Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 is a 2-way Passive Bass reflex Bookshelf speaker by Wharfedale. 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.
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.)
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Frequency Response of the Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 Speaker
Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 has a Frequency response range of 60-20k Hz at ±3dB 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.
Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available subwoofer options.
Here we have a comparison of how Crystal 4.2'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
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.
Check the amplifiers that are in a similar price range to the Wharfedale Crystal 4.2:
Input Type
Crystal 4.2 features 5-way post type connectors. Bi-amping and Bi-wiring are not possible.
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.
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
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 loudspeakers2 Grilles (pre-installed)User-feets ManualInstallation 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 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.