Speaker Review

EVO 4.2 Speakers From Wharfedale

A relatively large stand-mounted design, Paul Rigby gets to grips with these 3-way designs

For a pair of stand mounters, as they sit there, on top of my speaker stands, the EVO 4.2 speakers look big. They look imposing. They, and let me make this absolutely clear…loom. They loom at you, folks. You walk into a room and you might think there’s a pair of intruders standing in your listening room. I don’t know how many times I reached for 999 during this review and then grabbed my heart in relief when I realised who they where.

That’s your EVO 4 series as a whole, really. A six-speaker series that uses technologies live and direct from the Elysian series of Wharfedale speakers. 

EVO 4.2 Speakers From Wharfedale

AMT tweeter

Looking at the front, up top you’ll see an AMT tweeter, spanning 55 x 80mm. This Air Motion Transformer was created for the Elysian range and features a pleated diaphragm, driven by rows of magnets which force the pleats to contract and expand to the music. The waveform is created as the air is squeezed between them.

According to Wharefedale, this system offers an improved and finer sense of control. Much more accurate, says the company, than a bog-standard dome tweeter: larger bandwidth, higher speed, lower distortion…all that good stuff.

EVO 4.2 Speakers From Wharfedale

Midrange unit

It’s nice to see a midrange unit in a modern speaker. I see so few of them nowadays. I miss them. This 50mm soft fabric-domed unit is linked to a damped rear chamber while the dome is itself damped by plasticiser and offers a bandwidth of 800Hz to 5kHz, backed by a high-flux magnet.

EVO 4.2 Speakers From Wharfedale

Bass unit

Way down into the bass regions, you’ll find a Kevlar-based unit, spanning 150mm. That material you can see in the centre (image above) is a woven aramid fibre.

Keep moving downwards and there’s a slot-loaded port that’s at the base of the unit. It’s easily missed by the eye so I’ve offered you an image here (below) so you can see what I’m babbling on about.

EVO 4.2 Speakers From Wharfedale

This SLPP (Slot Loaded Profiled Port) receives the lowest frequency energy, profiled, says the company to, “…equalise the high internal pressure to the low pressure in the room.”

The idea is to lower distortion and increase efficiency while reducing positioning issues.

The chassis itself, made from a multi-density wood sandwich, has been damped. The sandwich construction helps to reduce panel resonance while preventing sound leakage. 

EVO 4.2 Speakers From Wharfedale

These 8 Ohms speakers offer a decent sensitivity rating of 90db so you’ll only need an amp upwards of around 25W to drive them.

Weighing in at 13.4kg each, the speakers each span 455 x 250 x 340mm.

So what do these house breakers sound like then? 

SOUND QUALITY

I began with jazz-vocal from Morgana King’s 1973 Paramount LP, New Beginnings… and the track Like a Seed. 

This period piece offers a fascinating arrangement because it provides a host of backing instruments of varied textures and range. Also, during the chorus, it’s almost as if the producer has said, “OK guys, just make lots of noise.” Hence, King hits the crescendos and never lets go, the harmony chorus tries its best to sound like slightly exasperated angelic angels while the backing sounds like a band interlude from The Muppet Show. It’s a pleasant racket and one that offers a challenge for any speakers that might meet the whole thing, head on.

And the EVO 4.2 speakers did just that. 

You really have to talk bass from the off, with the speakers. There’s just no getting away from that frequency here. 

Have you ever walked into a room and immediately sensed a feeling? Whether that might be an air of tension or one of joy? The room has an underlying tone. Whatever is going on in the room appears to rest upon that feeling? 

Well, the 4.2s had that too and bass was that underlying feeling. Bass wasn’t dominant here. With the EVO 4.2s, it’s not like you’re listening to a pair of subwoofers. These speakers didn’t swamp the upper frequencies. 

