I have the EVO 4.2 and your right about the mid and treble, I got some higher legs for my couch and the sound improved. Lovely speaker and overall I `m pleased with them. I do think you`d have to pay a fair bit more to better them....
I just replaced my Adam Audio T5Vs with Evo 4.2s and I seriously cannot believe how amazingly good they sound. I admittedly got them mostly for their looks but the sound is better than anything I could have imagined.
I also have a pair of adam t5vs which i used as my listening speakers in my bedroom however after moving into my first place i’m looking to upgrade and keep the adams for the office. Was looking at the whaferdale lintons however afraid they may be too big for my space. I’ve heard great things about the evos but apparently they have a very narrow sweet spot and i’m someone who likes listening whilst multi tasking aswell as dedicated listening. How would you recommend the evos?
Thanks Randy, Love Saturday Speaker Shootouts. The nice thing about getting to this level of speaker is you don't have to push the loser off the side of the table. No loser's, just differences.
Dude. I love your videos so much I don’t have the words to express it. You take what is usually an annoying pretentious thing and make it awesome. I love this channel. You got a sub from me!
I purchased and tested the center speakers of a few of the trendiest speaker lines around. The Wharfdale Evo series is built so well, a thing of true beauty! I have to say it nailed it on certain songs featuring acoustic guitar and harmonicas. Never heard a speaker nail the realism of those instruments before. But often it would annoy me too, I was always turning it down or up or switching songs. The Evo's make bass constantly no matter what. You need a very refined amp and good placement options in order to make the Evo's work in your setup. I tried and kept some Polk R200's for my stereo office setup but they had too much bass for my home theater. Emotiva speakers were great for the money and I kept them as surrounds but for the front end I went with the Focal Chora series. The Focal's offer a beautifully clear mid range with great separation. They always sound great and never put a foot wrong for both theater and music duties.
From what ive seen the EVOs work well with an amp with a midrange dip and a v curve. The Cambridge CXA81 was highly recommended from multiple people and sources for it.
I never owned the 4.2 but I just got rid of my elac debut references for the SVS Ultras and I can tell u personally the ultras sound so much more exciting and better in my opinion than the elacs. Especially if u r doing double duty like music and movies. I watch a lot of movies and these ultras are awesome! Then u turn on music and they just sound so good and diverse! Highly recommend SVS! Time to get dual SVS subs now lol
I just returned the ultra towers after a week home test, because the mids were so Unsatisfying. I found the treble not very… Refined. Of course the question is always, “compared to what?”. I’ve got some old Cerwin Vega D7’s that I’ve had for decades, and was wondering how they’d stack up against some newer replacement speakers. Yes they’ve got Horn tweeters, which are very good at instrument separation at the high end, and the mids we’re just so superior to the SVS ultra’s. I could hear the soft tambourine on my old speakers, and hardly at all on the SVS. I went to the magnolia store in Best Buy, the B&W Tower 702’s , which are $5000 a pair, had all the mid and high end detail that I needed with some great bass. That’s not my price range- I think I’ll keep shopping around.
@@beesdreams9 You can't get much better than D7s, which are one of my favorite speakers of all time. I love the iconic CV Dhorm (horn/dome) tweeter, but the D7s midrange drivers were cheaper than the massive and legendary 6.5" one they used on the 312s and 12TRs, which is why they used 2 on the D7, to compensate. IMO, the original D series, consisting of the D1, D3, D5, and D7 are hard to beat. I never cared for their speakers with 15" woofers. IMO, they aren't as balanced as those with 10 or 12 inch ones. The one thing I don't like is that the midrange and tweeter are offset, and not in mirror images, but offset the same on both speakers, and that messes up the stereo imaging a little bit
Interesting. Tested SVS ultra bookshelves which are impressive, but v-shaped freq response and too analytical for my taste. Debut Reference, especially with EQ, was much more balanced and musical.
@@gvittles1141 Yeah they are a little more balanced for music but I use the SVS for everything. Music, movies, and tv. Especially during movies the svs out perform the elacs. But for music only, yeah I agree with u there. I have audio control amps and pre amp runing 250 watts into them with a DSP pro and they are awesome. The elacs sounded good too with my system too. But I like more exciting speakers preferably
Haven't heard those particular Wharfedales but comparing the SVS to the Elacs is sort of like comparing the Beyer DT990s to the Senn HD600s. If you only listen to one set and are coming from something more entry level, they are very likely to impress. And when comparing them - again, coming from something more entry level - the SVS are more exciting and more likely to grab your attention, but the more you listen to one particular speaker and the more you compare playback to real life music, the more you realize the Elacs (and the HD600s) are just so damn real sounding. Not saying they are the best, but they are the most real. Really there are no bad choices in this group. It's a great time to be dipping one's toes into budget-ish higher end audio.
Agree with you completely. I owned the 4.2 and they were not great in my setup. I have many windows, 10 foot ceilings and wide open space. These just didn't spread the sound. I also had the SVS Ultra, they were a bit small sounding in the room. Kept them to connect via audio interface etc. for my office computer room. Still searching for the best fit for the room. Next maybe Monitor Audio Silver 100 or the Dali Oberon 3. Thanks for the video!
