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These are on my short list for fronts on my new home theater build. Also in contention are the Goldenear References. Have you heard them? You don’t seem to be a fan of the AMT tweeter (except for the Elysian 4’s), but have you heard the Goldenears? I’m sensitive to overly bright, sharp etched tweeters, but I find all the Goldenears I’ve heard to be neutral, detailed and balanced.
@@healthynutster GoldenEar speakers are generally pretty good. I don't like that the powered woofers are part of the speaker for bass doesn't always sound best where the mids and tweeters do, but in terms of value GE is solid. Admittedly, you can experience much the same with DefTech (which was also a Sandy Gross company/design).
Why do they buy speakers that are fast but do not have the quality of a good JENSEN IMPERIAL from the 50s/60s JENSEN G 610 TRIAXIAL, that is Hiend, I guess they are not interested, they just want to buy a package and not complicate anything believing that spending more translates into better sound quality
Dad of 3… they’re now old enough to have their own systems. My 18 year old daughter (graduated high school this year) has a turntable, tube amplifier, and vintage Polk speakers with silver line tweeters.
I've been an audiophile for decades and am now 77 years of age. I have started this pursuit since I was 22 years of age. I can honestly say some manufacturers will fix what isn't broke and over engineer newer models that actually sound worse than some previous models. And to your point about high end companies requiring too many stipulations to acquire their ideal sound, does sound like B.S. to me as well and also shows an over reach. Wharfedale to me offers one of the best sounds in the audio business bar none. They also offer good monetary value. I have expensive equipment and am considering purchasing from Wharfedale because their sound exemplifies the characteristics that I gravitate to, when listening to all kinds of different music. Good review.
I bought my parents some Wharfedale Diamonds 9.1s since they were a cost effective TV speaker replacement and considering I paid barely over £100 new for them I have been quite impressed with them. Wharfedale is also quite local to me - as is Cambridge Audio’s original office coincidentally
Any amp that can't handle a 4 ohm load probably can't really handle the reactive loads of loudspeakers. Back in the day any amp that could not handle a 4 ohm load was viewed as junk. Some amps sold then could handle a 2 ohm load! So what do you call the tons of home receivers today than can't handle anything below 6 ohms and arrive at their power .... awe..... creatively. I saw a home theater receiver.... at close to a $1000 .... that arrived at their power rating at 8 ohms with 1 channel driven atvm 1000kz with less than 5% distortion. How many folks listen to a movie with only 1 channel? How could you do it if you really wanted too? Buyer Beware!
Some folks want their system to be exclusive and as such, superior in every way to everybody else's system. Of course, the very next year every one of exotic component manufacturers magically produce a new revolutionary design superior to what those folks just bought last year.
Worth is subjectively determined, so the question is impossible to answer. For me, the question is moot because I don't have enough income to justify the price of this "wonderful high end speaker even if i thought they were worth it. Many folks I know think I am crazy for spending nearly $3,000 on my sound system. (Actually i have other systems too!) Others are very happy with the sound of their sub $100 Bluetooth speaker and would not spend $200 for a better performing one. I was critized by a very wealthy friend for spending $300 for a pair of speakers. The guy owned a 42 foot yacht! It cost more that $300 just to fill the tanks of the thing. His significant other would not set foot on that boat. So for him the yacht was "worth" the multi-thousand dollar cost while my speakers were not WORTH $300 to him. "WORTH" when it comes to spending your money, is totally subjective. 😮
@@memcdmyo estoy de acuerdo con Tigo, me critican por gastarme en mi equipo 6.000 euros, y yo les crítico por gastarse 30.000 euros en un coche, o 1.800 en un teléfono móvil. Y estoy pensando en adquirir estos whaferdale elysian 4, pero dudo por qué mi salón no es muy grande y dudo que le pueda sacar su mejor rendimiento. Cada uno hace lo que le da la gana con su dinero, que para Edo se lo ha trabajado. Un saludo.
I'm hovering over this Elysian 4's for a month now and if I pull the trigger, these would be my retirement speakers as I have a few (the B&W's I liked are beyond my budget as my wife doesn't wanna sell the house😅). I like things of good quality. I do photography, I buy expensive cameras/lenses; I do renovations, I get expensive tools. These days, before buying, the best tool is online reviews. Thanks to you and your team, it's always enjoyable listening to you.
Thanks Andrew a friend who works in a Hi end shop chose these when they first came out and that they were as good as anything he had ever heard up to $100 k. Good to see you enjoyed them
I got these speakers after a really long and grueling process of testing out a bunch of speakers. The price was on the high end but I have a Luxman L-509x Integrated Amp so I wanted to pair it with something of equal quality. The only issue with these speakers, is that you have to have the space for them, not because of their size but because the speakers need the space to project to their true capability. Even at that price, they've been incredible.
I’ve watched this excellent video a few times. Because I was checking that I’d not missed anything like price and dimensions. I can’t comment accurately on room aesthetics with out knowing their dimensions. All I’ll say is that my family lounge/listening environment is 17 by 18 feet. My current floor standing speakers are 53 inches tall, stood on their isolation podiums they are 55 inches tall. They are very slim and very deep and definitely don’t dominate the room. That crown goes to our 77 inch OLED which is purched on a 24 inch tall rack which elevates the top edge of the screen to 62 inches, 7 inches above the top edge of the speakers. It works. As regards would I pay a lot more for high end gear, or higher end gear? Well, I think that comes down to your priorities in life and your disposable income. I got into premium audio when I first started working in banking in my early 20’s. I was young, free and single. I had no responsibilities, so I was financially irresponsible maximising my preferential rate staff bank loans to invest extensively in hifi. All I’ll say is that it was a steep learning curve. I basically learned from my many mistakes and impulse purchases. So, 42 years later, I’m 23 years into my 2nd marriage. I have 5 grown up children, all successfully making their own way in life. Non of them are audio files and my current wife absolutely detests my hobby. I now work for the NHS, I’m debt free and have a more healthy disposable income than I’ve ever had. For many years I had to put my love of well reproduced music and audio on the back burner, whilst prioritise my love for my wife and children and my duty to provide for them. I can tell you we went through some pretty lean times. Fortunately, all that money I’d irresponsibly squandered on hifi in my misspent youth paid divide, as my hifi system never let me down through those lean years. Today, my enthusiasm for well reproduced music is stronger than ever. But, I take a more mature and relaxed attitude. 5 years ago I upgraded my £9000 integrated amp for a £16000 preamp monoblocks combination. I expected the difference to be night and day. It wasn’t. Not even dusk and dawn! Do I regret that extra outlay, no. Would I do it again? Probably not! Recently, one of those monoblocks died. I did contemplate upgrading them, it was well with n my means. But the more mature me, said no. It cost me £425 to have the problem rectified. Whilst the monoblocks were in the workshop, I reinstalled my £9000 integrated, which made me glad that I’d decided not to upgrade those monoblocks. Yes, I am still thinking of trying to improve my system. My DAC is perfectly good, vut I know there better out there. If I were strapped for cash, I wouldn’t be thinking that way. Is my hifi gear ‘high end’? I have no idea. I’ve never found a definitive explanation of ‘high end’. I would describe it as ‘high value’ and ‘high performance’ and ‘premium quality’. Vut ‘high end’ must be subjective. I lack that objective reality to make that call. All I can say, after 40 plus years of trial and error, experimentation, mistakes, a shed load of hard earned cash, which at times ice wasted and at times spent well. Good advice I’ve not taken and bad advice I’ve acted upon. I conclude that high end is not price dependant. Enjoy the music!
I have the Wharfedale Evo 4.4 - The 'little brother' of these. It's an incredible speaker, and it's making me curious of the Elysian as my end-game speaker. We'll see in a year or so. Great review, thanks!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews The 4.4 are great speakers. They have tight and clear low end (same bottom slot-type bass port). The midrange dome has incredible realism on vocals. Sound stage is airy and spatious although the 4.4 is picky about placement. I only wish the AMT had wider dispersion. AFAIK the Elysian’s AMT doesn’t have this problem. I hope you get a chance to try the 4.4 sometime! It will surprise you.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I will be anxiously awaiting your review. You and Kristi make a great team in explaining to guys like me the finer nuances of hi-fi sound. If I can understand your explanations I'm pretty sure most people can. Keep up the great work.
I own the Elysian 4 for half a year. After demoing a lot of speakers (some being more expensive), I found love at first "sight" with the Elysian. All speakers I demoed felt like 2 small sound point sources , but the Elysian produced a wall of sound with great dynamics and an incredible effortlessness. Funny thing is the the amplifier used at that demo was a 500 euro Yamaha receiver! One of their downsides is the narrow vertical dispersion of the tweeter. Standing up and moving above the sweet spot, changes the sound completely.
@@junior-OG I demoed the Elysian 2 and ended up buying the Elysian 4. I also demoed B&W 702 S2, Revel M126Be, Focal Kanta no 2, Focal Sopra no2, Quadral Vulkan 9, Canton Reference 5 K, Elac VELA FS 407, Elac Vela BS 403. The Canton Reference 5k where quite similar in terms of Soundstage and dynamics.
I auditioned the Elysian 4's a couple weeks ago. They are the best loudspeaker system I have ever heard! Ive heard loudspeakers costing 10x the price and they did not give me the goosebumps that the Elysian's did. I know room and gear is a big part of the SQ as well. The electronics were - Bluesound Node 2i as streamer, Chord Qutest as DAC, Parsound P6 Pre into Parasound A21 Power Amp. Not sure of cables. If only I had a slightly bigger room that could work for something as bulky as the 4's. I also heard the Elysian 1's - good, but noweher near on the level of the 4's. It was the most 'oh my god the band are in the room' moment I have ever had in 20+ years of being a Hi Fi enthusiast.
Interesting read. I do have the room for Elysian 4. Recently I upgraded my Denon PMA-1060 amplifier to a refurbished Denon PMA-QS10 II. However, the mighty QS10 II proved too much for my Wharfedale Lintons, so I upgraded these to vintage Dutch Translator Impact5 midsize floorstanders with new Kef LS50 Meta speakers sitting on top of them. The result of this budget solution is that it makes me want to rediscover my music collection, so that's a good sign. The composite Impact5+LS50 Meta towers are slightly higher than Elysian 4s. So would a further upgrade be worth it? Jury is still out ...
I am an audio nut for about 30+ years, with an average income. About 2 years ago, purchased a used mint Q Acoustics Concept 500s. One of the best buys in my audio life. My search is over in the speaker department.
Still need to listen to these. They were top of my list for a while. I feared they may be too reserved and neutral without heft from written reviews? I love a mid bass and mid range crunch to drive music along.
Good question from Kristi. And yes, a good speaker should sound good right out of the box. It will improve a bit though, but it really does have to sound good right from the beginning.
Overall, Wharfedale is my favorite speaker brand.. Love their sound I'm in love with my Denton 80th... Keeping an eye out for the new Aston, Made in England.
Hi, I´m writing from Germany.I've been listening to the Elysian 4 with Parasound A21 end and Parasound JC2 preamps for over a year. Luxman DA 250 and TAC C60 CD player with Straightwire Virtuoso analog and Tellurium Q Ultrasilver coax digital cables. I already had several high-end speakers, but this exceeds all my expectations. Even now, after all this time, there are sounds that I have never heard before. The bass is deep but restrained, the mids are very good, the highs almost soar. With some CDs, even old ones, I sometimes feel as if a 3-dimensional space is falling on me. It was definitely a very good choice for me.
