVO5.2 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 Yamaha NS-600A the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and Wharfedale EVO5.2 for a mid-size room and a large room. In a large or open-plan room, Wharfedale EVO5.2 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Yamaha NS-600A 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.