Thank you for pointing out the mid-range fatigue on the Evo 4.2s. These were the strangest speaker I've ever owned in terms of how I enjoyed the sound. On the positive, I really loved how the speaker separated the instruments & details in the audio, and the sound stage was quite good. But many performances sounded SO forward, that you often felt attacked by the mid range. I used this speaker for a few months as a home theater speaker & loud music area in my home, but these just weren't made for that in my opinion. These are listening room speakers. Not monitors, per say. But for someone who wants to sit and pick apart orchestral movements in their mind. Or someone who just likes that super forward warm midrange sound. I planned to use them in a different room, but instead decided to sell. Now I'm back looking for speakers in a different room, LOL!
@@demonreturns4336 I had the Evo 4.2's in my Living Room, which is used for 75% HT / 25% Music. I replaced them with Klipsch RP-280D's, which ended up costing just slightly less. I run them with about -2db on everything above 1.5khz, but they provide a much better HT experience and are better for "Party Music." Then I got Some Emotiva B2+'s for my Music/Vinyl Room. The Emotiva's give me the AMT detail without the overly forward upper midrange of the Evos' while costing about 1/4 the amount. No regrets. The Evo's had a certain level of detail in the mids/highs that the speakers above don't quite have, but I find the Evo's just less pleasing to my ear in most things overall.
@@eruilluvitar Nice. I love my Uni-fi UF51's but they definitely can get a bit boomy when too close to the wall. Really want to hear the Uni-fi Reference someday.
If I had money to spend, the Elac Uni Fi would be my choice for 3 reasons. 1. They are front ported which is the type I work with. 2. The concentric mid/high driver gives a point source experience. 3. This design is fairly accurate which is something I depend on in my work.
i love my evo 4.2s and it has incredible soundstage. it also indeed sounds large like floorstanders. 3d imaging is its weak point. the highs, while airy and detailed, feels suppressed and lacks sparkle that some people will look for. it also has solid, deep and smooth bass but will get all over the range (although i think most people will love that). the mids are hard to tame as it often gets too forward for me. its definitely not a family speakers as its so hard to get the perfect angle.
Try giving the treble a little +2 or +3 boost on your amp. You will notice that it directly becomes more forward. I only can guess why they have done it like this since AMTs can sound a bit harsch when not neutralized. The hisses on the s sound in spoken words seem to get more obvious and I think the speaker has been tuned towards neutrality in accoustic music and vocals / spoken voice Also the Evo, due it's 3-way setup has this illusion that when you add treble while listening to a drummer playing the hihats, it is like moving those more forward in the mix, like doing something with the presence rather than with brightness only. Quite stretchable.
You should add an extra category when reviewing speakers Nearfield vs standard placement two different use case scenario, I have HiFi speakers for my desktop as well as my dedicated room/theater
Dayum, I thought that I was high class when I bought my Infinity reference bookshelf speakers back in 93! They were $200... $1000 bookshelf speakers? Oh my! A great album to test them is Yellow, One Second. Been a favorite of mine for decades!
Who doesn't LOVE a good speaker shoot out???? I love to see you extend your $$$$ range. You do all levels of equipment VERY well. I want those Evo's!!!!!!! God bless, brother!!!!
I have been rocking the Wharfedale Denton 85th anniversary, they have been the best speaker I have had in my system ( $900). The new ELAC had my attention until the price went up.
How would you characterize their sound? Neutral? Warm? Mid-range forward? Bassy? Smooth treble? Thanks. I'm searching for some bookshelf speakers to replace some ancient JBLs in my den system that will do double duty for movies too. All the reviewers raved about the Uni-Fi Reference and at $999 maybe so, but not now at $1200 when that opens up more choices or makes you look at speakers that still are below $1000.
The Dentons are warm and have a slightly bumped up bass to my ear. I really enjoy them with the types of music I listen to. The speakers might have been made specifically for the 70s mellow gold station from Amazon, but they handle all the rock and techno I throw at them.
@@tristenl6938 thanks! I'm a 70s kind of guy...LOL...But I love a wide variety of music, from Americana, to jazz, to electronic/techno/ambient, indie, singer songwriter, and of course rock....Maybe the Dentons are the ones I need. I'll definitely consider them. They are $900 now, cheaper than the ELACs and the Lintons are (without stands) the same price as the ELAC Uni-fi Reference are now ($1200), so definitely they should be considered in that regard. I also see the 80th anniversary Dentons are still available for $599 and might be a great bargain too.
@@tristenl6938 Many reviewers wrote that dentons tweeter is harsh sounding and ringing in direct comparison with dentons 80th.I like dentons 85th to buy.I have wrfs 225s and like dentons 85th very much but not heard them.The same they wrote about Lintons tweeter.
Imagine my surprise to find out ASMACC is really a true organization, and not just one of Randy’s farcical sponsors. I now have a trusted resource to rely on for certified audiophile gear. May the audiophile gods grant you many moons, Randy!