Man, those Elysian speakers are gorgeous! If it's possible, you should keep those as your reference speakers. That way I can live vicariously through you😅 Definitely end-game speakers for me. Oh,great review guys!
This video reminded me a story a friend told me more than a decade ago. He was looking for a real high-end pair of speakers and he was ready to invest from 30 000 to 50 000 $ for a pair. But this where it got interesting, the dealer would not let him play his kind of music and there was only one amp he could listen through. Obviously, my friend was so displeased by their attitude, he never set foot in this commerce again. And I think many other have done the same since that business closed down a few years ago! I'm glad some manufacturer are more open to suggestions from public and reviewers. Very good video!
Hi Andrew , when I was growing up in 60s my dad (who is now in heaven ) was an original audiophile , I remember when he told me it's all about the cabinet ! He was a wharfdale fan for that reason ... great vid mate 👍
I had a long history of buying bookshelf speakers and listening regularly to tower speakers at dealer stores. The biggest change for me was the size and feel of instruments and players. Not all towers are able to portray the scale correctly because sometimes they tilt the presentation somehow and end up skewing the music. Personally I found happiness in a pair of Dynaudio C2 (the second version). It is not the best speaker in the world but keeps me happy. Listening regularly to different systems at a dealer has informed and educated my buying decisions in a very profound way. It is like learning how to ride a bicycle, I got more proficient in identifying what I like or dislike, but more importantly it allowed me to understand different products on their merits even if I don’t enjoy them. Keep up the good work.
The Elysian 4 comes in a beautiful piano walnut if you don't like the piano black. I love piano black - especially on this speaker. Would be interesting to ask manufactures who offer both a piano black and a matte black which one sells more...
Well, a year later I finally got a pair and everything you said was right, and more. They replaced an 18 year old pair of Zingali overture towers ( and cost pretty much exactly the same). They outclass the Zingalis in almost every way, especially in terms of dynamics and excitement. Also I rather like the gloss walnut. I was actually rewatching the video to see how you fitted the Isoacoustic Gaia feet but felt the urge to share my experience, especially as this video helped inform my choice to purchase.
As a serial hobbyist that has too little funds to spread amongst my catalog of loves, I can see commonalities between hifi, cars, liqour, cigars, furniture, collectible cards, etc. It's all the same, and for the same reason. Gatekeeping, pure and simple; I know you've covered this before. Should the most expensive items in each hobby cost as much as they do? A $150,000 Porsche? A $3000 30 year old Yamazaki? A $1000 complete in box copy of Earthbound on SNES? (Rhetorical) But they do, and I'd argue that they should. Some things are aspirational and really should stay that way. I won't ever spend $100k on speakers/amps/source, but man do I love to hear one and dream of having it. The dream itself is more valuable than the object, as any boat owner would tell you right before they try to sell theirs. Enjoy what you have (because I love the way my system sounds; I always appreciate your sendoff, Andrew) and dream of what you don't. Life is always better with dreams anyway, right? Thanks to you and Kristi for your grounded, yet aspirational takes on this hobby.
Great review once again👍 I just uograded from evo 4.1 to the Elysian 1. tried out alot of speakers before i landed on them. What a sound. The more speakers i listen too the more Wharfedale fanboy i become. The Elysians perform in every way, Music or movies. Low or high volume. Never a hint of fatuige.
I might be becoming a hardcore Wharfedale fanboy myself. I have been listening to Wharfedale 10.1 Diamond bookshelf speakers for about 6 months now and I love everything about them. After watching this review by Andrew I fear that I could be emptying my wallet somewhere down the road with an upgrade. I live in a rather small listening space or it might have already happened.
I use Wharfedale Elysian 4 since last year. Walnut glossy. Elysian 4 is the real great speaker, never ever doubt. I bought it after watched Thomas Stereo review. Please never doubt to have it asap. You will not regret anything.
I heard a pair of these at my local hi-fi shop it was one of the cheaper sets on the floor 😂 but to me the Elysian 4 s were the most impressive and best sounding speakers i have ever heard. We also tried a pair of 100000 dollar martin speakers but the wharfedales to me were just insainly impressive. Just so sad I can't afford them
You probably can afford them, but have to decide it's important enough. I bought Legacy Focus 24 years ago for $5500. That was a lot of money to me then. They're still going strong and sound great. Have gone through many different amps and preamps but the Legacy's are permanent.
@@robertdevoy3119 I'm a 19 year old student unfortunately I can't even afford a second hand pair. Ive built up a system with Rotel power amplifiers and a nice Rotel Pre amplifier along with a decent Wharfedale subwoofer but that took me 4 years and cost less than a 1/4 of the price of a used pair of Elysian 4. But believe me the moment i can afford them i will buy a pair without thinking twice.
To anyone wondering how does the elysians sound compared to other speakers, Ill say this much. They are the most non fatiguing detailed speaker out there. You can listen to these for months on end and never get tired, it is a wharfedale through and through. It has a so relaxed sound, yet dynamic at the same time. Other speakers like the ML XT F100, KEF R11 even the R700s can take its toll on your ears after a long time spent in front of it. The Elysians? Never. Some might love a sound like this, some might not. Its hard to describe the sound, its warm and lush, yet detailed and airy. It goes deep when called for, yet very quick and precise with no bloat. Having deep bass and airy detailed highs might have one think that its midrange isnt going to stand out but the star of the show is in the midrange. Comparing the likes of the R700 and XT F100 isnt really apples to oranges because these 2 do not have that balance and finesse that the Elysians have that can sound so smooth and pleasing to the ears. I do not own the Elysians but I have heard them more than i actually want to and everytime I sit down to listen I feel just so relaxed. These will probably be my retirement speakers when Im old, as for now Im still into a clinical and analytical type of sound. Harsh after long listening periods but I get to hear every damn thing on the record. My taste will eventually change Im sure.
I agree. I own the Polk R600s which are great but fatiguing over long period of listening. I ended up buying the Elysian 4 even if it's beyond my budget because I think it's worth it.
Which amp/dac are you using? I think I'm settled on Elysian 2, but finding amp/dac is really difficult. Are you still happy with your purchase and how big is your room?
That's where i've been stuck in this hobby for quite a while now. Everything I own is pretty good and it feels incredibly hard to justify buying anything else, because the price starts to go up rather exponentially while return on investment does not feel to me like it climbs at the same rate. I'll have to get comfortable with a new price bracket if i want to continue to climb the ladder. For now I simply kick back and enjoy what I own - which I suppose is the whole goal in the first place.
QOTD: if it were me, I’d go with the R700’s only because I’d want some money left over to buy music. These ones from Warfdale are amazing, but they are just at a level I simply wouldn’t pay for. A side note. When I was at AXPONA earlier this year, the Polk sales rep did kind of what you guys suggested. Let the speakers sell themselves. He had a modest Denon 50 watt two channel amp and the R200 bookshelf speakers hooked up. We were able to select songs as requested along with a few demo tracks. Bottom line, I was utterly blown away. Of all the rooms we visited, this rep was the best at interacting with the audience. I of course bought a pair not too long ago which might be my end game. Keep rocking. Bed time here. 🤘🏼🎸🤘🏼
I really learned a lot from your channel, your analysis changed my opinion about a lot of things that I believed to be good because the asking price. It's a huge help that I will take in consideration when I get my equipment. Thumbs up 👍🏻
Hey Andrew! Great review and similar thoughts to my own. I managed to hear these in person matched with a Hegel amp, they sounded fantastic. I was tossing up between purchasing these or a pair of speakers from Australia. I went with the aussies! Pitt & Giblin Superwax minis. Worth giving them a google, absolute stunners. Cheers!
The point about the quality of recordings is so important to remember when listening to equipment, thanks for bringing it up! No money in the world can make a badly produced or badly mixed recording sound any better on a high-end system. Crap in, crap out. Expensive equipment might even be worse, since with a higher resolution, it most likely will reveal all nasties in the recording (a majority of many 1980's hard rock albums). Most hard rock albums are not recorded in a high-end studio, packed to the brim with B&W 802's. For me, I want to rock out. I don't want, or need, a speaker that can reveal every finest nuance in the music. After many years, I have finally figured that out. I want a reasonably priced, well-braced speaker that makes electric guitars, vocals, drums and bass guitar sound more like real instruments. The limitation for me is living in an apartment with shared walls, so a concert PA-system is not viable, otherwise I might go for that =) I enjoy my JBL HDI-3600's and I'm sure they will serve me well for many years.
There was a question about "what are you getting with high end speakers". I purchased a pair of Legacy Whispers in 1997. I had intended on considering one of their speakers that was a third of the price but purchased the Whispers which had a retail of $12k. It was a major purchase... had that money been put in a decent mutual fund it would have easily doubled twice by now. I talked to Bill Duddleston, who had designed the speakers. He said that these "would be the last loudspeakers I would ever need to buy". As a Stereophile subscriber I saw reviews of many outstanding speakers over the years but partly because of what I had already spent I still have the Whispers. I expect they still sound as new. I did need to replace the tweeter foam surrounds a few years ago- possibly because I live in an area where 60 % humidity in the house is normal. The Whispers replaced Atlantic Technology speakers which cost about $ 2500/pr with the matching subwoofers as the fronts were THX speakers rolling off at 80 hz on the low end. Before I packaged the Atlantics for shipping to my brother I put those in place of my Whisper front pair. After I short listening session I was very impressed with the Atlantics, even after having listened to the Whispers for over a year. I still have a pair of JBL L7 speakers which I purchased in 1993. Otis Rush recorded a song called "Homework" which has some great saxophone passages which I have never liked as well as when I listened to them on the JBL's . Years ago, bass extension, precise imaging, depth and width of soundstage and linearity were hallmarks of high-end speakers. Since then, speaker computer design is much improved and very good room correction is commonplace in most AV receivers. Especially for home theater, outside of direct speaker to speaker comparisons I don't think you are going to notice a huge difference between a good speaker like the Polk R700's and what is considered a great speaker that costs many times more. Bass extension may be the biggest difference and that might not be noticed due to room placement or could be compensated for with a well-placed subwoofer. If money is more than a minor concern, let price decide what you should spend. The Polk R700's or similar speakers may be in the sweet spot of value vs performance. What wasn't mentioned here is that the Elysians are available in a walnut gloss finish which looks absolutely beautiful in photos. Another issue with high end speakers is weight. My Whispers weigh 210 lbs. The Elysian 4's weigh 110 lbs., the Polk R700's weigh 80 lbs.. The Elysian 2 speakers- which are stand mounts without a second woofer- weigh 67 lbs. I would pick the Elysian 2's because they are physically much easier to manage and an optional sub would make front speaker placement less critical.
Anthony Clements I couldn't agree more with your take on cost and value in the comparison of speakers. You sound as though you could write reviews yourself. Thanks for your input.
Elysian 4 vs. R700 is a classic scenario around many product categories. It highlights the diminishing returns that come once you get above a certain level. As an audiophile< I certainly see this regularly, but I am also a sports car/super car enthusiast, and the examples in that space are even more clear. A Porsche Turbo S is not an inexpensive car by any stretch, but its performance will rival or often beat a Ferrari, McLaren, or Lamborghini costing 3X of what the Turbo S costs. However, the Ferrari, McLaren and Lamborghini have a level of exclusivity to them that make them highly attractive to a certain type of buyer. In some cases, the performance may be less than the Porsche, or very slightly better at best from one of the highly exclusive brands, but that is really not the primary driver of of the purchase decision. The more exclusive the brand, the more certain buyers are drawn to them. Again, this is true in so many other products as well: Bicycles, motor cycles, tennis rackets, running shoes……and the list goes on.
