Полочная акустика — Wharfedale Crystal 4.2

The Crystal 4.2 is the bigger of two standmount models in the Wharfedale Crystal 4 range, placed between the compact 4.1 and the 4.3 floorstander, with the 4.C centre completing the line-up. Wharfedale, which has been designing loudspeakers in Britain since 1932, built the Crystal 4 family as an affordable basis for a complete surround system and describes the series as engineered with films as much as music in mind, including intelligible dialogue from the front channels.

Key specs that matter

A 125 mm woofer with a woven Kevlar cone and a 25 mm soft dome tweeter share the work in a two-way bass reflex enclosure, crossing over at 2.6 kHz. The quoted frequency range is 60 Hz to 20 kHz at plus or minus 3 dB, and the 6 dB down point lies at 55 Hz. With 2.83 V at 1 m the speaker produces 88 dB, and maximum output is listed as 96 dB peak SPL. Impedance is 8 ohm nominal with a lowest value of 4.4 ohm. Internal volume is 6.9 litres. The cabinet measures 265 mm high by 180 mm wide, while depth is given as 212 mm for the box alone and 222 mm once grille and terminals are counted. Each unit weighs 4.2 kg, and Wharfedale covers it with a standard three-year warranty. Finish options are black, walnut and white, all in vinyl wrap.

Engineering and use context

Compared with the 4.1, the Crystal 4.2 has a larger bass cone and three times the internal air volume, which is where its extra 15 Hz of low-frequency reach comes from. The larger cone also lets the crossover move down, so the tweeter is asked to start lower in the band. The same woven Kevlar material appears on every bass and mid driver in the Crystal 4 series, which helps when the 4.2 is used as the front pair alongside the 4.C centre and 4.3 towers in a multichannel set. As on every Crystal 4 model, the enclosure vents through a port on its rear panel, so placing it tight against a wall or inside a closed shelf restricts the port airflow. The 4.2 is sold as a stereo pair for two-channel use as well as for front or rear duty in a cinema layout.

Pairing

The recommended amplifier power spans 20 to 100 W. Two dB higher sensitivity than the 4.1 and a minimum load well above 4 ohm allow a mainstream AV receiver or small stereo integrated amplifier to drive it without strain, while a separate subwoofer may cover the deepest notes of film soundtracks.

Alternatives

For tighter spaces, the Crystal 4.1 is the smaller Wharfedale standmount in the same range.