In the spirit of Gilbert Briggs, who was well known for experimenting with new driver materials, Wharfedale investigated a range of options to match the sensitivity and accuracy of the AMT treble unit.
The designers settled on a proprietary woven glass fibre matrix, formed into a 150mm cone. This provides a superb combination of low mass and high strength, with the addition of a high-plasticity coating to control its acoustic behaviour. With such a low-mass cone, only a low-damping, foamed, rubber-like material would match the surround – again, coated for durability.
Drive energy for the cone comes from a 25mm, 2-layer voice coil centred in a magnetic gap fitted with an aluminium ring to control eddy currents, linearise inductance and so increase bandwidth and reduce distortion. The whole assembly is fitted to a die-cast aluminium basket with large ventilation windows below the spider to improve transient response.
The midrange unit is matched with a glass fibre matrix cone for the bass unit, in this case, terminated with a highly flexible rubber surround and driven by a specially developed low-distortion motor system. Mounted on a die-cast aluminium chassis, the magnet system features an aluminium ring for eddy current control, immersing the 17.5mm long, 38mm diameter voice coil in high flux over 12mm of linear excursion.
In order to plumb the depths of the lowest frequencies in recorded music, the 220mm bass units – one in the ELYSIAN 2 and two in the ELYSIAN 3 and 4 which are capable of reaching down below 28Hz in-room, revealing the full body and impact of percussion, stringed and wind instruments.
Revised in format, for a reduced footprint and arguably easier to accommodate format but nevertheless designed to enhance the acoustic output of the drivers and provide a piece of furniture of which the owner can be justly proud, the Elysian 3 cabinet’s handcrafted veneers are enhanced by true piano finish lacquers, hand-polished to six levels of depth to give a truly beautiful finish.
The bass units are loaded by an advanced version of Wharfedale’s signature slot-loaded port. Christened SLPP (Slot-Loaded Profiled Port), it ensures that the rear output of the bass units is not wasted. Instead, 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 that is typical of bass reflex system and increases the port’s efficiency. In addition, because the air is dispersed uniformly in the room, the speakers are less fussy about siting.
In combination, the bass units and SLPP bass reflex system provide the massive foundation upon which the rest of the musical performance sits, letting you feel as well as hear the full impact of thunderous low-frequency information. High overall system sensitivity, in the region of 92dB for 1 Watt of input, allows any amplifier to reveal the full dynamic range of the music fed to it, without strain or limitation.
Specifications
3-Way Floorstanding Speaker
Enclosure Type:
- Bass Reflex
Transducer Complement:
- 3-Way
Drivers:
- Bass Driver: 7" (180mm) coated fibre glass matrix cone x 2
- Midrange Driver: 6" (150mm) coated fibre glass matrix cone
- Treble Driver: 27 x 90mm AMT
AV Shield:
- No
Performance:
- Sensitivity (2.83V @ 1m): 89dB
- Recommended Amplifier Power: 30-200W
- Peak SPL: 108dB
- Nominal Impedance: 4Ω (compatible 8Ω)
- Minimum Impedance: 2.3Ω
- Frequency Response (+/-3dB): 44Hz ~ 22kHz
- Bass Extension (-6dB): 35Hz
- Crossover Frequency: 375Hz, 2.9kHz
Cabinet Volume:
- 9.4L, 35L
Dimensions (mm):
- Height (on plinth): 1050mm
- Width (on plinth): 263mm
- Depth (with terminals): (285+30)mm
Carton Size:
- 425 x 415 x 1155
Weight:
- Net Weight: 28.45kg/pcs
- Gross Weight: 35.37kg/ctn