Just a pity that Polk isn't offering the R700 in white anymore. After seeing Andrew and Kristi's video on them I WANT them in WHITE...and yes I know they were made more for the European market, but I'm an American and love the look of the naked drivers on white...not that ugly faded black t-shirt grey...Even if they offered them in the ubiquitous "piano glossy black" it would be better. Come on Polk get with it.
Great post mate, very true. Brand snobbery is real and it all comes down to some peeps being able to/wanting to spend more than others can spend to make oneself feel special by having something that others cant afford even though its not necessarily 'better' than the more budget conscious version of whatever product the 'rest' have. Validation I think it's also called.
Just watched a few videos in the Noise Complaint section from 2 years ago. It's cool to see how far you've come. The quality of the video and your overall happiness seems so much better...... maybe it was just the start of the pandemic lol
It's official, I'm saving up for that Black Friday sale for the polk R 700,s... gonna put the klipsch in the bedroom, just because you rate them so high... and we trust you Andrew and Christy...
The walnut version of this speaker is really beautiful and probably one of the nicest tower speakers ever made in that scale. I'm sure the Sonus Faber people must think it's part of their product line when they see it. Why does it say Wharfedale? We now make model called Wharfedale - perque? 😀
I saw the wood finish on the Elysian 4, it was definitely on my list for new speakers. I will probably eventually go for those down the road once I get a Michi amp as well. Great video! Hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday and Happy Father’s Day!
The Elysian line is pretty great! I would likely pair well with the Michi (I hope to find out soon 😉 ). Happy Father's Day to you and thanks for watching!
Michi's are very neutral with tons of bottom power and can basically drive anything, so would be a great companion. I did look at the Elysian for a while since they seem like quite a lot bang for the bucks, but they require a slightly larger room or you'll risk having problems with boomy base (why I decided to look elsewhere). So if you have a smaller room, check out the smaller Elysian, that could be a great option if you like the sound from wharferdale. :)
Yeah. I have a Rotel 1592 right now and I adore it. I want Michi primarily for better built in DAC, more robust power, design and the remote. The remote I have on my 1592 is same as the MK2 and that thing could be used as a weapon, literally.
First a quick background, to sort of help illustrate where I come from. After having enjoyed my hifi system for like a decade and a half without changing anything, then recently the bug bit and I bought a 2nd hand dream amplifier simply for wanting to try - thinking that if I found it to be a mistake a could likely sell it on without loss. That turned out to be a costly but amazing experiment - it is like I have a whole new music collection. Since then I have upgraded my pre-amp, another 2nd hand buy, am considering what cartridge to get for my turn table. After that I may have to consider if my speakers are next, but maybe I'll instead just enjoy for a few more years. Now my point haven recently upgraded some gear from, let say upper mainstream to what I think must be considered high-end here is some of what I got, besides a more detailed and controlled sound stage and much more power than I need: - Gear that has an aura of build quality about it. It's clear that the design dares to be a little more eclectic, but just looking it's also clear materials are better and that some of the cost has gone into that. This goes double having moved it around - quality is heavy (except for cartridges and tone arms). - The pre-amp comes with a remote that looks and feels like something from a very cheap tv, it is like a 3$ item or so and I hate it. The contrast to the pre-amp itself could not be bigger, the thing is just nice to touch with its front plate being like 10 mm thick aluminum and every knob also well made. Bottom line is that to me it matters that things look and feel nice, however clearly some makers of high end gear do not manage to bring that - and it is okay since ultimately what matters is the music. Still the look and feel is a factor, not for wanting to show off but because I like things I use to feel right. Also a tip - buying 2nd hand can be great if you don't rush, then great buys are out there and if you buy 2nd hand the loss is much smaller if wasn't the right thing. Dear Andrew - if you read this. Please remember to review the remotes that comes with the different gear, the really bad ones needs to called out and if there is any good one those should get high praise. I wish one could buy a really nice universal remote, that would nice as in something feeling like it would work for self defense if needed.
Great review and I couldn't agree more.. I own the Wharfedale Lintons Heritage since two weeks and they are just magical considering the price. They play at such a high level that even an asking price of 3000 Euro's per pair would be a fair price.
So I have a Wharfdale Zaldek setup (S1000, Center and dipole surrounds) that I'm still very happy with nearly 20 years later. Yes there is no comparison to Wharfdale's top tier but for home theater or jazz ( rnb and funk) they work fine. Sound is similar to Klipsch as the Zaldek speakers have horn tweeters. Hence in a money no object I would of course go Wharfdale but as a realistic and budget minded audiophile the Polk R700s should more than be adequate in achieving high end sound.
I have gone for medium price hifi all my life based on the 80:20 rule. 80% of the performance for 20% of the price. Then I bought some KEF Reference 3s when I was thinking I really ought to experience high end before I die (seriously!). And before my hearing deteriorates. Well, I can tell you now my 80:20 rule is out the window. Those KEFs totally transformed my listening pleasure. When I first turned them on I was speechless with the rumbling bass at first, and then the imaging. Sound is 3D. When my friends have listened they look around the room to see if it is a surround sound setup, such is the depth of the soundstage and image. At times you can hear sounds above you and to the left and right of you. It's nothing like any medium speaker I ever heard and was, in conclusion, the best purchase I ever made, by some margin. I urge anyone who loves getting lost in the music to invest in high end speakers (or at least the KEF Reference 3s!)
@@cpa889900 I would say the front end of my system is more following the 80:20 rule. A Yamaha AS3000 and a Denafrips Pontus DAC. If anything the magic of my Reference 3s is enabled by room treatment. I spent a massive £300 on making my own absorbers (from Rockwool), but that added £30,000 worth of imaging! I will upgrade both the amp and DAC in due course, with a view to maximising the Reference 3s. No hurry though, it’s good enough as is to draw me in. Room treatment was the key. The panels are clothed in the same colour as the walls, so doesn’t particularly look offensive, but I have a dedicated listening room, so looks aren’t really a major obstacle for me.
Thank you for another great video! Some interesting options at the price point... Wharfedale Elysian 4, Monitor Audio Platinum 200, Dali Epicon 6, Audiovector R3... I'm sure there are a few others also. If you are happy to spend that money, it fits in your room/system and you like the sound/looks 👍
A great review of the Elysian 4. I own a variety of speakers at various price points. From $350.00 a pair to well over $10,000.00. I can tell you more expensive does not equate to being that much better. It really depends on target goal of the make and model. Therefore, I think you need to take in the sonic character of the speaker. Most high end speakers do not offer much bass response and are myopic in the way they are engineered, giving you only mid-range and treble clarity, with tight punchy bass that has very little extension. Others want to give you the full audio spectrum and try to accurately reproduce every note that is played. So what you get out of them will vary according to your own tastes. Many high end speakers will fit the needs of Jazz or the Light Classical music listener nicely. Reaching deep into the details of the recording. However, it is much harder to find speakers that have the second goal in mind. I can only count a handful of manufacturers that design products that give you a full 20 to 20 frequency response. Giving you the full dynamics of large scale orchestral piece. Ever rarer still, is something that can do it for less than $20,000.00. In my case the $12,000 pair of towers used in my 2 channel rig can do a lot more that the more modestly priced HT tower. One example is with the bass response, the 2 channel's speakers have are far more amazing. They can get down down to 20 hz and rumble the room without being boomy. Something the HT speakers albeit not cheap at $2500.00 a pair, cannot achieve. They have more bite in the treble, are a bit boomier, and need a sub in order to achieve the same level of low end output.
The last speaker I remember you getting very "worked up", almost emotional abou,t were the LaScala II's, which are a few $k more. Am curious how you would compare the two....
Great video. Always had a soft spot for wharfedale speakers after owning a couple pairs in my lifetime. I agree that speakers should be able to sound good, no matter what they are connected to. That’s not to say they wouldn’t sound better with higher priced equipment, but at what cost. Diminishing returns! There comes a point where I believe the more expensive stuff becomes fancy furniture and tends to be more about looks and a status symbol. Now you’ve done it: R700, Concept 500, or these Wharfedales. Might sleep on it.
Having heard all three, I would get the R700s, skip the Concept 500s and just go for it and go Elysian 4s if I wanted to ball all the way out and leave no doubt.
I have a different take on your question and the review process. I'm wondering if you have ever compared a pair of speakers to what the live performance sounded like? I played trumpet in my Jr. HS and HS bands and went to concerts from Burt Bachrach to Maynard Ferguson and AC/DC to Madonna and heard Whitney Houston as an opening act, so a lot of different music live. I've been to CES and listened to many high and low end systems and so far the only speaker that I've experienced that gives the feeling of being there is the Klipschorn. Just for a quick example when Maynard Ferguson and his band were playing you could hear and feel the power of those trumpets. The only speaker that has come close to giving that same feeling is the K-horn. I'm sure the Wharfedale will sound totally accurate but doubt they can recreate that feeling.
I'm far from a piano black gloss fan, but to be honest, they did look nice in your living room. The black color against the wooden panels is a good match and I'm not entirely sure if the varnished walnut finish would be better. Thanks for the review. I have been interested in the Elysian 2 ever since I bought the Lintons.
Maybe, just maybe the problem with the gloss finish was exacerbated by the glare off their the center channel top? The look of the floor standers with their curved sides shouldn't be a problem? I'm thinking the listeners, including me "assumed" Andrew and Kristi meant all the speakers?
Love your reviews. For me I have seen over the years that technology in speakers has changed dramatically. Getting a 500 dollar speaker to sound like 2500-3000 these days is a lot more common. The big difference in high end stuff is all about materials and components used. I know guys that if they heard a speaker blind they get all excited but when they hear who makes them, they wouldn’t buy. I know now there are speakers now that are not the best built quality and not the best tech, but so damn good that sound quality even spending several thousand more can’t be justified. Example. I’ve heard great speakers, but when I heard Sonus Faber Lumina 2 (you guys reviewed) you can’t forget them. To me it’s up there with the very best, but a fraction of the money. But… they are hard to find. I could see when you guys reviewed them that your faces/expression told me they were good. For me all I need. But if you haven’t heard any new and hear them, they are damn good. Thanks!
I had the Linton's for a little over a year. I really did love them and still think they are a great value for the sound you get. I had been looking for a more full range speaker that would provide a little more extension/air in the highs. I have recently picked up a pair of the R700's. I am completely content with the R700's and feel they are incredible for the price. They are everything you laid out in the review. Thank you for that video! I completed a ton of research after that video before I hit the buy button. Unfortunately, I am rural enough, I am not able to audition equipment before buying. If I had the means (I do not), I would have looked at the Elysian's especially after owning the Linton's. Having the R700's though, I am not so sure I could justify the price difference over the R700's, but would not fault a person that would. I prefer the Polk's over some of the other much more expensive speakers I have heard (again limited due to my location). Thank you again for the video's and for your thoughts on the current HIFI market :)
Regarding your question if the day. Around Christmas I splurged and got a 7 channel set of the Martin Logan motion series. Best Buy had a sale and all seven came to $1500 off. This is beyond the top of my ceiling but I wanted a set that I would never want to upgrade (hopefully). For that reason, I spent more. I couldn’t imagine paying $10k for just a pair of speakers. I recently saw a video boasting about a $9k sub and thought that was way too much too. I always feel guilty for the purchase but I love the sound. To me I rather save the money than go into a purchase this like thinking price is no object. Nothing against those that do, I just can’t relate.
Head mop looking good! Wharf does make some great products, and almost sells every experiment they make (denton, evo 4.2, linton all in same price range...nobody else does that ).
