Floorstanding loudspeakers — Wharfedale AURA 2

The Aura 2 is the larger stand-mount model in Wharfedale's Aura series, the British company's range positioned between the entry-level EVO4 and the top Elysian, from which it inherits its tweeter, cone and crossover technology. Unlike most stand-mounts, it is a full three-way design, which makes it a large super monitor rather than a compact bookshelf speaker. The Aura series was announced in October 2023 and designed under Wharfedale's Peter Comeau.

Key specs that matter

The Aura 2 combines an Air Motion Transformer (AMT) tweeter with a 100mm midrange and a 150mm bass driver, both using woven glass-fibre matrix cones in aluminium chassis. Frequency response is 42Hz to 22kHz (+/-3dB), with the AMT extending to 36kHz at -6dB. Sensitivity is 88dB, nominal impedance is 6 ohms with a 3.5-ohm minimum, and recommended amplification is 25 to 150W. Each cabinet measures 286 x 560 x 350mm and weighs 20.5kg, in black, white or walnut veneer, lacquered and polished.

Engineering and use context

An AMT tweeter does not move forward and back like a dome. Its diaphragm is folded into pleats carrying conductive tracks in a strong magnetic field, and the pleats squeeze air in and out like an accordion, moving a large volume of air from a small, light structure under close control of the motor at all times. This gives wide bandwidth and high efficiency without the diaphragm resonances that thin domes can suffer. The glass-fibre matrix cones pair low mass with high rigidity, and a high-plasticity coating controls their acoustic behaviour, while copper-clad pole pieces in the motors reduce eddy currents and inductance. The cabinet is a sandwich of layers with different densities to lower resonance, with curved sides that reduce internal standing waves. Wharfedale's Slot Loaded Profiled Port (SLPP) exits through a slot at the base, equalising pressure between inside and outside with less turbulence than a conventional round port. The bass/midrange and midrange/treble crossover networks are laid out on separate circuit boards to reduce electromagnetic interference, each tied to its own set of terminals.

Pairing

The average sensitivity and moderate load suit amplifiers of modest power upward, though the low impedance minimum favours amplifiers with sound current delivery. Bi-wire terminals are supplied with jumper cables in banana and spade versions. Dedicated Aura stands with dark chrome trims are available, and the Aura C and CS centres allow a matched 5.1 system.

Alternatives

Wharfedale's own Aura 4 is an Aura-series floorstander intended for larger rooms.