I still get excited sitting down to listen to the Evo 4.2 it's a personal speaker, by that I mean it sounds superb just for you the listener sat in the comfy chair with a beverage of choice . It's outstanding valve . If you want music to fill the room for all its not the one .
Love your reviews. “Asmacc” 😂. On a more serious note, though I’ve owned several stand mount speakers. I much prefer floor standers. Stand mounts are precarious, less appealing visually, harder to reposition, speaker wire is higher, etc. All things being equal, floor standers take up the same space and offer higher efficiency or extended bass too. Yeah, they cost more but you don’t need stands. To paraphrase Quint, “I’ll never buy another stand mount again”. 😂 I’d make an exception for Buchard’s tripod type of stand. They seem very stable, they’re attached to the speaker, and they look good.
Good info. You missed something though… floor standers are harder to box up and ship back to the factory and heavier to carry up stairs. I’m kidding. Floor standing speakers are starting to grow on me
One thing that makes the Evo 4.2 even more awesome is a matching sub for music. I would advise the B&W asw608 or 610 that go down to around 23 hz and when you leave a little dip below the advised cut off frequency in order not to create a wall of bass (the Evo's go slightly deeper than the manual mentions) , it is as right as it can be. Especially Upright bass sounds as if it is there since they can have deep lows but the scratch noises are extended to the mids and at higher pitch notes can even slightly touch the treble region.
I have the gloss white SVS Ultras, and they sound clinical. My $200 Fluance Bookshelf sounds more musical but is less efficient. Where the SVS shines is the clarity and definition at high volumes.
Nice job Randy , I finally got to check your channel out , I Been putting alot of work in the last couple of months. People want their new Corvette C8 Stingray its a Beast ! Thanks Randy
Wharfedale here in the UK (less than $750 makes them the cheapest of all of those there, SVS are $1200.....which shifts the comparison a bit), they become more cohesive with time, and I find with their slot porting they are LESS placement sensitive than most...so your findings are a bit surprising tbh. Allied to an Arcam SA20 and a 2021 Node, I couldn't ask for more, they've scaled really well with the better quality amplifier. The Evo's are the entry level to actual flat response (most speakers at this price have a boosted treble and bass response...to compensate for the mid boosted commercial recordings, leading to a lot of people thinking they are rolled off....find an audiophile recording though...and suddenly things make sense....this isn't a Guns n Roses speaker in short)
I totally agree with you, my experience with the Evos are very similar. I find them very easy to place to get good sound. But there are several reviewers saying that they need a lot of TLC in terms of placement which I don't really agree with.
The Dimaonds (12s) are the flattest sounding speakers at entry level or below 500 I must say. The Evos are a step above the Diamonds but the surprisingly the Diamonds are even flatter than the Evos on the graphs. Crazy huh? Wharfedale seems to get things right nowadays, big time. Im about to get a set of the 4.2s, or maybe starve for the next 6 months and go for the 4.4s. Lol!
@@cheapaudioman could be partnering kit, I've got the new Node and an Arcam SA20....I like my metal but find this setup a bit...over analytical...and dry, it's hard to explain... everything is there, bass, mid range, beautiful treble...and yet it doesn't get my foot tapping, it's like it's all being laid out in front of me in its ingredients...without ever becoming a meal. Listen to barer recordings or orchestral though and it's hair raisingly good.
Interesting review, I just took delivery of a pair of Evo4.3 floor standers. I completely agree that these are fussy and awkward speakers, but it is great fun to try to squeeze a bit more performance out of them. In the shop everything else I listened to sounded boring in comparison, better in some ways, but boring ways. Getting these Evos to sing is going to be an interesting and rewarding challenge.
Been waiting for this shootout !!! With one upgrade left in me, these 3 are at the top of the list. Thanks for the comments on HT and dialogue (>90% for me). Elac has a nice 3-way package size and I like the off-axis performance but their recent price increase eliminates them (and I'm a "loyal" Elac customer), think Kef R3. Love the look of the 4.2 and the AMT tweeter but size is just too big for my setup. The SVS Ultra it is !
KEF R3 has a 20% " trade in " offer in Uk .Retail( Inc 20% vat) is £1299 so takes it to £1059 .There are a few good owner reviews on Amazon ,like the R3 they say the SVS Ultra needs a high watt amplifier to get the best from them .The UK full retail of those now also stands at £1299 !!! - A combination of increased component & soaring shipping costs and Dollar to Stirling exchange rates I guess . The UK designed Wharfdale EVO 4.2 currently retail at £599 Agree it's a huge cabinet for a stand mount !!! The EVO 4.2 has the same AMT tweeter plus one Mid/,Bass driver One You tube review rates this as a more balanced sound than the 4.3 & of course more room friendly dimensions .£499 Uk Hope this helps 🙂
These people will eventually price themselves out of the market, sales will plummet and so will the prices and stock share prices..... Considering the componants cost way less that £100/pair, labour paid at £4.00/day at some tiawanese swetshop........ they then export out to america and Europe and sell them for £1,200 a pair...... Ridicules and were getting way ripped at markups exceding 800%..... Dont buy any of these untill the prices comw down to around 200 a pair whatever your currency, and their companies will still show huge profits.... Dont be gullible!!!!!!!