Great Review! I am another one of your subs actually shopping the R700’s vs the Elysian 4. To be honest I would have already bought the R700’s if I could get them in the white finish like the ones you reviewed. May just have to settle for the black ones. Thanks for all your honesty and effort in your reviews. Your the BEST!
I sometimes wonder what more expensive speakers (over £1000) would improve over my current set up so it’s always good to hear a reasonable explanation of what generally improves as you go up in price. My room would definitely be too small for that theatre set up but they seem like great speakers
I have a friend who bleeds high end. And talks very knowledgeable about high end for years now. Last week he had to get a hearing aid because of deteriorating hearing. How many speakers did he buy based on spec and not what he heared? My polks sound great in my room with my equipment and I spend countless hours with audio and video feeds thouroughly enjoying them.
Out of all the speakers Featured on this channel, this is the ONLY one that grabbed my attention because of it’s sheer looks & build quality! Keep up the great work!
@@andrewrobinsonreviewsI know that I’ll end up buying these in the near future! Gosh, no other speakers on your channel thus far come. Your review only confirmed my choice!! Also hello to Christi, thanks for your work!!
It was really nice to hear you two talk about the piano gloss finish on the speakers. I can't consider any glossy speakers because my speakers are either around my TV or my computer monitor. Maybe these types of speakers are meant for "real" audiophiles who only listen with a record player and amp in between the speakers, but that's just not my lifestyle. It would be really nice to see more high-end products with a finish that is not reflective.
Personally, I don't care about home theater. I'm interested in 2 channel audio and these speakers are certainly well reviewed. I love the gloss finish and think the matte finish looks cheaper by comparison. I would certainly consider the Elysian 3 or 4 but haven't found any guideline on what room size is indicated for each. Wharfedale claims to have created the 3 due to customer demand for smaller space fitment but fails to define what constitutes a large or small space. The price difference is relatively minimal.
I just have to thank you because I was waiting for this review with great curiosity, being particularly interested in the Elysians. As always, you have made a perfect analysis and I agree with everything you have said, also in relation to the market and the competition. Great job as always, yours is a channel that I follow with great interest and that improves from video to video. Sincere congratulations. Now I'm thrilled to wait for the review of the Rose Audio amplifier (perhaps "in combo" with their top-of-the-range streamer), because even if we are not talking about a cheap product in an absolute sense, I am sure that for the reference sector it will give a hard time to the various Lumin, Aurender or Auralic that have a much "more aggressive" marketing (if you allow me to say so). Thanks again :)
Loving my modest Wharfedale 12.2 in the den paired with a Polk sub. Work great. Might consider the Evo 4.4 for the living room, but not sure about how the AMT tweeter would be. Would go with the Linton models, but most reviewers say the tweeter is or can be harsh. If Wharfedale with fix that one issue and maybe add more bracing to the box, they'd be a "no-brainer" for many people.
Money....hmmm. Well usually fit and finish. Build quality. Those are the main things. Performance should be there, however....inexpensive speakers have caught up and im wondering are we getting to a point of diminishing returns. Your right about glossy finishes as well...not good for front projectors at all. All in all this is one of your best reviews ever!!!!!
@@saltaormina9404 Intergra’s new DRX 3.4 I have a mismatched 5.1.2 set up and I use the extra channels to bi-amp the evo 4.3s I don’t have the space for a separate setup but I do a lot of 2 channel listening without a sub via a turntable
Due to the price I didn't even think about this speaker. Punches way above my salary. But I recently got the Polk R700 you just reviewed. It was quite spontaneous, but no regrets on that 😅 IfI had the money, sure I would consider these and they clearly have a clientele to buy them, just not me, lol Esthetically these are beautiful and as always... furniture is expensive. They are not just speakers. Great review as always 👍👍👍
Great response to Kristi’s great query for further explanation on the BS statement and I totally agree. I’ve been sucked in to that BS myself I’m sorry to say.
I will soon upgrade my system from bookshelf to floorstanding and i have the money for the Elysian but i´m not interesting in the looks of a speaker at all so i will take a look a second time at the Polk because they sound almost to good at the price. That small difference in performance don´t gonna steal my money :)
Excellent video as usual Andrew. Quick question - what speaker cables do you use while reviewing speakers? I think a video on speaker cables would be an informative one.
Lord have mercy these are beautiful speakers (would prefer matt finish all day long) I went ahead and picked up the Polk Reserver R400 Center speaker as a 1st tangible with the Reserve line and introduced into the Definitive Technology mix & I was pleasantly surprised I heard a difference with replacing the Definitive Center. Needless to say will be dropping the Definitive Super Towers into the game room and the R700 towers will be dropping into the Living Room......................20 years ago I spent a GRIP on Sandy Gross Definitive Technology army of speakers, and they are still kicking. It was just time for a musicality change. I do believe cost doesn't always translate into night and day difference with sound. Find a happy medium & live within your means!
I see your thoughts on high end speakers vs amplifiers…but if one takes the rule of 1/3s seriously we can see how a $30k speaker might need a $30 amplifier. We as consumers should know that we have to “match” our system to get the best out of it. The extreme high end seems to fall squarely within this realm. We all have our budget and shouldn’t be upset at a speaker that needs an expensive amplifier. It’s not for us. Magnapan LRS+ needs a way more expensive amplifier to run them properly…It’s good to know that an $8k speaker doesn’t “need” an expensive amplifier but will increase its performance when you do add an equivalent amplifier. The walnut version of this speaker is 🔥and excellent review as always.
First, I agree with Andrew that every AMT tweeter I've heard sounds, well, less than perfectly natural. I KNOW when I'm listening to and AMT (just like I KNOW when I'm listening to a horn, but that's another matter). It's very cool to hear that Wharfdale has produced something with an AMT that might not be quite so AMT-sounding. Next, regarding fussiness of some high-end speakers: I agree with what Andrew is saying about justifying the price-point. Having said that, certain specialty speakers are built to an objective (in terms of sound), and that objective produces some system-matching requirements. Maggies require amps with high current delivery. Wilsons have a severe impedance dip that requires amps that are stable into 1 ohm. The engineering objective produces the system matching requirement. That's okay. It's not fussy, per se. OTOH, Maggies are good audio "bargains" (if you look simply at the prices of the speakers), and Wilsons can justify their costs on materials and engineering, not just snobbery. Ultimately, there is no "perfect" speaker in any given room, and there's not even a "perfect" speaker for your particular room. You can get close-to-reference performance above 100 Hz with a lot of different speakers at a lot of price points, and spending more might just get you "different" not "better." However, if you want full-range (i.e. very good bass below 50 Hz) you have to pay. Yes, you can pay LESS with a good subwoofer solution (IF you can find a "good" subwoofer solution for your room, musical tastes, and main speakers). But physics requires volume at low levels, and volume requires big drivers in big cabinets which cost money. Also, there is the issue of "good sound" as opposed to "facsimile of the real thing." The latter mostly, but not always, costs more. Many folks aren't even looking for the latter, or if they hear it don't really value it all that much as opposed to other stuff (dynamics, flat frequency response, etc.). If you're one of those, great! You can enjoy the hobby at relative bargain prices. If you're not... maybe you should consider stamp collecting? Why let audio break your heart?
Let me just say, first of all, I scored, finally, an Onkyo RZ50. I was stuck with the Denon s960h and due to shortages next to nothing has been available. Thanks to you I searched for the RZ and holy smokes! I’m blown away by the difference. I can’t thank you enough. Seriously. And I’m just using my old rp600’s. If I ever find the Polk R700 in Walnut in stock that’s next. Would I ever spend $80000 on a stereo system if I could afford it? No. It’s just not what I dream about. Having 200lb monoblocks on the floor, etc, hard pass. In my mind, you can only make music and movies sound just so good. Everything else is like comparing a Camaro to a Ferrari. They are both fast but one costs five times as much. With the Ferrari you’re buying the hand built, custom leather status. Now the Ferrari I would buy, lol. But that’s just me. My goal still remains to buy an end game stereo/movie system at reasonable cost and couldn’t care less about name brands. I would still take the R700 over the Wharfdale every day because I can go without the last 1% and use the money for two emotiva monoblocks and call it a day. $20000 to $100000 for speakers? Are you kidding me? Are the musicians playing live from inside those things? Nuts to me.
Great review! I love the Wharfedale house sound so I’m glad you guys loved these speakers. I have the Evo 4.1’s in my office and the Linton’s in my main living area. You hit the nail on the head saying that jumping up to this price point for a speaker generally returns marginal sound improvements but much better build quality. For some that will be worth it, and I completely respect that, but it’s not for me. I’d use that saved speaker money on another part of my setup or to go on a trip or something. Have a great rest of the weekend!
Hope we get another projector review next week! Ah just kidding. Love the reviews, your enthusiasm really paints the picture sometimes more than your words. Have a wonderful Sunday.
The results are in...y'all don't give AF about projection. 😂 Add projectors to the list of videos we're unlikely to ever make again (see also headphones and subwoofers). 💀
Your reviews and many comments are about functional abilities. But people don’t buy Rolex to tell time better. Many even higher priced speakers hope to appeal like Rolex to non-functional motivations like self perception (achievement and validation) and the perceptions of others (success). Your reviews help distinguish which of these “benefits” are being sold in the higher priced products.
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These are on my short list for fronts on my new home theater build. Also in contention are the Goldenear References. Have you heard them? You don’t seem to be a fan of the AMT tweeter (except for the Elysian 4’s), but have you heard the Goldenears? I’m sensitive to overly bright, sharp etched tweeters, but I find all the Goldenears I’ve heard to be neutral, detailed and balanced.
@@healthynutster GoldenEar speakers are generally pretty good. I don't like that the powered woofers are part of the speaker for bass doesn't always sound best where the mids and tweeters do, but in terms of value GE is solid. Admittedly, you can experience much the same with DefTech (which was also a Sandy Gross company/design).
The description of added requirements for High end speakers is one of the best things I’ve heard in a while! 😂
Why do they buy speakers that are fast but do not have the quality of a good JENSEN IMPERIAL from the 50s/60s JENSEN G 610 TRIAXIAL, that is Hiend, I guess they are not interested, they just want to buy a package and not complicate anything believing that spending more translates into better sound quality
by the way, happy Father's Day to all fathers and to those who are wasting time not having 'bed wetter's.' :)
I am convinced. This is the 10 year wedding anniversary gift I will gift my wife.
*Happy Father's Day to all the Dads (pet Dads too) out there!*
Dad of 3… they’re now old enough to have their own systems. My 18 year old daughter (graduated high school this year) has a turntable, tube amplifier, and vintage Polk speakers with silver line tweeters.
I've been an audiophile for decades and am now 77 years of age. I have started this pursuit since I was 22 years of age. I can honestly say some manufacturers will fix what isn't broke and over engineer newer models that actually sound worse than some previous models. And to your point about high end companies requiring too many stipulations to acquire their ideal sound, does sound like B.S. to me as well and also shows an over reach. Wharfedale to me offers one of the best sounds in the audio business bar none. They also offer good monetary value. I have expensive equipment and am considering purchasing from Wharfedale because their sound exemplifies the characteristics that I gravitate to, when listening to all kinds of different music. Good review.
