Полочная акустика — Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1

The Elysian 1 is the compact two-way standmount of the Wharfedale Elysian series. Development of the range fell to Peter Comeau, acoustic design director at the parent International Audio Group. The series first appeared with the larger Elysian 2 standmount and the Elysian 4 floorstander, and the Elysian 1 was added later as a smaller entry point. UK retail was GBP 3,499 per pair, and in the United States Wharfedale lists it at USD 4,995 per pair with matching stands. A revised Elysian 1R has since replaced it.

Key specs that matter

A 21.6 litre reflex enclosure carries a 180 mm coated glass fibre matrix cone below a 27 x 90 mm Air Motion Transformer tweeter, crossed over at 2.6 kHz. Frequency response is 49 Hz to 22 kHz within 3 dB, reaching 44 Hz at -6 dB. Sensitivity is rated at 89 dB for 2.83 V at 1 m, and the load is 4 ohm nominal, described as 8 ohm compatible, with a 3.8 ohm minimum. Peak output reaches 108 dB, and Wharfedale recommends 25 to 175 W of amplifier power. Height on its plinth is 490 mm, width 263 mm and depth 315 mm including terminals, and each speaker weighs 15 kg. Piano lacquer versions in black, walnut and white are offered.

Engineering and use context

Wharfedale's AMT uses a large pleated sheet of PET film as its diaphragm, and rows of magnets drive it across its surface so the folds squeeze air out rather than pushing it like a dome. The same tweeter technology was later used in the EVO4 range. The bass cone combines a woven glass fibre matrix with a high-plasticity coating that damps high-frequency resonance, and a shaped central phase plug helps keep output linear off axis. It sits in a low-distortion motor with a flexible rubber surround. The enclosure uses layers of materials with dissimilar resonance behaviour, so vibrations in one layer are cancelled by the next, and the veneer is hand polished. Bass loading relies on the Slot Loaded Profiled Port at the base, whose flared semi-parabolic flanges reduce port noise and make placement near walls less critical.

Pairing

With a minimum impedance below 4 ohm, the Elysian 1 suits solid-state or valve amplifiers able to deliver current into a low load, and its generous maximum power rating leaves room for high-powered designs. Rubber feet come with the speaker, and the dedicated stands in the US package set the drivers at listening height.

Alternatives

The Elysian 2 is a bigger standmount model within the Elysian line.