Great comparison, Sir! In my country, Svs Ultras cost 2.5x more than the Wharfedale Evo 4.2, placing them in a league of Triangle Genese Trio, Focal Aria 906, Bowers and Wilkins 706 S2, Canton Vento 826.2 and many other higher end speakers, but it is interesting to see your opinion, nonetheless.
SVS and other ID brands cost a fortune outside of US, or else my house would be full of SVSs, Monoprices, Rythmiks and especially JTRs from wall to wall
Those "bells" in Chocolate Chip Trip are actually Danny playing on the edge of a gong. It blew my mind when I saw him play that live because I thought the same thing, that it was bells. Great song to test with though.
How about a review of the Wharfedale Linton speakers, Randy? I believe the speakers without their special stands would cost about the same as the Elacs. They are big 3 way old school speakers, definitely not for a bookshelf, with an 8" woofer. Could be interesting.....
I know this message is old but if you're only doing 2 channel get the biggest speakers you can. If you're running a sub completely ignore bass and cone size over 6.5 imo atleast.
Hi Randy, How are you doing? Love the channel! I'm wondering if you could do a dac tier rating like the one you did for speakers. I would like to see stock Elac debut 2.0 6.2 vs GR research upgraded comparison. Also stock Sony SSCS5 $75 to $148 speaker vs GR research upgraded comparison 😀 I have both of them and would like your opinion of the 4 speakers. And maybe a comparison of upgraded Sony and Elac to the GR research XL-S Encore. Thanks Bob
Ok, so you did well by my Evo 4.2's, so I will reinstate your birthday. I love the 4.2's and, as many reviewers state, they play much above their price point. A few things, I do disagree with the your feeling of the sweet point (off-axis performance) of the 4.2's. I went from Maggies to the 4.2's and one of the reasons was how many reviewers noted how well the EVO's travelled. Moving around didn't greatly change the soundstage. I find this to be true, at least in my room. Also, it seems like you use a lot of rock to compare. Nothing wrong with that. I love rock too, but I do agree, while the EVO's can rock VERY well, it is not there strongest point. Now for resolution and clarity of higher sourced music, I think the EVO's really stand out in this field. The EVO's are, however, less forgiving to bad equipment. All of these speakers need subs though.
Gran reseña de tus EVO. ¿con qué amplificador los usas? Yo actualmente tengo un Marantz Nr1608 con unos Q acoustics 3050, y estoy valorando adquirir unos EVO 4.2 con un altavoz central EVO 4c.
Great comparison of three great speakers! These have all been on my radar for a while. Not sure about the Ultra's being U shaped, various measurements out there show different results.
I have a GR-reaearch upgrade kit for the SVS Ultras that I hope to get installed someday. SVS Ultra tweeters are a little harsh in a lively room, especially at close distance. They perform pretty well in a furnished carpeted room with wooden floor, walls, and ceiling.
They do have real wood veneer. I owned a pair and here is the description from their web site.EVO4 cabinet edges are contoured to minimise colouration-inducing diffraction. Book-matched real wood veneer finishes all visible sides of the EVO cabinet. Book matching creates symmetry and yields maximum continuity of grain. This type of pattern is usually most pleasing to the eye. EVO4s are only sold in pairs to ensure that the veneer pattern is similar for both speakers. Choose the real wood veneer finish that suits your style - black ash, white ash, or walnut. The fit and finish of EVO4 cabinets are extraordinary, reminiscent of speakers selling for two to ten times the price. Looks do matter.@@marko-182
I was skeptical when you started this channel Randy. The attempt to convey into words some idea of the sound of individual speakers is dicey at best. But, this is your best review to date, describes their respective sounds probably about as good as humanly possible, and brings a much needed unique voice to the review process. Well done and thanks.
Not sure why you test with a digital source rather than actual music but I appreciate that you admit it early in your reviews so I don't waste my time. Ok? Alright? Love my Wharfedale Evo 4.3. You give great video Randy.
What you're saying is that if i got a pair of UBR62s for the equivalent of 600$, that would be a decent purchase? :P I liked the Uni-Fi 2.0 when i listened to them briefly, so I'm guessing the Reference model is just a little more of the same? Trying to figure out which amp to drive it with. Is it reasonable to assume a "smiley" amp might work best in order to give it more "air"?
How will they performin narrow say 9 feet room but longer say 19 feet length? Will the bass overpower at 12 inches from their back wall? I am also interwsted in it.
@@stonefree1911 I sold my Maggie lrs + Hegel H160 as my new listening room is smaller. Do you know of the 4.4s do well in a small room near boundary walls? Also how is the AMT implementation Is it on the bright side.
@@aceofspades6667 I have 4.2's with 2 SVS subs in a medium size room and it fills it up VERY well. The 4.4 may be a bit large for a small room, but maybe not. I personally would go 4.2's in a small room. I recall a few reviewers stating the 4.4's would work better in a larger room. I don't find the Wharf AMT's bright AT ALL. in fact, they have a bit of that British sound that has the highs a bit more laid back. Depends on equipment too. I also had LRS's and did not like them at all.
some guy near me is selling a pair of brand new(he opened them and listened for 2 months and got focals instead) ultras for $500 def picking this up this sunday.