I bought my parents some Wharfedale Diamonds 9.1s since they were a cost effective TV speaker replacement and considering I paid barely over £100 new for them I have been quite impressed with them. Wharfedale is also quite local to me - as is Cambridge Audio’s original office coincidentally
Any amp that can't handle a 4 ohm load probably can't really handle the reactive loads of loudspeakers. Back in the day any amp that could not handle a 4 ohm load was viewed as junk. Some amps sold then could handle a 2 ohm load! So what do you call the tons of home receivers today than can't handle anything below 6 ohms and arrive at their power .... awe..... creatively. I saw a home theater receiver.... at close to a $1000 .... that arrived at their power rating at 8 ohms with 1 channel driven atvm 1000kz with less than 5% distortion. How many folks listen to a movie with only 1 channel? How could you do it if you really wanted too? Buyer Beware!
Some folks want their system to be exclusive and as such, superior in every way to everybody else's system. Of course, the very next year every one of exotic component manufacturers magically produce a new revolutionary design superior to what those folks just bought last year.
Worth is subjectively determined, so the question is impossible to answer. For me, the question is moot because I don't have enough income to justify the price of this "wonderful high end speaker even if i thought they were worth it. Many folks I know think I am crazy for spending nearly $3,000 on my sound system. (Actually i have other systems too!) Others are very happy with the sound of their sub $100 Bluetooth speaker and would not spend $200 for a better performing one. I was critized by a very wealthy friend for spending $300 for a pair of speakers. The guy owned a 42 foot yacht! It cost more that $300 just to fill the tanks of the thing. His significant other would not set foot on that boat. So for him the yacht was "worth" the multi-thousand dollar cost while my speakers were not WORTH $300 to him. "WORTH" when it comes to spending your money, is totally subjective. 😮
@@memcdmyo estoy de acuerdo con Tigo, me critican por gastarme en mi equipo 6.000 euros, y yo les crítico por gastarse 30.000 euros en un coche, o 1.800 en un teléfono móvil. Y estoy pensando en adquirir estos whaferdale elysian 4, pero dudo por qué mi salón no es muy grande y dudo que le pueda sacar su mejor rendimiento.
Cada uno hace lo que le da la gana con su dinero, que para Edo se lo ha trabajado. Un saludo.
I'm hovering over this Elysian 4's for a month now and if I pull the trigger, these would be my retirement speakers as I have a few (the B&W's I liked are beyond my budget as my wife doesn't wanna sell the house😅). I like things of good quality. I do photography, I buy expensive cameras/lenses; I do renovations, I get expensive tools. These days, before buying, the best tool is online reviews. Thanks to you and your team, it's always enjoyable listening to you.
Thanks Andrew a friend who works in a Hi end shop chose these when they first came out and that they were as good as anything he had ever heard up to $100 k. Good to see you enjoyed them
I got these speakers after a really long and grueling process of testing out a bunch of speakers. The price was on the high end but I have a Luxman L-509x Integrated Amp so I wanted to pair it with something of equal quality. The only issue with these speakers, is that you have to have the space for them, not because of their size but because the speakers need the space to project to their true capability. Even at that price, they've been incredible.
I’ve watched this excellent video a few times. Because I was checking that I’d not missed anything like price and dimensions. I can’t comment accurately on room aesthetics with out knowing their dimensions. All I’ll say is that my family lounge/listening environment is 17 by 18 feet. My current floor standing speakers are 53 inches tall, stood on their isolation podiums they are 55 inches tall. They are very slim and very deep and definitely don’t dominate the room. That crown goes to our 77 inch OLED which is purched on a 24 inch tall rack which elevates the top edge of the screen to 62 inches, 7 inches above the top edge of the speakers. It works.
As regards would I pay a lot more for high end gear, or higher end gear? Well, I think that comes down to your priorities in life and your disposable income. I got into premium audio when I first started working in banking in my early 20’s. I was young, free and single. I had no responsibilities, so I was financially irresponsible maximising my preferential rate staff bank loans to invest extensively in hifi. All I’ll say is that it was a steep learning curve. I basically learned from my many mistakes and impulse purchases.
So, 42 years later, I’m 23 years into my 2nd marriage. I have 5 grown up children, all successfully making their own way in life. Non of them are audio files and my current wife absolutely detests my hobby. I now work for the NHS, I’m debt free and have a more healthy disposable income than I’ve ever had. For many years I had to put my love of well reproduced music and audio on the back burner, whilst prioritise my love for my wife and children and my duty to provide for them. I can tell you we went through some pretty lean times. Fortunately, all that money I’d irresponsibly squandered on hifi in my misspent youth paid divide, as my hifi system never let me down through those lean years.
Today, my enthusiasm for well reproduced music is stronger than ever. But, I take a more mature and relaxed attitude. 5 years ago I upgraded my £9000 integrated amp for a £16000 preamp monoblocks combination. I expected the difference to be night and day. It wasn’t. Not even dusk and dawn! Do I regret that extra outlay, no. Would I do it again? Probably not!
Recently, one of those monoblocks died. I did contemplate upgrading them, it was well with n my means. But the more mature me, said no. It cost me £425 to have the problem rectified. Whilst the monoblocks were in the workshop, I reinstalled my £9000 integrated, which made me glad that I’d decided not to upgrade those monoblocks.
Yes, I am still thinking of trying to improve my system. My DAC is perfectly good, vut I know there better out there. If I were strapped for cash, I wouldn’t be thinking that way.
Is my hifi gear ‘high end’? I have no idea. I’ve never found a definitive explanation of ‘high end’. I would describe it as ‘high value’ and ‘high performance’ and ‘premium quality’. Vut ‘high end’ must be subjective. I lack that objective reality to make that call. All I can say, after 40 plus years of trial and error, experimentation, mistakes, a shed load of hard earned cash, which at times ice wasted and at times spent well. Good advice I’ve not taken and bad advice I’ve acted upon. I conclude that high end is not price dependant.
Enjoy the music!
I have the Wharfedale Evo 4.4 - The 'little brother' of these. It's an incredible speaker, and it's making me curious of the Elysian as my end-game speaker. We'll see in a year or so. Great review, thanks!
I want to hear the 4.4 sometime soon to see if it isn't a less flashy Elysian.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews The 4.4 are great speakers. They have tight and clear low end (same bottom slot-type bass port). The midrange dome has incredible realism on vocals. Sound stage is airy and spatious although the 4.4 is picky about placement. I only wish the AMT had wider dispersion. AFAIK the Elysian’s AMT doesn’t have this problem. I hope you get a chance to try the 4.4 sometime! It will surprise you.
I have the Evo 4.4 and I would love to hear ,no rather own this Elysian speakers.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I will be anxiously awaiting your review. You and Kristi make a great team in explaining to guys like me the finer nuances of hi-fi sound. If I can understand your explanations I'm pretty sure most people can. Keep up the great work.
I own the Elysian 4 for half a year. After demoing a lot of speakers (some being more expensive), I found love at first "sight" with the Elysian. All speakers I demoed felt like 2 small sound point sources , but the Elysian produced a wall of sound with great dynamics and an incredible effortlessness. Funny thing is the the amplifier used at that demo was a 500 euro Yamaha receiver! One of their downsides is the narrow vertical dispersion of the tweeter. Standing up and moving above the sweet spot, changes the sound completely.
what speaker you demoed ?
@@junior-OG I demoed the Elysian 2 and ended up buying the Elysian 4. I also demoed B&W 702 S2, Revel M126Be, Focal Kanta no 2, Focal Sopra no2, Quadral Vulkan 9, Canton Reference 5 K, Elac VELA FS 407, Elac Vela BS 403. The Canton Reference 5k where quite similar in terms of Soundstage and dynamics.
@@Petrakeas you demoed a lot of speakers 😂
@@junior-OG I traveled to a different city and a different country to hear some of them 😅.
Great insight thanks for sharing your demo speaker list..some serious kit there that you felt it bested, for your ears:)
You hit the nail on the head for me regarding high-end speakers.
Good that you bring things back to realistic proportions.
Keep up the good work 👍
Just upgraded from my Elysian 1 to the 4's, incredible upgrade!
I auditioned the Elysian 4's a couple weeks ago. They are the best loudspeaker system I have ever heard! Ive heard loudspeakers costing 10x the price and they did not give me the goosebumps that the Elysian's did. I know room and gear is a big part of the SQ as well. The electronics were - Bluesound Node 2i as streamer, Chord Qutest as DAC, Parsound P6 Pre into Parasound A21 Power Amp. Not sure of cables. If only I had a slightly bigger room that could work for something as bulky as the 4's. I also heard the Elysian 1's - good, but noweher near on the level of the 4's. It was the most 'oh my god the band are in the room' moment I have ever had in 20+ years of being a Hi Fi enthusiast.
Interesting read. I do have the room for Elysian 4. Recently I upgraded my Denon PMA-1060 amplifier to a refurbished Denon PMA-QS10 II. However, the mighty QS10 II proved too much for my Wharfedale Lintons, so I upgraded these to vintage Dutch Translator Impact5 midsize floorstanders with new Kef LS50 Meta speakers sitting on top of them. The result of this budget solution is that it makes me want to rediscover my music collection, so that's a good sign. The composite Impact5+LS50 Meta towers are slightly higher than Elysian 4s. So would a further upgrade be worth it? Jury is still out ...
I am an audio nut for about 30+ years, with an average income.
About 2 years ago, purchased a used mint Q Acoustics Concept 500s.
One of the best buys in my audio life.
My search is over in the speaker department.
Still need to listen to these. They were top of my list for a while. I feared they may be too reserved and neutral without heft from written reviews? I love a mid bass and mid range crunch to drive music along.
Beautiful speakers
Good question from Kristi. And yes, a good speaker should sound good right out of the box. It will improve a bit though, but it really does have to sound good right from the beginning.
Thanks for making me feel good about my R700 purchase.
Overall, Wharfedale is my favorite speaker brand..
Love their sound
I'm in love with my Denton 80th... Keeping an eye out for the new Aston, Made in England.
Hi, I´m writing from Germany.I've been listening to the Elysian 4 with Parasound A21 end and Parasound JC2 preamps for over a year. Luxman DA 250 and TAC C60 CD player with Straightwire Virtuoso analog and Tellurium Q Ultrasilver coax digital cables. I already had several high-end speakers, but this exceeds all my expectations. Even now, after all this time, there are sounds that I have never heard before. The bass is deep but restrained, the mids are very good, the highs almost soar. With some CDs, even old ones, I sometimes feel as if a 3-dimensional space is falling on me. It was definitely a very good choice for me.
Mark my words i will own these in the near future. Listened to them today.. pure bliss
Did you get them?
Man, those Elysian speakers are gorgeous! If it's possible, you should keep those as your reference speakers. That way I can live vicariously through you😅 Definitely end-game speakers for me. Oh,great review guys!
This video reminded me a story a friend told me more than a decade ago. He was looking for a real high-end pair of speakers and he was ready to invest from 30 000 to 50 000 $ for a pair. But this where it got interesting, the dealer would not let him play his kind of music and there was only one amp he could listen through. Obviously, my friend was so displeased by their attitude, he never set foot in this commerce again. And I think many other have done the same since that business closed down a few years ago! I'm glad some manufacturer are more open to suggestions from public and reviewers. Very good video!
Thanks again :) After watching this my last desicion is so that Elysian 4 with Hegel 390 .I think this should be the perfect solution.
