Wharfedale Crystal 4.1 is a 2-way Passive Bass Reflex Bookshelf speaker by Wharfedale. It was released in 2020. It features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4" Woven Kevlar Woofer.
The smallest Crystal 4: a 100 mm woven Kevlar cone and a 25 mm soft dome, reaching 70 Hz at -6dB from a 2.3 litre cabinet.
The speaker has a frequency range of 75-20k Hz and a sensitivity of 86 dB.
Room Size Suitability
The size of the room where you plan to use the Wharfedale Crystal 4.1 is a crucial factor in your decision. We have assessed its suitability for various room sizes based on its dimensions and maximum power output:
| Listening Environment* |
Suitability |
| Near-field | Good |
| Small Room | Good |
| Mid-size Room | Average |
| Large Room | Poor |
| Very Large Room | No way |
(* 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.)
Wharfedale's Crystal Series of Loudspeakers
Crystal 4.1 is a member of Wharfedale's Crystal series of Passive speakers. The Crystal range are Wharfedale's affordable entry-level speakers. Below you can see the main specs of these speakers.
See all 4 Wharfedale Crystal models compared »
Wharfedale Crystal Series Speakers
Wharfedale Crystal Series Speakers
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Frequency Response of the Wharfedale Crystal 4.1 Speaker
Wharfedale Crystal 4.1 has a Frequency response range of 75-20k Hz at ±3dB and Power Range of 20-60 watts. With a minimum frequency of 75 Hz, it is hard to expect a strong bass response from Crystal 4.1 so depending on your use case, using a subwoofer will significantly help to widen the response range.
Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available subwoofer options.
Here we have a comparison of how Crystal 4.1's Low and High frequency values compare with the average, max and min Low and High frequency values in its class.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Crossover frequency of the Wharfedale Crystal 4.1?
The Crossover frequency of the Crystal 4.1 is set to 3400Hz. This is the threshold frequency where the higher frequency signals over this level are sent to the tweeter and the lower-frequency signals are sent to the woofer by the crossover component.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Wharfedale Crystal 4.1's nominal impedance level is
8 ohms but can go down to as low as
4.3 ohms, and has a sensitivity of
86 dB.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
8 Ohms is pretty much the standard nominal impedance amongst stereo speakers and amplifiers so Wharfedale Crystal 4.1 is not considered a difficult to drive speaker from nominal Impedance perspective.
Sensitivity
With a sensitivity level of only 86 dB, Wharfedale Crystal 4.1 is a difficult to drive speaker from Sensitivity perspective, make sure to choose an amplifier with a high output if you like listening to your music at high volume levels. You may especially have a hard time using Tube amplifiers which are traditionally very low power compared to Class A/B or Class D amps.
Minimum Impedance of the Wharfedale Crystal 4.1
Even though the nominal impedance of the Crystal 4.1 is 8 ohms, the minimum impedance level of this speaker according to Wharfedale is 4.3 ohms Wharfedale Crystal 4.1 so while choosing an amplifier, you should ideally check if the unit you are considering can provide this impedance level.
Browse all integrated amplifiers
Input Type
Crystal 4.1 features Binding post type connectors. Bi-amping and Bi-wiring are not possible.
Wharfedale Crystal 4.1 External Dimensions and Weight
Wharfedale Crystal 4.1 has external dimensions of (Height x Width x Depth) 7-5/8 x 5-9/16 x 6-3/16inch (194.0 x 141.0 x 157.0mm ).
Base Surface Area
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base area of Wharfedale Crystal 4.1 is approximately 221.4cm2 / 34.3inch2.
WeightThe Wharfedale Crystal 4.1 weighs 2.00kg / 4.4lbs per piece. Here is a comparison of how Crystal 4.1's weight compares with the average, max and min weights in its class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Cabinet type and Materials
Wharfedale Crystal 4.1 has a
Bass Reflex type cabinet. Bass Reflex type loudspeakers (aka Ported, Vented or Reflex Port) have enclosures that uses a port, hole or vent cut into the cabinet. Ported designs are generally more efficient than the Sealed designs.
Port Position
Wharfedale Crystal 4.1 is a rear-firing port speaker so you have to make sure you leave enough space between the back of the speaker and wall or bookshelf so that it has room to breathe.
Wall Mounting
Crystal 4.1 doesn't sport any built-in mounting bracket, so you need an external structure to mount it on walls.
Does the Wharfedale Crystal 4.1 come with a Grille?
Crystal 4.1 comes with grilles. The purpose of the grille is to protect the delicate driver elements from external impacts while still allowing the sound to pass as clearly as possible.
Recommended Accessories
Here is a list of accessories that we think you may need for the Wharfedale Crystal 4.1.
- Speaker Cable and Connectors
- Vibration Isolators: IsoAcoustics isolators are our favorite isolators but you may find more affordable options too.
- Acoustic Panels and Treatments: Your room is as important as your stereo equipment so acoustic treatments goes a long way in improving the overall performance.
- Speaker Stands: Stands bring your bookshelf speakers to ideal height (rule of thumb is to have the tweeter level with your ear in your listening position), helps stability and acoustical isolation.
Official Product Page
Official manufacturer's product page for the Wharfedale Crystal 4.1 speaker can be found below:
Official Product Page for Wharfedale Crystal 4.1
Warranty
5 Years of parts warranty and 5 Years of labor warranty is generally provided by the manufacturer.