Most electronics seems to be cheaper in the US than in the UK, but the Evo 4.2 is 599 pounds in the UK, including 20% VAT. Without the VAT that's only $680.
I have Martin Logan Motion 4i's, so far i love them. However saying that I am fairly new to all this so I'm just learning!! These are hooked up to my computer with a willsenton tube amp and i have a SVS Pro 1000 sub woofer. All in my 14x8 computer room.
Your getting really good on these reviews and explaining it perfect and with some humor added, i dig it, you remind me of tom segura a whole lot, your well on your way to 100k subs.
Elac dbr62 driven with a tube or hibred tube stereo amp. On stands. DONE. Unifi's may be better if you have enough power. I still like two ways better. Just preference.
Hey great video! Recently saw your emotiva T1 plus video ..I would love you to compare it to the Evo 4.2. Would like to get your opinion on the AMT sound differences. I think this would make an interesting shoot out.
Good comparison. One big factor here is the 4.2's gorgeous soft-dome midrange and how Wharefedale pairs it to the AMT driver. That is the EVO series special sauce. The AMT on the EVO's are very large compared to most and that will aid in dispersion and soundstage.
Where does de GR research xls encore or the CSS audio cryton 1td or 1tdx with standard or upgraded crossover fit in terms of performance compared to 1k 2k 3k speakers? Are they similar to anything you heard in a specific pricepoint? For example nbt studio compares the 1td with standard crossover to the Sonus Faber Electa Amator III wich are a 10k speaker... Maybe the 1tdx goes more in the direction of focal micro utopia beryllium tweeter. I don't want to be enjoying or something...just trying to do my homework befor I start building..plus shipping to Europe... Thank you so much and keep up the good work!
I'm a hobbyist woodworker and the light bulb just went off for me. I should really try a high end DIY kit. Once you soak your blood and sweat into something to build it well and make it look great, the psychoacoustical properties must go through the roof. Yeah they sound the best. I ASSEMBLED THESE!! In all seriousness, I need to look at these closer for next set of speakers.
@@erics.4113 bro get the bmr philharmonic kit it is the best as measured by erin's audio corner. if you are already an experienced wood worker. Those are end game speakers.
@@pokerbarloahavia thx for the info I'll take a look. But no, my end game speakers will have white paper woofer cones with black dust caps (like jbl classic style) and the cabinets covered in blue shag. The cookie monsters
Well all speakers sound different. I will say both the encores and the Critons sound great. To be fair I haven’t heard anything that is well over 1000 for a factory speaker.
You never hear much about slam or impact in speaker reviews. That's definitely something I would be interested in. Other than that, I really like your real world approach to reviews. I'm not really a graph guy.
Really enjoying your channel, Randy, especially your dry sense of humor. I'm a budget hifi guy, too. It might be fun for you to do a shootout series on used gear. Or maybe compare something new to something used at a similar price point. I'm a Totem Acoustic fan. I own a pair of Model 1 Sigs I bought used for $600, a pair of Hawks I got for $900, and a pair of Sky's I got for $1200. All smokin' deals if you ask me. All in excellent condition. Each with their own voice. The XLS and Criton 1TD-x are next on my list. I assume they will be in league with the Totems. High quality cabinets+high quality drivers+high quality crossovers=MAGIC. I also grabbed a used Outlaw RR2150 for $350. Killer amp for that money. And I own a Primaluna Classic I got for $1300. They've been reviewed a lot already, but the Dragonfly DACS are pretty fantastic, too. I'd love for you to review the GR and CSS subs. I'll be ordering two of the CSS 12" passive radiator subs for my HT soon. Keep up the great work!
I'd say you're absolutely right about the Elac's reserved nature until you hit higher volumes and that they are excellent all round speakers. I have them setup nearfield 5" from the wall powered by the IOTAVX stack and a Monoprice 788 as a dac and they sound fantastic in games and music. The first day I tested my setup in a game in the Division 2 at high volume I was amazed, the bass punches quickly and you just feel the sound everywhere, battles FEEL like war and nearby rifles sound crisp and violent. These are the BEST gaming speaker I have ever used lol Edit: Plus I get zero fatigue even after hours of use. I would love to try the Evo 4.2 for home theater use but I would have a hard time setting them up right. But...if I ever find them up for grabs on the used market for a good price I'm definitely going to try them out, see if they can replace my F501's or not.
For hometheater use, you can use either because you'd eventually highpass them at around 80 Hz and let a beefy sub have fun below that. HT has different demands on speakers compared to stereo music. For stereo listening the subtle differences of speakers play a bigger role
You would say these nice things a few minutes after I'd changed my mind about these for being reserved lol, and there gonna be for the same use although I'll be using an yamaha a8a when it comes out.
So basically, you don’t have a favorite. The SVS Ultras look the coolest imo. But if you are willing to spend a $1000, maybe tower speakers are the way to go.
Hey Randy, Now that you have glasses, have you noticed a slight improvement in sound stage and focus with your glasses off vs on? Thanks for your entertaining and informative channel.