Hi Andrew , when I was growing up in 60s my dad (who is now in heaven ) was an original audiophile , I remember when he told me it's all about the cabinet ! He was a wharfdale fan for that reason ... great vid mate 👍
I have learned in my travels that the cabinet is about half of a speaker's performance --maybe more.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews thanks for taking the the time to reply Andrew . Pretty much my dad's explanation . Each compliments each . 😊
I had a long history of buying bookshelf speakers and listening regularly to tower speakers at dealer stores. The biggest change for me was the size and feel of instruments and players. Not all towers are able to portray the scale correctly because sometimes they tilt the presentation somehow and end up skewing the music. Personally I found happiness in a pair of Dynaudio C2 (the second version). It is not the best speaker in the world but keeps me happy. Listening regularly to different systems at a dealer has informed and educated my buying decisions in a very profound way. It is like learning how to ride a bicycle, I got more proficient in identifying what I like or dislike, but more importantly it allowed me to understand different products on their merits even if I don’t enjoy them. Keep up the good work.
I'm glad you have a non-audio sponsor. No conflict of interest, unless Keeps manufactures hairy speakers!
PersonallyI like the look of the speakers. Piano Black is a good look for the speaker. Thanks for your honesty when it comes to your reviews.
The Elysian 4 comes in a beautiful piano walnut if you don't like the piano black. I love piano black - especially on this speaker. Would be interesting to ask manufactures who offer both a piano black and a matte black which one sells more...
Well, a year later I finally got a pair and everything you said was right, and more. They replaced an 18 year old pair of Zingali overture towers ( and cost pretty much exactly the same). They outclass the Zingalis in almost every way, especially in terms of dynamics and excitement. Also I rather like the gloss walnut.
I was actually rewatching the video to see how you fitted the Isoacoustic Gaia feet but felt the urge to share my experience, especially as this video helped inform my choice to purchase.
As a serial hobbyist that has too little funds to spread amongst my catalog of loves, I can see commonalities between hifi, cars, liqour, cigars, furniture, collectible cards, etc. It's all the same, and for the same reason. Gatekeeping, pure and simple; I know you've covered this before.
Should the most expensive items in each hobby cost as much as they do? A $150,000 Porsche? A $3000 30 year old Yamazaki? A $1000 complete in box copy of Earthbound on SNES? (Rhetorical)
But they do, and I'd argue that they should. Some things are aspirational and really should stay that way. I won't ever spend $100k on speakers/amps/source, but man do I love to hear one and dream of having it. The dream itself is more valuable than the object, as any boat owner would tell you right before they try to sell theirs. Enjoy what you have (because I love the way my system sounds; I always appreciate your sendoff, Andrew) and dream of what you don't. Life is always better with dreams anyway, right? Thanks to you and Kristi for your grounded, yet aspirational takes on this hobby.
Thanks for this comment !
Loved the review, guys (and the affirmation of the R700s awesomeness)!
Great review once again👍
I just uograded from evo 4.1 to the Elysian 1. tried out alot of speakers before i landed on them. What a sound.
The more speakers i listen too the more Wharfedale fanboy i become.
The Elysians perform in every way, Music or movies. Low or high volume. Never a hint of fatuige.
I might be becoming a hardcore Wharfedale fanboy myself. I have been listening to Wharfedale 10.1 Diamond bookshelf speakers for about 6 months now and I love everything about them. After watching this review by Andrew I fear that I could be emptying my wallet somewhere down the road with an upgrade. I live in a rather small listening space or it might have already happened.
I use Wharfedale Elysian 4 since last year. Walnut glossy. Elysian 4 is the real great speaker, never ever doubt.
I bought it after watched Thomas Stereo review.
Please never doubt to have it asap. You will not regret anything.
Trying to decide between Elysian 4 and revel 228 be
I heard a pair of these at my local hi-fi shop it was one of the cheaper sets on the floor 😂 but to me the Elysian 4 s were the most impressive and best sounding speakers i have ever heard. We also tried a pair of 100000 dollar martin speakers but the wharfedales to me were just insainly impressive. Just so sad I can't afford them
You probably can afford them, but have to decide it's important enough. I bought Legacy Focus 24 years ago for $5500. That was a lot of money to me then. They're still going strong and sound great. Have gone through many different amps and preamps but the Legacy's are permanent.
@@robertdevoy3119 I'm a 19 year old student unfortunately I can't even afford a second hand pair. Ive built up a system with Rotel power amplifiers and a nice Rotel Pre amplifier along with a decent Wharfedale subwoofer but that took me 4 years and cost less than a 1/4 of the price of a used pair of Elysian 4. But believe me the moment i can afford them i will buy a pair without thinking twice.
To anyone wondering how does the elysians sound compared to other speakers, Ill say this much. They are the most non fatiguing detailed speaker out there. You can listen to these for months on end and never get tired, it is a wharfedale through and through. It has a so relaxed sound, yet dynamic at the same time. Other speakers like the ML XT F100, KEF R11 even the R700s can take its toll on your ears after a long time spent in front of it. The Elysians? Never. Some might love a sound like this, some might not. Its hard to describe the sound, its warm and lush, yet detailed and airy. It goes deep when called for, yet very quick and precise with no bloat. Having deep bass and airy detailed highs might have one think that its midrange isnt going to stand out but the star of the show is in the midrange. Comparing the likes of the R700 and XT F100 isnt really apples to oranges because these 2 do not have that balance and finesse that the Elysians have that can sound so smooth and pleasing to the ears. I do not own the Elysians but I have heard them more than i actually want to and everytime I sit down to listen I feel just so relaxed. These will probably be my retirement speakers when Im old, as for now Im still into a clinical and analytical type of sound. Harsh after long listening periods but I get to hear every damn thing on the record. My taste will eventually change Im sure.
I agree. I own the Polk R600s which are great but fatiguing over long period of listening. I ended up buying the Elysian 4 even if it's beyond my budget because I think it's worth it.
Which amp/dac are you using? I think I'm settled on Elysian 2, but finding amp/dac is really difficult. Are you still happy with your purchase and how big is your room?
That's where i've been stuck in this hobby for quite a while now. Everything I own is pretty good and it feels incredibly hard to justify buying anything else, because the price starts to go up rather exponentially while return on investment does not feel to me like it climbs at the same rate. I'll have to get comfortable with a new price bracket if i want to continue to climb the ladder. For now I simply kick back and enjoy what I own - which I suppose is the whole goal in the first place.
QOTD: if it were me, I’d go with the R700’s only because I’d want some money left over to buy music. These ones from Warfdale are amazing, but they are just at a level I simply wouldn’t pay for.
A side note. When I was at AXPONA earlier this year, the Polk sales rep did kind of what you guys suggested. Let the speakers sell themselves. He had a modest Denon 50 watt two channel amp and the R200 bookshelf speakers hooked up. We were able to select songs as requested along with a few demo tracks. Bottom line, I was utterly blown away. Of all the rooms we visited, this rep was the best at interacting with the audience. I of course bought a pair not too long ago which might be my end game.
Keep rocking. Bed time here. 🤘🏼🎸🤘🏼
I really learned a lot from your channel, your analysis changed my opinion about a lot of things that I believed to be good because the asking price. It's a huge help that I will take in consideration when I get my equipment. Thumbs up 👍🏻
Great review as usual, Have you thought about reviewing the wharfedale evo 4.4 as a comparison to both the elysian and the Polk r700?
Hey Andrew! Great review and similar thoughts to my own.
I managed to hear these in person matched with a Hegel amp, they sounded fantastic.
I was tossing up between purchasing these or a pair of speakers from Australia. I went with the aussies! Pitt & Giblin Superwax minis. Worth giving them a google, absolute stunners.
Cheers!
The point about the quality of recordings is so important to remember when listening to equipment, thanks for bringing it up! No money in the world can make a badly produced or badly mixed recording sound any better on a high-end system. Crap in, crap out. Expensive equipment might even be worse, since with a higher resolution, it most likely will reveal all nasties in the recording (a majority of many 1980's hard rock albums). Most hard rock albums are not recorded in a high-end studio, packed to the brim with B&W 802's. For me, I want to rock out. I don't want, or need, a speaker that can reveal every finest nuance in the music. After many years, I have finally figured that out. I want a reasonably priced, well-braced speaker that makes electric guitars, vocals, drums and bass guitar sound more like real instruments. The limitation for me is living in an apartment with shared walls, so a concert PA-system is not viable, otherwise I might go for that =) I enjoy my JBL HDI-3600's and I'm sure they will serve me well for many years.
There was a question about "what are you getting with high end speakers". I purchased a pair of Legacy Whispers in 1997. I had intended on considering one of their speakers that was a third of the price but purchased the Whispers which had a retail of $12k. It was a major purchase... had that money been put in a decent mutual fund it would have easily doubled twice by now. I talked to Bill Duddleston, who had designed the speakers. He said that these "would be the last loudspeakers I would ever need to buy". As a Stereophile subscriber I saw reviews of many outstanding speakers over the years but partly because of what I had already spent I still have the Whispers. I expect they still sound as new. I did need to replace the tweeter foam surrounds a few years ago- possibly because I live in an area where 60 % humidity in the house is normal. The Whispers replaced Atlantic Technology speakers which cost about $ 2500/pr with the matching subwoofers as the fronts were THX speakers rolling off at 80 hz on the low end. Before I packaged the Atlantics for shipping to my brother I put those in place of my Whisper front pair. After I short listening session I was very impressed with the Atlantics, even after having listened to the Whispers for over a year. I still have a pair of JBL L7 speakers which I purchased in 1993. Otis Rush recorded a song called "Homework" which has some great saxophone passages which I have never liked as well as when I listened to them on the JBL's . Years ago, bass extension, precise imaging, depth and width of soundstage and linearity were hallmarks of high-end speakers. Since then, speaker computer design is much improved and very good room correction is commonplace in most AV receivers. Especially for home theater, outside of direct speaker to speaker comparisons I don't think you are going to notice a huge difference between a good speaker like the Polk R700's and what is considered a great speaker that costs many times more. Bass extension may be the biggest difference and that might not be noticed due to room placement or could be compensated for with a well-placed subwoofer. If money is more than a minor concern, let price decide what you should spend. The Polk R700's or similar speakers may be in the sweet spot of value vs performance. What wasn't mentioned here is that the Elysians are available in a walnut gloss finish which looks absolutely beautiful in photos. Another issue with high end speakers is weight. My Whispers weigh 210 lbs. The Elysian 4's weigh 110 lbs., the Polk R700's weigh 80 lbs.. The Elysian 2 speakers- which are stand mounts without a second woofer- weigh 67 lbs. I would pick the Elysian 2's because they are physically much easier to manage and an optional sub would make front speaker placement less critical.
Anthony Clements I couldn't agree more with your take on cost and value in the comparison of speakers. You sound as though you could write reviews yourself. Thanks for your input.
I like the comparison of this and the R700...BUT... how about a head-to-head between the R700 and the Klipsch RP8000F II?
Yes this
Elysian 4 vs. R700 is a classic scenario around many product categories. It highlights the diminishing returns that come once you get above a certain level. As an audiophile< I certainly see this regularly, but I am also a sports car/super car enthusiast, and the examples in that space are even more clear. A Porsche Turbo S is not an inexpensive car by any stretch, but its performance will rival or often beat a Ferrari, McLaren, or Lamborghini costing 3X of what the Turbo S costs. However, the Ferrari, McLaren and Lamborghini have a level of exclusivity to them that make them highly attractive to a certain type of buyer. In some cases, the performance may be less than the Porsche, or very slightly better at best from one of the highly exclusive brands, but that is really not the primary driver of of the purchase decision. The more exclusive the brand, the more certain buyers are drawn to them. Again, this is true in so many other products as well: Bicycles, motor cycles, tennis rackets, running shoes……and the list goes on.
Just a pity that Polk isn't offering the R700 in white anymore. After seeing Andrew and Kristi's video on them I WANT them in WHITE...and yes I know they were made more for the European market, but I'm an American and love the look of the naked drivers on white...not that ugly faded black t-shirt grey...Even if they offered them in the ubiquitous "piano glossy black" it would be better. Come on Polk get with it.
