Wharfedale Evo 4.2 (Couple) Black Speakers Pair

Product Information

Of course, integrating three different drivers made of different materials takes some skill and expertise, and Wharfedale employs Computer-Aided Optimization to tune the crossover. This results in an excellent tonal balance, which is one of EVO4.2’s major strengths. It also provided a midrange composure that prevented any form of smearing, increasing focus and increasing tonal balance. King’s crescendos provided precision instead of what it normally wanted to do and that’s to blur out on the top end. Guitar strums provided detail and insight but also great control while bongo taps offered weight to each trike but also air and space during minor reverb.

I did notice a slight bite in the midrange on rare occasions. An aggressive vocal snap would produce a slight midrange bark to accompany emphasis in delivery but that seemed to be a by-product of the accompanying precision from the speakers as a whole. Not a big deal and it didn’t overly concern me but it’s something to note during a demo. Well, it gave music a strength but also a real confidence. As I say, bass didn’t dominate to any great extreme here. It never bloomed or strayed too far from where it should be but it acted like the foundation of a house. The sonic structure was given authority by the bass. Bass enabled the music to roam and venture forth with more self assurance than you might normally hear. I am not a speaker designer neither did I measure the speakers in a way where I can categorically say one is technically better than the other. In saying that I feel like the the Evo 4.2 is a "better technical" speaker than the Linton Heritage, in that it was more transparent, more invisible and created a sound more akin to what I am used to from other much more expensive speakers. The sound of this speaker reminds me a lot of a British mini-monitor with its natural midrange and pinpoint imaging. It also has a smooth, detailed treble with no trace of edginess. The Wharfedale EVO4.2 bookshelf speaker is the largest bookshelf model in their EVO 4 line, which is the latest incarnation of their Evolution range. The original Evolution speakers (released in the mid-2000s) were known for engineering beyond expectation at their price, and EVO 4 continues that trend with design elements usually seen in more expensive speakers.The output of those two bass drivers is helped by a downward-facing port arrangement where the low frequency sound fires out through a gap between the base of the speaker cabinet and the floor plinth. This is a technique that Wharfedale has refined in recent years and is claimed to better match the acoustic output of the port to the room.

In a post-apocalyptic desert beset by giant worms and dubious farming practices there’s an authenticity and ease to the soundscape as it's rendered by the Evos, making this unhurried sci-fi saga a touch more captivating than when heard on a lesser system. The highly advanced AMT (Air Motion Transformer) tweeter delivers class-leading detail and precision through its high-tech design. By squeezing the air between sound plates, the EVO 4.2 offers a highly consistent and precise top end that’s fast to respond to all types of music – making your favourite tunes sound more believable than ever. The other thing to think about with this speaker is the soundstage. It’s not super wide. I found the presentation mostly between the speakers, which to me was not an issue since the imaging and depth had such good separation. For my listening tests, I placed the EVO4.2 speakers on stands about eight feet apart and about three feet from the side walls. Then each speaker was about eight feet from the listening position, forming a triangle.With a size of 17.9 x 9.8 x 13.8 inches (HWD) and a weight of more than 29 pounds, EVO4.2 claims a 90DB sensitivity that invites you to coupling with a wide range of amplifiers. Experience Evo 4.2 yourself with the certainty of our 100% Music Direct Warranty . Have you ever walked into a room and immediately sensed a feeling? Whether that might be an air of tension or one of joy? The room has an underlying tone. Whatever is going on in the room appears to rest upon that feeling?

It's striking that when we start playing Dune in 5.1 on the Evo 4.4 surround system, it immediately prompts us to question whether there is any need for Dolby Atmos. Of course, there is, but it’s a great reminder that if you have quality speakers capable of detailed precision and fluid transparency, you don’t need to go all-in on rears and height channels to have a seriously immersive home system. Our frequency response analysis of the Evo 4.2 shows a broadly flat charac­teristic across the audio band from 40Hz to 16kHz, making the ‘speaker fundamentally accurate. There is no treble lift as is now so common, so no emphasis of distortion harmonics, from CD for example. The sudden dip and peak around 160Hz is due to floor return, so not an intrinsic FREQUENCY RESPONSE Evo 4.2 Crossover also deserves a special mention. Using specially designed computer aided optimization technology during extensive listening tests, the technicians of Wharfedale have adjusted the separation filter so accurately that Evo 4.2 reaches a balanced integration of the driver, the woofer and the tweeter - so that the loudspeaker practically disappears and your attention is established On the music program that you own. Evo4.2 is an all-rounder and offers detail where audiophiles loved and where dynamics lovers are in the house to desire. That said, even from my initial listening sessions, I could definitely tell this was a quiet speaker, as they “disappeared” with no problem at all. This is the hallmark of an inert cabinet. Featuring a Kevlar woofer cone, the EVO 4.2 delivers class-leading bass precision. With its high rigidity and low distortion movement, the EVO 4.2 follows bass lines intensely, producing a foot-tapping beat. Downwards firing bass ports integrate better with your room and also make the speakers easier to position as they can be placed closer to a rear wall.Straight Out The Box: My first reaction as I undressed them from their protective white gowns was that the walnut appeared duller than it looked in the pictures but that they still look beautiful and seem very well made. Their shape and design look very at home in my living room. The first test that had to pass was the wife test, I was nervous. They are larger and have a more imposing presence than the HB1’s but thankfully she liked them and said they look expensive (phew). The Evo 4.2’s bass/ midrange unit must reach up to 1.4kHz to meet the dome and it has a central parasitic dome – the chrome plated item at centre of bass unit cone– to help do this. As I often do, I placed the speakers about four feet from the front wall, taking the room out of the equation as much as possible. This also served to level out the bass a bit in my space. An unusual drive unit line up comprising folded ribbon Air Motion Transformer treble unit at top, fabric dome midrange at centre, and bass unit with central parasitic dome to cover lower midband at bottom. That said, this is not a party speaker. The bass has a nice punch that allows it to play relatively fast, but the low end is not as deep as a sub. So don’t expect it to have a lot of rumble.

Way down into the bass regions, you’ll find a Kevlar-based unit, spanning 150mm. That material you can see in the centre (image above) is a woven aramid fibre.I feel like the EVO 4.2 dissected music for effectively breaking it down for the listener to be able to hear more deeply into the music. In contrast the Linton speakers disabled the analytical side of my audiophile brain which helped me relax into the music as a musical whole and this definitely stirs some deeper emotions and is a very foot tapping experience. They have a small sweet spot which sometimes stopped me from relaxing fully as I was distracted by making sure I was in the perfect position at all times. The tonal balance was also excellent. No matter how loud the volume, the treble never became hard, and the bass remained controlled. Plus, the mids, normally the strength of a Wharfedale speaker, were extraordinarily refined. With a size of 17.9 x 9.8 x 13.8 inch (HWD) and a weight of more than 29 pounds, EVO4.2 claims a 90DB sensitivity that invites you to coupling with a wide range of amplifiers. Experience Evo 4.2 yourself with the certainty of our 100% Music Direct Warranty .