The Evo is a great speaker but like you stated is too finiky with placement. It's definitely the enthusiast speaker of the bunch. You have to have the room. The SVS is great but got analytical and fatiguing to me. I never used them. I'd like to eventually hear the Elacs although it may be a while. I had the UB5s and loved them but eventually moved on. I've switch direction towards floorstanders and have currently been on a Tekton Lore Reference ride with a pair of Lore's on the way (both in the $1k range if configuratively priced). It's too bad you have to wait as long as you do, but they are worth it if you like their sound signature. Maybe one day, a pair of Zu Dirty Weekends will get a demo sometime in the way distant future. 😅
I really want to hear lore, and lore reference and zu dirty weekend. I'm not sure I want floor standers but originally I was going to go with them. Curious why are you stepping up to Lore? You do some high volume listening?
@@erics.4113 Well. Was originally going for the Lore and at the time went with the Reference because of size constraints. I have a pair of Bucharts that I've been using in my living room and I have two six month old puppies which have almost knocked them over so I ordered the bigger brother Tektons to compensate for that. I'd love to have a set of Pendragons or Double Impacts as my dream speakers but just don't have the space. What I like about the Tektons is whatever source equipment your using, it comes through. They tell you what's going on throughout the whole chain. Eric Alexander has something good going on over there and it shows. But like every speaker they have their own sound. At the moment I needed something sturdier to keep upright so I went with another pair. And I have I tube amp which I'll probably pair them with. They're known to like tubes
@@MrWslindsay yes. I've seen how crazy sensitive they are and heard tube setups are yummy with those. Maybe in the future for me. So much to try I wish I had 10 ears and 400 hours per day to listen!
Some more "amusing" Choice Cuts from the weekend Butcher Shop. * The Real McCoy- by theThe Ventures * Armando's Rhumba- (instrumental) by Chick Corea *Puttin' Up With Me-by Mose Allison. The very vintage Ventures had the best selling rock instrumental album of all time for a span of 27 long years. From 1960 all the way to 1987, when it was displaced by a rock instrumental cd. Which album displaced it? *
9:30 Might be strong correlation with aluminum vs other materials sounding more warm or cool with the bass in your experience, but the Genelec 8260 which is more neutral than any other speaker I've heard is neither warm not cool, and the entire frequency response can be tilted based on user preference. I think it's more than the material, as there are paper cones that sound warm and tubby, and others that sound like they are just doing upper bass and aren't "warm" at all.
I have to interrupt these comments that don’t include the Sony SSCS5s to proclaim how good these speakers are! I bought them from Amazon for $73.00! I have more money in John Darko door stops and also eBay hockey puck isolation devices than these speakers! One of the true bargains of 2021! I was contemplating putting them through the GR Research upgrade/modifications. But after listening to them, I decided against it. At $73 and for the sound quality you get out of the box, the value proposition is off the charts! I have them on top of a pair of REL T/9i subs. That combo is excellent. I just have to highly recommend to all the folks here, that when these Sonys get down to $73-75 again, just grab a pair. You can thank Randy (and me) later.
I also bought the Sonys a short while back when they were $73, and while they do sound fairly good out of the box(I don't do any physical mods, just bass/treble tone control tweaking on occasion), I'm not sure they would compete with a $1,000+ speaker. I mean, my old B&W speakers do sound better, and they were only $600. But I cannot complain because the Sonys were only $73, and they're good for the price, a great value, I just don't think they compete well against speakers costing upwards of 5x the price. It's fine though because I was only planning on using them in a secondary system. I don't know what kind of music you listen to, but put on some John Williams, something loud and complex, I just did it the other day, and you should be able to easily hear the limits and weaknesses of the Sony speakers, they start to break up pretty fast.
@@mydogskips2 Hi. I mainly listen to jazz and some rock. But mainly ECM jazz. I may dip my toe into classical. But I am not there yet. I only bought them because they were highly recommended, we’re only $73 and I could return them to Amazon if I wanted. I originally thought I would do the GR Research upgrade mod. But after listening to them I didn’t think that was needed and it would ruin the value proposition. I don’t listen to these alone. Each one sits on hockey pucks on top of its own REL T/9i. So the combo together is a descent full range speaker. Plus with that setup the tweeters are at listening position ear height. You can also toe in the subs and toe the Sonys nearly straight ahead for bigger soundstage. I use this combo for late night listening. But no. They do not compete with my pair or Magico A3s + the RELs + my pair of Aperion AMT super tweeters. But at $73 there is nothing to complain about! Like I said I have more money in hockey pucks and doorstops to hold components in place than these Sonys!
@@RJ_Chicago I assume you're talking about Isoacoustics "isolators;" do your "hockey pucks" really improve the sound in your opinion? I'm skeptical, but curious. No offense man, but with Magico speakers and Rel subs, what are you doing on a cheap audio channel? My current "dream system" would simply be the Elac Uni-Fi Reference bookshelves with a Rel sub, but it's way out of my price range. I can't spend two grand on speakers right now, so I guess I can only envy you. I do run a sub with my speakers on occasion, I just got a Klipsch on sale for $200 last year, but honestly, I don't really like too much bass with my music, the thump gives me a headache. Have you heard Aperion Grand Verus, or is it Verus Grand III, speakers?
