Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 is a 2-way Passive Bass reflex Bookshelf speaker by Wharfedale. It was released in 2014. It features a 1" Soft-dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Woven Kevlar Woofer. The speaker has a frequency range of 60-20k Hz and a sensitivity of 88 dB. Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 has an MSRP of 349$ per pair.
Room Size Suitability
The size of the room where you plan to use the Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 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 | Average |
| Small Room | Good |
| Mid-size Room | Average |
| Large Room | Poor |
| Very Large Room | Bad |
(* 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 4.2 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
Frequency Response of the Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 Speaker
Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 has a Frequency response range of 60-20k Hz and Power Range of 20-100 watts. With a minimum frequency of 60 Hz, Crystal 4.2 delivers moderate bass depth so depending on your use case, you might want to consider adding a subwoofer to your system.
Here we have a comparison of how Crystal 4.2's Low frequency value compares with the average, max and min Low frequency values in its class.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Thinking about a subwoofer for the Wharfedale Crystal 4.2?
Impedance and Sensitivity
Wharfedale Crystal 4.2's nominal impedance level is
8 ohms and has a sensitivity of
88 dB.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
8 Ohms is pretty much the standard nominal impedance amongst stereo speakers and amplifiers so Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 is not considered a difficult to drive speaker from nominal Impedance perspective.
Sensitivity
88dB of the Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 is an average sensitivity for stereo speaker so it is neither easy nor difficult to drive Sensitivity wise. Work out how loud the Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 plays in your room →
What amplifier does the Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 need?
At normal listening levels in a medium room, about
12–100 W
per channel into 8 ohms.
Set your own conditions and we will rank every amplifier we cover.
Prefer to browse? Integrated amplifiers under $500, or every amplifier we cover.
Input Type
Crystal 4.2 has 5-way post type connectors and lets bi-amping/bi-wiring. Bi-wiring can enhance the overall transparency of your loudspeakers by using separate speaker wires for the low and high-frequency drivers from a single amplifier. Bi-amping, on the other hand, involves using separate amplifiers for the high and low-frequency drivers, potentially resulting in a greater dynamic range and reduced distortion.
Work out what gauge speaker cable this run needs →
Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 External Dimensions and Weight
Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 has external dimensions of (Height x Width x Depth) 10-7/16 x 7-1/8 x 8-5/8inch (266.0 x 181.0 x 220.0mm ).
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 4.2 is approximately 398.2cm2 / 61.7inch2.
To get a better perspective on the real life size of Wharfedale Crystal 4.2, let's compare it with a standard size Compact Disc which has a diameter of 4.7inch (120mm).
Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 Speaker Size Compared to a Compact Disc
Here we place the Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 virtually next to a standard width amplifier and turntable on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet to get a better idea about the size.
Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 Speaker next to an amplifier and turntable
Find speakers that fit your shelf or alcove → · Work out where they should sit in the room →
WeightThe Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 weighs 4.20kg / 9.2lbs per piece. Here is a comparison of how Crystal 4.2's weight compares with the average, max and min weights in its class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Weight
Bookshelf Speakers under $500
Cabinet type and Materials
Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 has a
Bass reflex type cabinet and a Wood-grain vinyl finish.
Port Position
Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 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.
Available colors
Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 is available in Walnut.
Wall Mounting
Crystal 4.2 doesn't sport any built-in mounting bracket, so you need an external structure to mount it on walls.
Does the Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 come with a Grille?
Crystal 4.2 comes with removable 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.
What's in the Box of Wharfedale Crystal 4.2?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Crystal 4.2:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles (pre-installed)
- User-feets Manual
- Installation Guide
Recommended Accessories
Here is a list of accessories that we think you may need for the Wharfedale Crystal 4.2.
- 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.
Warranty
5 Years of parts warranty and 5 Years of labor warranty is generally provided by the manufacturer.