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Wharfedale ELYSIAN Series – Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1 and Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center

Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1 and Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center, these two solutions now extend the Wharfedale ELYSIAN Series, which is designed as a high-end line and is now enriched by a centre speaker and a compact two-way speaker system.

With the compact two-way system Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1 and the centre speaker Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center, the traditional British brand Wharfedale extends its reference line, the Wharfedale ELYSIAN Series.

The two new loudspeaker systems thus join the product line in the high-end hi-fi segment that has been established so far with the Wharfedale ELYSIAN 2 and Wharfedale ELYSIAN 4 solutions and at the same time equip them for use in home cinema.

Wharfedale ELYSIAN Series

The British company Wharfedale can justifiably call itself one of the oldest loudspeaker manufacturers, after all, it was already founded in 1932. This circumstance is especially interesting with regard to the fact that the Englishmen state that the Wharfedale ELYSIAN Series is completely in the sign of this great tradition.

This applies to the already existing models as well as to the two new solutions now presented.

The company is convinced that the Wharfedale ELYSIAN Series is characterised by high-quality bass and mid-range drivers, an innovative ATM tweeter and cabinets in elegant piano lacquer. One even speaks of audiophile works of art that set standards far beyond their price range.

ATM – Air Motion Transformer for a radiant high frequency range

For an outstandingly dynamic and lively high frequency range, Wharfedale uses the Air Motion Transformer developed by Oskar Heil in the Wharfedale ELYSIAN Series. The accordion-shaped diaphragm is criss-crossed with wafer-thin conductors and moves sideways in a magnetic field. The sound waves are pressed out of the folds of the bellows, resulting in a fascinatingly fast response despite the large diaphragm area. Wharfedale also manufactures this Air Motion Transformer in its own production facility – with the utmost accuracy and focus on every last detail.

SLPP – Bass reflex redefined

Like the larger models in the series, Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1 features Wharfedale’s exclusive Slot-Loaded Profile Port bass reflex system, abbreviated simply as SLPP. This design is intended to make effective use of the energy radiated from the rear of the bass driver. Unlike conventional designs, however, no traditional bass reflex tubes are used, which often lead to disturbing background noise. Instead, Wharfedale’s engineers developed a principle in which pressure equalisation takes place via the bottom of the cabinet, resulting in unusually deep and impulsive bass reproduction without flow noise. Since SLPP radiates evenly in all directions, the Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1 is also pleasantly uncritical when it comes to positioning it in the listening room.

Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1 and Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center

With the addition of the Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1 and Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center models to the range, the company aims to address the desire for a more compact model as well as the increasing demand for audiophile home theatre systems, Wharfedale said during the presentation of these two new speaker systems.

  • Foto © Wharfedale | Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1 und Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center
  • Foto © Wharfedale | Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1 und Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center
  • Foto © Wharfedale | Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1 und Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center
  • Foto © Wharfedale | Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1 und Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center
  • Foto © Wharfedale | Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1 und Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center
  • Foto © Wharfedale | Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1 und Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center
  • Foto © Wharfedale | Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1 und Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center

Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1

Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1 is a smaller sister model to Wharfedale ELYSIAN 2 and Wharfedale ELYSIAN 4. Despite its more compact two-way design, Wharfedale does not compromise on performance. The specially developed 7-inch bass speaker is equipped with a fibreglass matrix cone and a highly effective drive unit and, together with the innovative SLPP (Slot-Loaded Profiled Port) bass reflex construction, ensures powerful bass reproduction down to 49 Hz, which, according to the manufacturer, has hardly been achievable with compact speaker systems up to now. The crossover has been optimised in countless listening tests and ensures a seamless transition between the bass chassis and the precise air-motion transformer of the high frequency range known from the larger Wharfedale ELYSIAN models.

  • Foto © Wharfedale | Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1 und Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center
  • Foto © Wharfedale | Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1 und Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center
  • Foto © Wharfedale | Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1 und Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center
  • Foto © Wharfedale | Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1 und Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center
  • Foto © Wharfedale | Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1 und Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center
  • Foto © Wharfedale | Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1 und Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center
  • Foto © Wharfedale | Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1 und Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center

Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center

With the Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center, Wharfedale wants to prove that home theatre and audiophile sound quality do not have to be a contradiction in terms. With two 8.5-inch bass drivers, a 6-inch midrange driver and an Air Motion Transformer for the treble range, the new centre speaker shares the speaker configuration with the Wharfedale EYLSIAN 4 model and is thus intended to convince even demanding sound gourmets with lively highs, precise bass down to 27 Hz and outstanding dynamics. Although Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center is a full-range loudspeaker, the horizontal arrangement of the individual drivers ensures a flat design that integrates seamlessly into a home cinema environment without obstructing the view of the screen.

  • Foto © Wharfedale | Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1 und Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center
  • Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1 und Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center 32

Custom-fit speaker stands

Wharfedale is convinced that a high-quality loudspeaker can only perform to its full potential if it is efficiently decoupled from the floor, which is why the company also offers custom-fit stands for its new Wharfedale ELYSIAN models – elaborately acoustically optimised and manufactured with the same attention to detail as the loudspeakers themselves, that is the company’s promise.

The elegant piano lacquer finish of the base plate reflects the design of the speakers, and adjustable spikes ensure effective decoupling. The four pillars are made of ultra-hard, high-carbon stainless steel and guarantee an unshakeable stand even in the midst of a bass thunderstorm.

The new Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1 and Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center loudspeaker systems are to be available immediately from selected specialist dealers. The recommended retail prices including VAT are € 3.690,- for the pair Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1 and € 3.990,- for the pair Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center.

The matching stand for the Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1 is available at a pair price of € 590,- and the speaker stand for the Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center is available at a price of € 690,-.

Getting to the point

High-end with a great tradition is what Wharfedale promises for the models of the Wharfedale ELYSIAN Series, which is now extended by the solutions Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1 and Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center. On the one hand, a compact two-way bookshelf loudspeaker system is available, and on the other hand, as the name suggests, a centre speaker. This expands the possibilities of the product line not only in the classic stereo segment, but also in home cinema.

PRODUCTWHARFEDALE ELYSIAN 1
WHARFEDALE ELYSIAN CENTER
PriceWharfedale ELYSIAN 1 € 3.690,- per pair
Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center € 3.990,- per piece
Stand for Wharfedale ELYSIAN 1 € 590 per pair
Stand for Wharfedale ELYSIAN Center € 690 per unit
BrandWHARFEDALE
ManufacturerIAG Group Ltd.
DistributionIAD GmbH
More about this manufacturer at HiFi BLOG
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Michael Holzinger

Michael Holzinger, founder and editor-in-chief of HiFi BLOG and sempre-audio.at, has been working for years as a journalist in the fields of IT, photography, telecommunications and consumer electronics.

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