Wharfedale Elysian 3 Joins Heavenly Choir
Wharfedale's Elysian line has long had a gap between its two-way Elysian 1 standmount loudspeaker, the larger three-way Elysian 2 standmounter and the even more substantial floorstanding Elysian 4, a three-way, four-driver design. Welcome, then, the Elysian 3.
Wharfedale's new Elysian 3 takes the three-way, four-driver design of the 1188x402x432mm (HxWxD) Elysian 4 and delivers it in a more easily accommodated 1050x263x285mm (HxWxD) form factor. This works out at about 11 per cent shorter than its larger sibling but a third less wide and deep, handing it a much more compact footprint.
Wharfedale promises the Elysian 3 “delivers the same combination of driver, crossover and cabinet engineering that makes the Elysian Series such a uniquely enticing high-end proposition”. Here you will find a 27x90mm AMT treble driver combined with a 150mm midrange unit and two 180mm bass drivers, which should be capable of conveying the detail and emotion of any music you prefer through a claimed 44Hz-22kHz (+/-3dB) frequency response and 89dB sensitivity (2.83v @ 1m). Nominal impedance is stated at 4 ohms but 8 ohms compatible.
Wharfedale states that the development of the large, high-spec AMT (Air Motion Transformer) unit used throughout the series was a crucial part of the Elysian project, incorporating an ultra-lightweight PET diaphragm and an acoustically damped rear chamber to deliver precise and sweetly extended high frequencies.
Additionally, Wharfedale developed bass and midrange diaphragms formed from a woven glass fibre matrix to match the sensitivity and accuracy of the AMT treble unit. We are told that these cones provide low mass and high strength, with the addition of a high-plasticity coating to control acoustic behaviour. Incidentally, the Elysian 3's 150mm midrange driver is identical to that found in the Elysian 4 and Elysian 2.
The low-mass cone warrants a low-damping, foamed, rubber-like material for the surround, coated for durability. Meanwhile, according to Wharfedale, a phase plug in the centre of the cone is specially shaped to linearise the output across a wide bandwidth, even off-axis.
The pair of 180mm bass drivers incorporate glass fibre matrix cones to match the midrange unit, terminated with a highly flexible rubber surround and driven by a specially developed low-distortion motor system. These are loaded by an advanced version of Wharfedale's SLPP (Slot-Loaded Profiled Port). We're informed that the lowest frequency energy is vented to a slot at the base of the speaker, specially profiled to equalise the high internal pressure to the low pressure in the room. This reduces the distortion typical of bass reflex systems and increases the port's efficiency. Also, because the air is dispersed uniformly in the room, less regard has to be given to placement.
The drivers' output is combined via a sophisticated crossover network (at 375Hz and 2.9kHz), fine-tuned over hundreds of hours of listening tests. Wharfedale boasts that, in particular, phase consistency across the driver output permits a wide range of seating positions and encourages the power response to be highly linear throughout the listening room.
This is all wrapped up in a cabinet painstakingly designed to enhance the acoustic output of the drivers. Handcrafted veneers are enhanced by true piano finish lacquers, hand-polished to six levels of depth to give a stunning finish.
Beneath the veneer is a sandwich of woods of differing density, designed to reduce panel resonance to below audibility. Dubbed PROS (Panel Resonance Optimisation System), this multi-layer construction is designed to inhibit the leakage of unwanted sound energy from inside the cabinet, which would otherwise interfere with the forward output of the drive units.
Wharfedale's Director of Acoustic Design, Peter Comeau, told StereoNET:
Elysian speakers deliver qualities that match and exceed much more expensive high-end designs. The Elysian 3 takes the highly acclaimed Elysian 4 – the pinnacle of Wharfedale's range – and reduces its footprint to a size that some will find easier to accommodate whilst maintaining the exceptional engineering that is inherent in every Elysian design. The holistic and uncompromising approach to every element of the loudspeaker system – the drivers, the crossover, the cabinet – allows the Elysian 3 to convey the full-bodied character of instruments like cello and bass guitar without constraining the dynamics of the musical recital.
In case you were wondering, in Greek mythology, the Elysian Fields is a heavenly place where the heroic and the virtuous are rewarded in the afterlife. Elysian, as an adjective, apparently, means blissful.
The Wharfedale Elysian 3 is available from July in a choice of black, white or walnut, hand-finished in high-gloss piano lacquer, at an RRP of £5,999 per pair.
Visit Wharfedale for more information
Distributor
Jay Garrett
StereoNET UK’s Editor, bass player, and resident rock star! Jay’s passion for gadgets and Hi-Fi is second only to being a touring musician.
Posted in:Hi-Fi
Tags: wharfedale iag uk
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