@@mydogskips2 I use hockey pucks in place of Vibrapods and the like. I have Isoacoustics Gaia feet on my tower speakers. Hockey pucks IMO are not a replacement for them. But I do have hockey pucks under the feet of my RELs and they work great to decouple them from my hardwood floors so they no longer shake our house. I put them underneath components when there is room to isolate and provide more airflow underneath. Plus they are cheap and you can buy them in quantity on eBay.
@@RJ_Chicago Wow, I didn't realize you were being literal and serious when you said "hockey pucks;" where I live there is no snow and no one plays hockey, so it never occurred to me, but it does seem like a reasonable idea.
The Wharfdales look ridiculously similar to the Swans DIY 3.1 speaker kit, with the difference being the Wharfdale has an AMT tweeter while the Swan uses a isodynamic ribbon tweeter. The woofer, mid, and cabinet dimensions look identical. That said, I'm sure Wharfdale uses a much better crossover design than the DIY 3.1 kit.
Comparing an amt , metal with soft dome tweeter of course the Elac's seem veiled. I wait for the Elacs uni fi to hear if they are better than Diamonds 12.2. Here in Europe, the uni fi ubr62 in white oak I found at 450 bucks so I guess it's a deal. I wanted so much the Evo 4.2 but they are picky and big for my room and I also cannot leave a lot of room from the back wall, just 20 inches.
I’m a Wharfedale fan boy !!🥳👍👨🏻 I have a 3-way sealed design my father gifted me. I now own something I’d never be able to afford to buy myself😮 They piss all over my old Polks!🤣 On the CAM side of things.. nothing quite like a pair of cheap ELACs! Can you say BS41 ?!🤣🤣
I ordered wharfdale but when they said it was very particular I knew it wasn't for me. This is for a living room setting for my t.v. so for me elac wins.
Good video... bring up lots of good points. BUT... wish others were in the conversation. My two favorites quad s2 which is the best bookshelf i have heard at 1200pr smooth articulate balanced and crystal clear mids and highs, and B&W 606s2 at 900pr a tight bass and midrange lovers dream. Elac unifi reference is ridiculous... it started at 900 then weeks later they want 1200pr... WTF! I think now that Jones is gone they are overdressing "the last jones masterpiece", to me the unifi 2.0 at 600pr is a better deal and more lively.
I got the 606 s1, they are great. May even replace the 683 s2 depending if everything is better aside from bass quantity. Would love 606 s2 but they'd cost more than 2x what I got the s1 for
I love the horizontal soundstage of the 3way in my ub52... but I am a little confused on the merits of this design when you look further up ELAC line. Their carina and then ultimately vela series are their premium stand mounters and they ditch the 3way for one of those JET/ribbon style tweeters. So, it appears as if the concentric 3way design tops out with the unifi reference which I'm probably going to shell out the 1200 to hear. I love the ub52 so far, but if there are levels to this thing and the unifi reference take it up significantly then I'm sold
In the UK the elacs are £1500 the r3 £1400 and the meta £1000, so yeah would like to know this too. Unless a r3 meta comes out and then it's game over.
Would somebody please send Randy the Wharfedale Denton 85th Anniversary speakers? I'd love to hear his take on those. Not sure how much they retail for in the US, but I think they're in the same ballpark as the Evo 4.2
Amazing, 10 months ago you'd be comparing 6 different speakers that combined cost half what any one of these do. At what price point do you need to spend to expect a real quantum difference in audio quality. If you have a $150 Sony receiver, JBL A30s, some DAC or bluetooth setup about $500-600 total spent. Are you getting 80%, 85%, 90% of what a recording has to offer? Or is it basically higher level crap? Saw a review of the Yamaha rs202 and the reviewer suggested not spending more than about $300 on speakers because the receiver couldn't take advantage of a more advanced model ( and he liked the rs202). Also saw an old Steven G video where he hooked up $600 speakers to $40K worth of audio gear. Said the sound was magical compared to the amp he considered cost wise likely to be paired with a $600 speaker. That suggests speakers generally can outperform the electronics. So at what price point should you shift emphasis from speakers to electronics. ( Usual advice is when working within a budget spend more on speakers )
I think there is some truth in that line of thinking. More detailed speakers will take advantage of better electronics. So something that is rolled off on top May not scale as well with higher end electronics. But some electronics just sound different. A Denon pma600ne or the Sony $99 two channel receiver are both very full and not detailed amps. I’d say for a rule of thumb paying equal or twice the price will get most of the speakers performance depending on power level and voicing of the amp. But detailed speakers will continue to get better the better front end you have on then. Getting a decent phono pre or a dac can pay a lot of dividends and is probably the cheapest way to improve sound if you know what you’re going after
@@MrKismayaz That addresses the question how to get the most from your speakers. How much do you need to allot for speakers? My point is you spend $1K on speakers, then another $2K on the electronics,. You kind of passing. " Cheap" audio threshold. I know many wouldn't say $3K on a system is excessive or even enough but the largest gains are usually found at the lower end. You hear a big difference between. $300 system and a $1000 system but honestly how much better is a $3000 system. I know if spending that much I would find differences to justify the cost. How much does it take to go from "pretty damn awesome" to "magical"?
