Wharfedale EVO 5 Speaker Range - High-End Sound Without Upscale Pricing

Wharfedale's new EVO 5 speaker range launched at High End Munich 2025. Replacing 2019's EVO 4 series, the EVO 5 range boasts updated cabinets, drivers and crossovers alongside new damping technology, resulting in premium offerings at reasonable prices.

The new five-model range consists of the EVO 5.1 two-way standmount speaker, the EVO 5.2 three-way large standmounters, two three-way floorstanders (EVO 5.3 and EVO 5.4), and, finally, the EVO 5.C centre channel, rounding things off for home cinema fans.

The mid-price EVO series has always been blessed by tech above its price point, mainly benefitting from lessons learned in creating the brand's upscaled Elysian range, such as the use of an AMT (Air Motion Transformer) tweeter and a domed midrange driver.

Wharfedale's EVO 5 range gets a larger AMT unit, measuring 35x70mm compared with the outgoing EVO 4's 35x60mm driver. This also meant that the 50mm domed midrange driver has been further developed to match this to ensure consistency.

We're told that the AMT and domed midrange units feature a new sound-absorbing material dubbed SilentWeave – a cotton/felt hybrid developed specifically for the EVO 5 speakers, which helps reduce sound wave reflections inside the cabinet.

Further damping across all the EVO 5's drive units has been implemented as ResoFrame. These cog-shaped elastomer damping frames are partnered by the AMT tweeter's damping gasket between the diaphragm and front plate to minimise mechanical resonances. Wharfedale promises a "sweetly extended" and purer treble, wide dispersion, greater efficiency and clarity.

Alongside the ResoFrame, the EVO 5's bass and mid/bass have a new low-mass elastomer damping ring (ResoSeal) at the rear of the driver cone where it meets the surround. This aims to optimise the lower midrange, promising voices that "sound richer, more natural and more emotionally engaging," says Wharfedale. The soft fabric midrange dome in the three-way models is damped with a plasticiser coating and vented aperiodically into a specially shaped rear chamber that is profiled to scatter and absorb rear energy from the dome. Wharfedale states that this results in a linear response from 800Hz to 5kHz.

The redesigned drivers have necessitated a new crossover design with shorter paths between the components and drive units. In the three-way speakers, the circuit layout is split into two – one for treble and mid, and the other for bass – to reduce electromagnetic interference.

Wharfedale's SLPP (Slot Loaded Profiled Port) bass reflex design has also been upgraded to fire in three directions – left, right and to the rear – in the EVO 5. This is designed to improve bass extension and integration while improving the uniform air dispersion in the room when compared with the two-directional vent system in the EVO 4. This should also ensure the speakers are less fussy about placement within a room.

Finally, the cabinet of all the EVO 5 speakers has been made proportionately larger to account for the larger driver and revised crossovers while also offering larger cabinet volume for deeper bass and a more expansive, immersive soundstage.

The cabinet is made of layers of varying-density woods to reduce resonance, while a hybrid metal/wood plinth is at the base of every speaker, incorporating the bass reflex vents.

The Wharfedale EVO 5 Series will be available starting in June with four finish options: walnut wood veneer, matte black, matte white, and a new matte grey.

The following prices are per pair except for the centre channel, and we're awaiting confirmed prices for other territories:

EVO 5.1 standmounter: £549 / €699 per pair
EVO 5.2 standmounter: £749 / €999 per pair
EVO 5.3 floorstander: £1099 / €1499 per pair
EVO 5.4 floorstander: £1399 / €1899 per pair
EVO 5.C centre channel: £549 / €699

Also available are EVO 5.4 Stands at £399 and EVO 5.2 Stands for £449.

Visit Wharfedale for more information