Great post mate, very true. Brand snobbery is real and it all comes down to some peeps being able to/wanting to spend more than others can spend to make oneself feel special by having something that others cant afford even though its not necessarily 'better' than the more budget conscious version of whatever product the 'rest' have. Validation I think it's also called.
Relieved to see the tweeter color is something other than sickly yellow.
And if Wharfedale can do it, why can't others?
Just watched a few videos in the Noise Complaint section from 2 years ago. It's cool to see how far you've come. The quality of the video and your overall happiness seems so much better...... maybe it was just the start of the pandemic lol
Please review the Elysian 2 that are accomodating in average room size and cheaper.
Looks like a great all around performer. I’m not an AMT fan but this possesses many desirable qualities at a value price. Fun content thank you.
btw, I had never heard, " argue your point not the other person" before. It's good advice. thank you!
It's official, I'm saving up for that Black Friday sale for the polk R 700,s... gonna put the klipsch in the bedroom, just because you rate them so high... and we trust you Andrew and Christy...
The walnut version of this speaker is really beautiful and probably one of the nicest tower speakers ever made in that scale. I'm sure the Sonus Faber people must think it's part of their product line when they see it. Why does it say Wharfedale? We now make model called Wharfedale - perque? 😀
I saw the wood finish on the Elysian 4, it was definitely on my list for new speakers. I will probably eventually go for those down the road once I get a Michi amp as well. Great video! Hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday and Happy Father’s Day!
The Elysian line is pretty great! I would likely pair well with the Michi (I hope to find out soon 😉 ). Happy Father's Day to you and thanks for watching!
That sounds like an awesome combo 👌
Michi's are very neutral with tons of bottom power and can basically drive anything, so would be a great companion. I did look at the Elysian for a while since they seem like quite a lot bang for the bucks, but they require a slightly larger room or you'll risk having problems with boomy base (why I decided to look elsewhere). So if you have a smaller room, check out the smaller Elysian, that could be a great option if you like the sound from wharferdale. :)
Yeah. I have a Rotel 1592 right now and I adore it. I want Michi primarily for better built in DAC, more robust power, design and the remote. The remote I have on my 1592 is same as the MK2 and that thing could be used as a weapon, literally.
@@gavriushka the Michi line has much better quality and simpler remotes too lol
Love these guys, in particular the bonus conversation
First a quick background, to sort of help illustrate where I come from.
After having enjoyed my hifi system for like a decade and a half without changing anything, then recently the bug bit and I bought a 2nd hand dream amplifier simply for wanting to try - thinking that if I found it to be a mistake a could likely sell it on without loss.
That turned out to be a costly but amazing experiment - it is like I have a whole new music collection. Since then I have upgraded my pre-amp, another 2nd hand buy, am considering what cartridge to get for my turn table. After that I may have to consider if my speakers are next, but maybe I'll instead just enjoy for a few more years.
Now my point haven recently upgraded some gear from, let say upper mainstream to what I think must be considered high-end here is some of what I got, besides a more detailed and controlled sound stage and much more power than I need:
- Gear that has an aura of build quality about it. It's clear that the design dares to be a little more eclectic, but just looking it's also clear materials are better and that some of the cost has gone into that. This goes double having moved it around - quality is heavy (except for cartridges and tone arms).
- The pre-amp comes with a remote that looks and feels like something from a very cheap tv, it is like a 3$ item or so and I hate it. The contrast to the pre-amp itself could not be bigger, the thing is just nice to touch with its front plate being like 10 mm thick aluminum and every knob also well made.
Bottom line is that to me it matters that things look and feel nice, however clearly some makers of high end gear do not manage to bring that - and it is okay since ultimately what matters is the music. Still the look and feel is a factor, not for wanting to show off but because I like things I use to feel right.
Also a tip - buying 2nd hand can be great if you don't rush, then great buys are out there and if you buy 2nd hand the loss is much smaller if wasn't the right thing.
Dear Andrew - if you read this. Please remember to review the remotes that comes with the different gear, the really bad ones needs to called out and if there is any good one those should get high praise. I wish one could buy a really nice universal remote, that would nice as in something feeling like it would work for self defense if needed.
Great review and I couldn't agree more.. I own the Wharfedale Lintons Heritage since two weeks and they are just magical considering the price. They play at such a high level that even an asking price of 3000 Euro's per pair would be a fair price.
That would have been the asking price if they were made in the UK.
I heard Whsrfy coming out with new dove dale of 10 inch woofer.
So I have a Wharfdale Zaldek setup (S1000, Center and dipole surrounds) that I'm still very happy with nearly 20 years later. Yes there is no comparison to Wharfdale's top tier but for home theater or jazz ( rnb and funk) they work fine. Sound is similar to Klipsch as the Zaldek speakers have horn tweeters. Hence in a money no object I would of course go Wharfdale but as a realistic and budget minded audiophile the Polk R700s should more than be adequate in achieving high end sound.
Wow, can't wait for a review on the Rose!
Coming soon!
I have gone for medium price hifi all my life based on the 80:20 rule. 80% of the performance for 20% of the price. Then I bought some KEF Reference 3s when I was thinking I really ought to experience high end before I die (seriously!). And before my hearing deteriorates. Well, I can tell you now my 80:20 rule is out the window. Those KEFs totally transformed my listening pleasure. When I first turned them on I was speechless with the rumbling bass at first, and then the imaging. Sound is 3D. When my friends have listened they look around the room to see if it is a surround sound setup, such is the depth of the soundstage and image. At times you can hear sounds above you and to the left and right of you. It's nothing like any medium speaker I ever heard and was, in conclusion, the best purchase I ever made, by some margin. I urge anyone who loves getting lost in the music to invest in high end speakers (or at least the KEF Reference 3s!)
I own a pair of the R3s. Would you please share the components you're using? I would love to have the experience you're having.
@@cpa889900 I would say the front end of my system is more following the 80:20 rule. A Yamaha AS3000 and a Denafrips Pontus DAC. If anything the magic of my Reference 3s is enabled by room treatment. I spent a massive £300 on making my own absorbers (from Rockwool), but that added £30,000 worth of imaging! I will upgrade both the amp and DAC in due course, with a view to maximising the Reference 3s. No hurry though, it’s good enough as is to draw me in. Room treatment was the key. The panels are clothed in the same colour as the walls, so doesn’t particularly look offensive, but I have a dedicated listening room, so looks aren’t really a major obstacle for me.
@@cpa889900 ps Reference 3s are not the same as R3s of course. Slight difference in size (and price)
@@VisciousHippo thank you
Goodness that Hifi Rose amp is BEAUTIFUL!
It really is!
The crazy walnut finish version of this speaker looks awesome imo 👌
Thank you for another great video!
Some interesting options at the price point... Wharfedale Elysian 4, Monitor Audio Platinum 200, Dali Epicon 6, Audiovector R3... I'm sure there are a few others also.
If you are happy to spend that money, it fits in your room/system and you like the sound/looks 👍
A great review of the Elysian 4. I own a variety of speakers at various price points. From $350.00 a pair to well over $10,000.00. I can tell you more expensive does not equate to being that much better. It really depends on target goal of the make and model. Therefore, I think you need to take in the sonic character of the speaker. Most high end speakers do not offer much bass response and are myopic in the way they are engineered, giving you only mid-range and treble clarity, with tight punchy bass that has very little extension. Others want to give you the full audio spectrum and try to accurately reproduce every note that is played. So what you get out of them will vary according to your own tastes. Many high end speakers will fit the needs of Jazz or the Light Classical music listener nicely. Reaching deep into the details of the recording. However, it is much harder to find speakers that have the second goal in mind. I can only count a handful of manufacturers that design products that give you a full 20 to 20 frequency response. Giving you the full dynamics of large scale orchestral piece. Ever rarer still, is something that can do it for less than $20,000.00. In my case the $12,000 pair of towers used in my 2 channel rig can do a lot more that the more modestly priced HT tower. One example is with the bass response, the 2 channel's speakers have are far more amazing. They can get down down to 20 hz and rumble the room without being boomy. Something the HT speakers albeit not cheap at $2500.00 a pair, cannot achieve. They have more bite in the treble, are a bit boomier, and need a sub in order to achieve the same level of low end output.
Andrew your getting better at this audio review stuff.well done.you tell me what i need to know to make an informed decision.
The last speaker I remember you getting very "worked up", almost emotional abou,t were the LaScala II's, which are a few $k more. Am curious how you would compare the two....
Great video. Always had a soft spot for wharfedale speakers after owning a couple pairs in my lifetime. I agree that speakers should be able to sound good, no matter what they are connected to. That’s not to say they wouldn’t sound better with higher priced equipment, but at what cost. Diminishing returns! There comes a point where I believe the more expensive stuff becomes fancy furniture and tends to be more about looks and a status symbol. Now you’ve done it: R700, Concept 500, or these Wharfedales. Might sleep on it.
Having heard all three, I would get the R700s, skip the Concept 500s and just go for it and go Elysian 4s if I wanted to ball all the way out and leave no doubt.
Just replaced bowers 702sigs w Elysian 2’s and the MATCHING center. Best thing I’ve done in a long time.
I have a different take on your question and the review process. I'm wondering if you have ever compared a pair of speakers to what the live performance sounded like? I played trumpet in my Jr. HS and HS bands and went to concerts from Burt Bachrach to Maynard Ferguson and AC/DC to Madonna and heard Whitney Houston as an opening act, so a lot of different music live. I've been to CES and listened to many high and low end systems and so far the only speaker that I've experienced that gives the feeling of being there is the Klipschorn. Just for a quick example when Maynard Ferguson and his band were playing you could hear and feel the power of those trumpets. The only speaker that has come close to giving that same feeling is the K-horn. I'm sure the Wharfedale will sound totally accurate but doubt they can recreate that feeling.
I'm far from a piano black gloss fan, but to be honest, they did look nice in your living room. The black color against the wooden panels is a good match and I'm not entirely sure if the varnished walnut finish would be better. Thanks for the review. I have been interested in the Elysian 2 ever since I bought the Lintons.
Maybe, just maybe the problem with the gloss finish was exacerbated by the glare off their the center channel top? The look of the floor standers with their curved sides shouldn't be a problem? I'm thinking the listeners, including me "assumed" Andrew and Kristi meant all the speakers?
Great review Andrew!..Love your honest reviews!
That was a very good take on speakers keeping price and sound n focus.
Love your reviews. For me I have seen over the years that technology in speakers has changed dramatically. Getting a 500 dollar speaker to sound like 2500-3000 these days is a lot more common. The big difference in high end stuff is all about materials and components used. I know guys that if they heard a speaker blind they get all excited but when they hear who makes them, they wouldn’t buy. I know now there are speakers now that are not the best built quality and not the best tech, but so damn good that sound quality even spending several thousand more can’t be justified. Example. I’ve heard great speakers, but when I heard Sonus Faber Lumina 2 (you guys reviewed) you can’t forget them. To me it’s up there with the very best, but a fraction of the money. But… they are hard to find. I could see when you guys reviewed them that your faces/expression told me they were good. For me all I need. But if you haven’t heard any new and hear them, they are damn good. Thanks!
