Wharfedale EVO 4.3: Legendary Floorstanding speakers

Wharfedale presents a series of speaker systems called EVO 4. It uses developments made during the creation of the flagship Elysian. The EVO 4 line currently includes six models: 4.1 and 4.2 bookshelf monitors, 4.3 and 4.4 floor-standing speakers, 4.C center channel and 4.S surround speakers.

The Wharfedale company uses lightweight rigid composites to mold diffusers (Kevlar speakers in Wharfedale speakers appeared in the last century). Pay attention to two important details: the 50 mm dome midrange driver and the AMT (Air Motion Transformer) driver in the upper section. The first is mounted inside a flange with an elastic material insert that helps dampen unwanted interference. A film tweeter, neither small nor cheap (30 x 60 mm), is generally used for the first time in this series of acoustics. Between themselves, these heads share bands at frequencies of 1400 and 4700 Hz. And you are unlikely to find such a super combination of drivers in any other speakers. The bass drivers are equipped with woven composite fiber cones and are loaded onto a slotted bass reflex port.

The special acoustic design of the Slot Loaded Profiled Port, which is not much inferior in efficiency to a traditional bass reflex, but at the same time much less dependent on the wall or niche located next to the acoustics, has already proven its worth in the recently updated Diamond series.

The EVO 4 series speaker cabinets are perfectly damped. The surface of the cases is refined not with film, but with natural veneer. The speaker flanges are equipped with shiny polished edges and look laconic and stylish thanks to hidden fasteners. There are three colors available to choose from – black, white and walnut.

The Wharfedale EVO 4.3 speaker system has a 3-way design and is the junior floor-standing speaker in the new EVO 4 series. The company notes that this speaker is quite universal and can be used both in a serious audiophile system and as part of a home theater. The enclosure, with slightly curved sides to help eliminate internal standing waves, offers excellent damping with multiple internal braces and plenty of sound-absorbing material. The speaker panels have a multi-layer structure, thanks to which it is possible to eliminate resonances and minimize sound coloration.

The acoustic design of the Wharfedale EVO 4.3 with the so-called “slot load” deserves special attention: two bass reflex pipes are built into the bottom of the cabinet and have an outlet into the gap between the cabinet and the speaker support platform. This design helps eliminate turbulence and overtones from the exhaust air, and also reduces distortion in the high-frequency and low-frequency bands that can be present in traditional bass reflex systems. Thanks to this slot port, the speaker can be placed closer to the walls of the room, which is important for small rooms.

All speaker elements are manufactured at the same factories of the IAG holding, which makes it possible to develop speakers whose characteristics exactly match the specific housing design. The development of the Wharfedale EVO 4.3 involved computer simulation and extensive listening tests with experienced engineers. The model’s precision crossover uses a Linkwitz-Riley filter, which ensures a seamless sound from the entire set of drivers.

The floor-standing model Wharfedale EVO 4.3 allows for a two-cable connection, as it has four screw terminals. The speaker’s base plate is equipped with adjustable spiked feet, and a fairly wide selection of different exterior finishing options allows this speaker to harmoniously “fit” into any interior.

Characteristics of Wharfedale EVO 4.3

Recommended power, W 25 – 150
Sensitivity, dB 88
Resistance, Ohm 8
Frequency range, Hz – kHz 48 – 22
Number of speakers, pcs. 4
Number of stripes, pcs. 3
Treble speaker 1 x AMT 30×60 mm, ribbon
Midrange speaker 1 x 50 mm, dome
Woofer 2 x 130 mm, Kevlar cone
Crossover frequency, Hz/kHz 1.3 / 4.3 kHz
Dimensions, mm 875 x 210 x 295
Weight, kg 22.8