@@geezer5236 And here lies the crux of the problem. When the "cheapaudioman" is recommending $2.5k systems, I feel like we are straying too far from this channel's original philosophy. I personally don't know enough or haven't heard enough speaker systems to answer your question, but I have heard a lot of headphones. I will tell you that to me, that "magical" feeling can come from any source regardless of price. My $100 Grado headphones consistently give me goosebumps, feel "magical" and make me say "wow" just as much as my $900 Focal headphones. I think it's more about paying attention to the music, listening to the details, and hearing songs you know and love. Your brain expects the next sequence of notes, and when the song gives you those notes, your brain rewards you with a hit of dopamine and makes you feel good. I get this feeling even with my stock car stereo driving down the road. I'm really close to purchasing my first stereo setup, but there's no way I'm going anywhere near $1,000 speakers, $800 DACs, or $500 amplifiers. I've been doing a lot of research, staying up very late for months now trying to find that sweet spot of diminishing returns. Obviously, I don't know for sure, but I think it can be had under $1k for the entire system. It's tough blind-buying over the internet, but I'm looking at something like the ELAC DBR62 for $600, the Loxjie A30 amp/DAC for $200, some inexpensive interconnects, and maybe some cheap speaker stands. I live in an apartment, so I wanted something that could pass for now without a sub out of respect for my neighbors. I also wanted something that measured as flat and accurate as possible that I could EQ to taste for different situations. All I can do is hope my research pays off and that I am happy with my decision.
If you "suck out" the mids and pursue a "smile" FR curve conventional wisdom is that listener fatigue from treble sets in. Midrange centered speakers ("BBC", Harbeth, Wharfe Linton) have been spoken of as "speakers you can listen to for hours". First time I've heard of "midrange fatigue", (not to say it may not exist !) The Evo 4.2 is a bit finnicky, very sensitive to listener position. Transducer alignement is not guaranteed throughout the FR.
A peaky mid especially in the upper portion can get tiring. A smiley EQ response curve can actually be nice to listen to for a long time if it's refined.
Just wondering if the Wharfedale Evos would be good as (home) recording studio monitors?! I know Abbey Road studios use B&W speakers and I can’t afford ATC’s, so I figure the Evos could be an affordable, good looking alternative! Thoughts?!
Hi, trying to decide between the Evo and the Elac. One odd thing you may be able to explain to me is the crossover frequencies: 260/1.8k for the Elac, 1.4k/3.9k for the Evo. I checked another 3-way: Wharfedale Elysian 2: 360/2.9k. Looks to me like the tweeter in the Evo doesn't get to do much (esp for my ears, which seem to not hear anything above 4.5k), midrange as well. Woofer seems to be doing most of the work.
Can we drive these speaker well without a amp. I have a Demon avr-1500. Older avr,but I believe 75 watts. Still sounds good in my opinion..looking to upgrade soon. Well perhaps when hit the power ball. Thanks bud. Great. Presentation, spot on brother
Love the reviews. Your comments re: placement are key for my situation. I an considering pulling the trigger on the EVO 4.2s...however my room layout dictates my ONLY location for my living room home theater front/primary speakers is on top of my entertainment center, placing them approx. 7' off the floor. It's a vaulted ceiling log home - very open, wood beams etc so a lot of reflection - so perhaps a little harsher than most...but I really have no other option re: placement. Would you still recommend these, and what are my options for "tuning" these? Aside from EQ on my AV receiver (or a dedicated EQ), your review seemed to imply there are some other tuning options for these. I'm guessing you're only talking about placement though, distance from the wall etc. and perhaps bi-amping. Appreciate your thoughts on this. Definitive center channel, older JBL bookshelf/monitors for my rears, SVS PB1000 PRO sub. Marantz NR1504 but moving to Onkyo RZ50 or Integra DRX3.4 soon.
These speakers required best source of music or recordings for them. If not they don't sound right , a rewarding sound if you set it up right , I would set them up at least or higher than 80cm stands .3 foots apart at least or minimum. It beats my Dynaudio Emit 20.Thank You.
Would you consider throwing the diy speakers into these comparisons or is that unfair to speaker manufacturers in your opinion? Very interested in css criton, not sure which version yet.
I recently built xls encores base kit. Throw in materials my time to cut finish and assemble and paint the boxes. I would say if I had to do this for someone the price would approach 1000 dollars. I think a veneer speaker box assembled from GR is 350 plus 300 for the kit plus no res, shipping and your getting up there in price. Bottom line if you buying a beautiful speaker for 1000 most that money is probably spent making it look pretty . BTW the encores are amazing.
@@toecutterjenkins The GR upgrade components are a huge improvement over any of the speaker crossovers in this review. I’ve heard full-blown Encores with crossover upgrades, and they cannot be faulted in any way.