I had the Linton's for a little over a year. I really did love them and still think they are a great value for the sound you get. I had been looking for a more full range speaker that would provide a little more extension/air in the highs. I have recently picked up a pair of the R700's. I am completely content with the R700's and feel they are incredible for the price. They are everything you laid out in the review. Thank you for that video! I completed a ton of research after that video before I hit the buy button. Unfortunately, I am rural enough, I am not able to audition equipment before buying. If I had the means (I do not), I would have looked at the Elysian's especially after owning the Linton's. Having the R700's though, I am not so sure I could justify the price difference over the R700's, but would not fault a person that would. I prefer the Polk's over some of the other much more expensive speakers I have heard (again limited due to my location). Thank you again for the video's and for your thoughts on the current HIFI market :)
Thanks so much for sharing your experience and happy to hear you are enjoying your new speakers!
Regarding your question if the day. Around Christmas I splurged and got a 7 channel set of the Martin Logan motion series. Best Buy had a sale and all seven came to $1500 off. This is beyond the top of my ceiling but I wanted a set that I would never want to upgrade (hopefully). For that reason, I spent more. I couldn’t imagine paying $10k for just a pair of speakers. I recently saw a video boasting about a $9k sub and thought that was way too much too. I always feel guilty for the purchase but I love the sound. To me I rather save the money than go into a purchase this like thinking price is no object. Nothing against those that do, I just can’t relate.
Great review. Love these speakers, but sadly a year away for me in getting them. Keep up the good work both of you.
Appreciate you watching, Paul!
Head mop looking good! Wharf does make some great products, and almost sells every experiment they make (denton, evo 4.2, linton all in same price range...nobody else does that ).
Wharfedale Elysian 4 is the real best floorstanding speaker. 👍👍
Great Review! I am another one of your subs actually shopping the R700’s vs the Elysian 4. To be honest I would have already bought the R700’s if I could get them in the white finish like the ones you reviewed. May just have to settle for the black ones. Thanks for all your honesty and effort in your reviews. Your the BEST!
I sometimes wonder what more expensive speakers (over £1000) would improve over my current set up so it’s always good to hear a reasonable explanation of what generally improves as you go up in price. My room would definitely be too small for that theatre set up but they seem like great speakers
Not gonna lie…. Becoming a fan pf Kristie’s take on your reviews.
I have a friend who bleeds high end. And talks very knowledgeable about high end for years now. Last week he had to get a hearing aid because of deteriorating hearing. How many speakers did he buy based on spec and not what he heared? My polks sound great in my room with my equipment and I spend countless hours with audio and video feeds thouroughly enjoying them.
Gosh those Hi-Fi Rose products are just drool worthy!
Out of all the speakers Featured on this channel, this is the ONLY one that grabbed my attention because of it’s sheer looks & build quality! Keep up the great work!
Really, that's interesting!
@@andrewrobinsonreviewsI know that I’ll end up buying these in the near future! Gosh, no other speakers on your channel thus far come. Your review only confirmed my choice!! Also hello to Christi, thanks for your work!!
It was really nice to hear you two talk about the piano gloss finish on the speakers. I can't consider any glossy speakers because my speakers are either around my TV or my computer monitor. Maybe these types of speakers are meant for "real" audiophiles who only listen with a record player and amp in between the speakers, but that's just not my lifestyle. It would be really nice to see more high-end products with a finish that is not reflective.
Personally, I don't care about home theater. I'm interested in 2 channel audio and these speakers are certainly well reviewed. I love the gloss finish and think the matte finish looks cheaper by comparison. I would certainly consider the Elysian 3 or 4 but haven't found any guideline on what room size is indicated for each. Wharfedale claims to have created the 3 due to customer demand for smaller space fitment but fails to define what constitutes a large or small space. The price difference is relatively minimal.
I just have to thank you because I was waiting for this review with great curiosity, being particularly interested in the Elysians. As always, you have made a perfect analysis and I agree with everything you have said, also in relation to the market and the competition. Great job as always, yours is a channel that I follow with great interest and that improves from video to video. Sincere congratulations. Now I'm thrilled to wait for the review of the Rose Audio amplifier (perhaps "in combo" with their top-of-the-range streamer), because even if we are not talking about a cheap product in an absolute sense, I am sure that for the reference sector it will give a hard time to the various Lumin, Aurender or Auralic that have a much "more aggressive" marketing (if you allow me to say so). Thanks again :)
Wharfedale is from Leeds Uk my hometown. I’ve always had Wharfedale speakers.
Loving my modest Wharfedale 12.2 in the den paired with a Polk sub. Work great. Might consider the Evo 4.4 for the living room, but not sure about how the AMT tweeter would be. Would go with the Linton models, but most reviewers say the tweeter is or can be harsh. If Wharfedale with fix that one issue and maybe add more bracing to the box, they'd be a "no-brainer" for many people.
Eye me too 🤙🏻
me an all
Money....hmmm. Well usually fit and finish. Build quality. Those are the main things. Performance should be there, however....inexpensive speakers have caught up and im wondering are we getting to a point of diminishing returns. Your right about glossy finishes as well...not good for front projectors at all. All in all this is one of your best reviews ever!!!!!
I recently bought a set of Wharfedale’s Evo 4.3. Absolutely love them!
Nice! Thanks for watching.
What amp are you driving them with?
@@saltaormina9404 Intergra’s new DRX 3.4
I have a mismatched 5.1.2 set up and I use the extra channels to bi-amp the evo 4.3s
I don’t have the space for a separate setup but I do a lot of 2 channel listening without a sub via a turntable
Due to the price I didn't even think about this speaker. Punches way above my salary. But I recently got the Polk R700 you just reviewed. It was quite spontaneous, but no regrets on that 😅
IfI had the money, sure I would consider these and they clearly have a clientele to buy them, just not me, lol
Esthetically these are beautiful and as always... furniture is expensive. They are not just speakers.
Great review as always 👍👍👍
Great response to Kristi’s great query for further explanation on the BS statement and I totally agree. I’ve been sucked in to that BS myself I’m sorry to say.
Thanks for watching all the way through to the end!
I will soon upgrade my system from bookshelf to floorstanding and i have the money for the Elysian but i´m not interesting in the looks of a speaker at all so i will take a look a second time at the Polk because they sound almost to good at the price. That small difference in performance don´t gonna steal my money :)
Excellent video as usual Andrew. Quick question - what speaker cables do you use while reviewing speakers? I think a video on speaker cables would be an informative one.
That’s noted in the description.
@@KristiWright Thank you!
Lord have mercy these are beautiful speakers (would prefer matt finish all day long) I went ahead and picked up the Polk Reserver R400 Center speaker as a 1st tangible with the Reserve line and introduced into the Definitive Technology mix & I was pleasantly surprised I heard a difference with replacing the Definitive Center. Needless to say will be dropping the Definitive Super Towers into the game room and the R700 towers will be dropping into the Living Room......................20 years ago I spent a GRIP on Sandy Gross Definitive Technology army of speakers, and they are still kicking. It was just time for a musicality change. I do believe cost doesn't always translate into night and day difference with sound. Find a happy medium & live within your means!
I see your thoughts on high end speakers vs amplifiers…but if one takes the rule of 1/3s seriously we can see how a $30k speaker might need a $30 amplifier. We as consumers should know that we have to “match” our system to get the best out of it. The extreme high end seems to fall squarely within this realm. We all have our budget and shouldn’t be upset at a speaker that needs an expensive amplifier. It’s not for us. Magnapan LRS+ needs a way more expensive amplifier to run them properly…It’s good to know that an $8k speaker doesn’t “need” an expensive amplifier but will increase its performance when you do add an equivalent amplifier. The walnut version of this speaker is 🔥and excellent review as always.
First, I agree with Andrew that every AMT tweeter I've heard sounds, well, less than perfectly natural. I KNOW when I'm listening to and AMT (just like I KNOW when I'm listening to a horn, but that's another matter). It's very cool to hear that Wharfdale has produced something with an AMT that might not be quite so AMT-sounding. Next, regarding fussiness of some high-end speakers: I agree with what Andrew is saying about justifying the price-point. Having said that, certain specialty speakers are built to an objective (in terms of sound), and that objective produces some system-matching requirements. Maggies require amps with high current delivery. Wilsons have a severe impedance dip that requires amps that are stable into 1 ohm. The engineering objective produces the system matching requirement. That's okay. It's not fussy, per se. OTOH, Maggies are good audio "bargains" (if you look simply at the prices of the speakers), and Wilsons can justify their costs on materials and engineering, not just snobbery. Ultimately, there is no "perfect" speaker in any given room, and there's not even a "perfect" speaker for your particular room. You can get close-to-reference performance above 100 Hz with a lot of different speakers at a lot of price points, and spending more might just get you "different" not "better." However, if you want full-range (i.e. very good bass below 50 Hz) you have to pay. Yes, you can pay LESS with a good subwoofer solution (IF you can find a "good" subwoofer solution for your room, musical tastes, and main speakers). But physics requires volume at low levels, and volume requires big drivers in big cabinets which cost money. Also, there is the issue of "good sound" as opposed to "facsimile of the real thing." The latter mostly, but not always, costs more. Many folks aren't even looking for the latter, or if they hear it don't really value it all that much as opposed to other stuff (dynamics, flat frequency response, etc.). If you're one of those, great! You can enjoy the hobby at relative bargain prices. If you're not... maybe you should consider stamp collecting? Why let audio break your heart?
according to Peter Comeau of IAG group, Wharfedale turned to Scan Speak to build the large speaker drivers of the Elysian 4.
Let me just say, first of all, I scored, finally, an Onkyo RZ50. I was stuck with the Denon s960h and due to shortages next to nothing has been available. Thanks to you I searched for the RZ and holy smokes! I’m blown away by the difference. I can’t thank you enough. Seriously. And I’m just using my old rp600’s. If I ever find the Polk R700 in Walnut in stock that’s next.
Would I ever spend $80000 on a stereo system if I could afford it? No. It’s just not what I dream about. Having 200lb monoblocks on the floor, etc, hard pass. In my mind, you can only make music and movies sound just so good. Everything else is like comparing a Camaro to a Ferrari. They are both fast but one costs five times as much. With the Ferrari you’re buying the hand built, custom leather status. Now the Ferrari I would buy, lol. But that’s just me.
My goal still remains to buy an end game stereo/movie system at reasonable cost and couldn’t care less about name brands. I would still take the R700 over the Wharfdale every day because I can go without the last 1% and use the money for two emotiva monoblocks and call it a day. $20000 to $100000 for speakers? Are you kidding me? Are the musicians playing live from inside those things? Nuts to me.
Great review! I love the Wharfedale house sound so I’m glad you guys loved these speakers. I have the Evo 4.1’s in my office and the Linton’s in my main living area.
You hit the nail on the head saying that jumping up to this price point for a speaker generally returns marginal sound improvements but much better build quality. For some that will be worth it, and I completely respect that, but it’s not for me. I’d use that saved speaker money on another part of my setup or to go on a trip or something.
Have a great rest of the weekend!
Thanks for spending part of your Sunday with us!
Hope we get another projector review next week! Ah just kidding. Love the reviews, your enthusiasm really paints the picture sometimes more than your words. Have a wonderful Sunday.
The results are in...y'all don't give AF about projection. 😂 Add projectors to the list of videos we're unlikely to ever make again (see also headphones and subwoofers). 💀
@@KristiWright Always keepin' it at 💯
Your reviews and many comments are about functional abilities. But people don’t buy Rolex to tell time better. Many even higher priced speakers hope to appeal like Rolex to non-functional motivations like self perception (achievement and validation) and the perceptions of others (success). Your reviews help distinguish which of these “benefits” are being sold in the higher priced products.
I like your comment on the BS surrounding high end, especially speakers.