MOON 891 and 861 Monoblocks with Wharfedale Elysian 4R
A pair of Wharfedale Elysian 4R towers, each with an air-motion transformer in place of a dome tweeter, takes its drive here from two MOON 861 amplifiers bridged to mono and a MOON 891 that streams, decodes and sets the volume. It was the most complete of several stations in this room, whose other corners ran from a compact vinyl setup to electrostatic panels.
The system at a glance
The main chain has five boxes - one network player and preamplifier, two mono amplifiers and two floorstanders - with the 891 listed from USD 25,000 and each 861 from USD 24,000. Around it stood four smaller setups. A QUAD Platina Stream and Platina Integrated drove QUAD ESL-2812 panels, a MOON 371 ran Dynaudio Excite X18 standmounts, and a Phaze Audio Celine turntable fed a Phaze Audio Volt with Wharfedale Linton speakers and, in another corner, a LEAK Stereo 230 with LEAK Sandwich 100 monitors.
Why these components work together
The Elysian 4R is rated at 92 dB for 2.83 V, with a 4 ohm nominal load that falls to 3.2 ohm. Two 8.5 inch glass fibre woofers, a 6 inch midrange and a 27 x 90 mm AMT share crossovers at 340 Hz and 3.1 kHz. Bridged, each 861 gives 800 W into 8 ohm with a damping factor of 900 from two 1500 VA transformers, so the low impedance dip draws on a large reserve. The 891 decodes PCM to 32 bit and 384 kHz and DSD256, streams through MiND 2 with Roon Ready and Qobuz Connect, and adds an MM/MC phono stage with 40 to 66 dB of gain. Its 50 ohm output suits the 47 kohm input of the 861, and MOONLink ties the three chassis together. The ESL-2812 reads 86 dB with a load moving between 4 and 15 ohm and accepts 40 V peaks, within reach of the 200 W Platina Integrated. The Excite X18 is an 86 dB, 4 ohm two-way that the 371 meets with 100 W into 8 ohm and 200 W into 4 ohm. The Celine carries an Ortofon OM 5E and its own MM preamplifier with a Bluetooth transmitter, which suits the Volt, an amplifier with digital inputs only, while the Stereo 230 takes the deck through its MM phono socket.
How it sounds
With far more power on hand than the towers need at normal levels, the paired woofers stay in control on organ pedal notes and electronic bass, and the pleated AMT keeps cymbals and string texture clear and low in distortion. The slot-loaded port is meant to ease placement nearer a wall.
Considering a similar setup
Current into the low impedance region matters more than headline power. A single 861 in stereo mode, rated at 300 W into 8 ohm and 600 W into 4 ohm, is a practical first step, with a second chassis added later for mono. In a smaller room the 371 alone can replace the separates, and the Elysian 1R standmount scales the speaker down.
14 components
- Turntables
CELINE
by Phaze Audio
Phaze Audio Celine is a vinyl record player that combines high-quality analog sound, sophisticated design and modern wireless capabilities.
- Integrated amplifiers
Volt
by Phaze Audio
The Phaze Audio VOLT amplifier allows you to listen to high-quality music from a computer, mobile device, flash drive or memory card and supports USB Type-C 3.1 connectivity, which is especially convenient for both audio and gaming.
- Bookshelf Speakers
LINTON
by Wharfedale
The Wharfedale Linton is a shelf-mounted three-way speaker system from the Heritage range that recreates iconic models of the past with modern technology. The model was released for the 85th anniversary of the Wharfedale company and combines vintage design with high-quality sound.
- Bookshelf Speakers
Excite X18
by Dynaudio
The Dynaudio Excite X18 is a two-way shelf speaker system that combines compact dimensions with impressive sound. The model is positioned as a universal option for small and medium-sized rooms, suitable for both listening to music and movies.
- Integrated amplifiers
MOON 371
The MOON 371 network integrated amplifier became the first model in the Compass series and inherited the most advanced technologies of the senior North line. This device embodies the MOON approach: a combination of engineering precision, innovation and aesthetics.
- Streamers
Platina Stream
by QUAD
The heart of the digital part of the Quad Platina Integrated amplifier is the ESS Sabre ES9038PRO DAC chip, a reference converter that processes a digital signal in linear PCM format with parameters up to 32-bit/768 kHz and DSD up to DSD512. The switching arsenal includes digital inputs (optical, coaxial, USB-C, HDMI ARC) and analog connections (balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA) covering almost any source. Thanks to the HDMI ARC port, the amplifier can be directly connected to modern TVs.
- Integrated amplifiers
Platina Integrated
by QUAD
The Quad Platina Integrated integrated amplifier combines classic AB class amplification technology with a new digital architecture. The terminal amplifier is designed in a "dual mono" configuration and provides power of up to 200 watts per channel when operating at a load of 8 ohms, maintaining full control over acoustics even on complex musical material.
- Floorstanding loudspeakers
ESL 2812X
by QUAD
The QUAD ESL 2812X is 107 cm high and is equipped with four electrostatic panels, making it suitable for medium-sized rooms.
- Power amplifiers stereo
861
The Moon 861 is a power amplifier based on the pedigree of the outstanding Moon 888 and the holistic design philosophy of the North Collection. The devices of the Northern Collection feature the latest proprietary technologies: Moon Distortion Canceling Amplifier (MDCA), a scheme that suppresses distortion and noise to an all–time low level, Moon Damping Base (MDB), a system of mechanical isolation from vibrations, as well as a new volume control scheme.
- Preamplifiers
891
Moon by Simaudio 891 is a multifunctional network player, preamp and DAC from the flagship North Collection series of the Canadian manufacturer Simaudio. The device combines advanced digital technology, an accurate analog section, and a sophisticated design to minimize interference.
- Turntables
CELINE
by Phaze Audio
Phaze Audio Celine is a vinyl record player that combines high-quality analog sound, sophisticated design and modern wireless capabilities.
- Integrated amplifiers
Stereo 230
by Leak
The LEAK STEREO 230 integrated amplifier can be connected to a variety of analog and digital sources thanks to its rich switching arsenal. The MM phono corrector allows direct connection of record players with a movable magnet (MM) head.
- Bookshelf Speakers
Sandwich 100
by Leak
The Leak Sandwich 100 speaker system is equipped with a 150 mm woofer/midrange driver with a modern version of a sandwich diffuser made of an external aluminum layer connected to a layer of Rohacell foam, a material widely used in the aviation and space industries due to its advantageous strength-to-weight ratio.
- Floorstanding loudspeakers
ELYSIAN 4R
by Wharfedale
The Wharfedale Elysian 4R is the flagship three-way floor speaker system from the updated Elysian R series. It is designed to create large-scale, authoritative and emotionally deep dual-channel systems that demonstrate the full potential of Wharfedale High-End engineering.