Nevertheless, bass was everywhere. It was infused in every part of the soundstage. It occupied the space like a furnished room. The wallpaper, the carpets, the soft furnishings? All bass. The lighter stuff? The upper frequencies and the finesse offered by these Wharfedales lay upon the bass, coating the 4.2 speakers.  

So how did this manifest itself during play? 

Well, it gave music a strength but also a real confidence. As I say, bass didn’t dominate to any great extreme here. It never bloomed or strayed too far from where it should be but it acted like the foundation of a house. The sonic structure was given authority by the bass. Bass enabled the music to roam and venture forth with more self assurance than you might normally hear. 

It also provided a midrange composure that prevented any form of smearing, increasing focus and increasing tonal balance. King’s crescendos provided precision instead of what it normally wanted to do and that’s to blur out on the top end. Guitar strums provided detail and insight but also great control while bongo taps offered weight to each trike but also air and space during minor reverb. 

Moving further upscale into the treble, cymbal hits and bell taps provided the delicacy you would hope for with reverb tails here and there to please but the bass focus added a sense of weight to each cymbal proving a certainty to each tap. 

The low noise response was also welcome. During the cacophonous chorus sequences, what I’ve always thought were slightly frantic piano bashes turned out to by harp string plucks after all! Well, I never. 

Hence, the bass and the treble provided true sonic bookends for a host of midband detail that entertained and delighted while the bass itself acted like a football coach, encouraging and influencing the rest of the music to greater heights. 

I then turned to prog and Greenslade’s Time and Tide, on WEA from 1975. 

As you might expect, the bass was a major part of this track. The deep and thumping bass was the heart of this song, providing an often dead-stop bass thud which was very effective but the Dave Greenslade keyboard sequences were significant too, offering a sweeping analogue, string-like tone that was rather gorgeous in its implementation while bass guitar provided an underlying rhythm to push the music onwards. 

I did notice a slight bite in the midrange on rare occasions. An aggressive vocal snap would produce a slight midrange bark to accompany emphasis in delivery but that seemed to be a by-product of the accompanying precision from the speakers as a whole. Not a big deal and it didn’t overly concern me but it’s something to note during a demo.

What was surprising was the mobility and emotion from the lead vocal and the lead electric guitar. Bass never dragged upon these two contrasting sounds. They were both lively and light on their feet. Again, cymbal taps provided finesse but the bass added weight to this instrument. You got the feeling that a heavy piece of metal was being hit here. 

CONCLUSION

In terms of physical bulk, the inherent design, that bass presence, the detail and authority, allied with a superb tonal balance and a sense of focused clarity, the EVO 4.2 speakers are wholly impressive. What I had to check twice here was the price point. For that price, the Wharfedale EVO 4.2 speaker’s offer incredible value for money.


WHARFEDALE EVO 4.2 SPEAKERS

Price: £599 (for a pair)

Tel: 01480 452561

Website: wharfedale.co.uk

TO BUY CLICK BELOW:

UK – https://amzn.to/3jQMdcb

USA – https://amzn.to/35Wi99R

EUROPE – https://amzn.to/325hhi1


GOOD: bass authority, tonal balance, midband clarity, imaging, value for money

BAD: nothing

RATING: 8


[Don’t forget to check out my new Patreon Page at www.patreon.com/audiophileman, for exclusive postings, giveaways and more!]

REFERENCE

Funk Firm Little Super Deck

Audiolab 6000A amplifier

Trichord Dino phono amplifier

Spendor A1 speakers

Tellurium Q cabling

Blue Horizon Professional Rack System

Harmonic Resolution Systems Noise Reduction Components

All vinyl was cleaned using an Audio Desk’s Ultrasonic Pro Vinyl Cleaner 

Air Audio AC-2K Balanced Transformer

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74 Comments

  • Reply
    Peter
    17th May 2020 at 7:29 pm

    Hello!
    Very interesting and good review/test!
    I am interested in wharfedale loudspeakers, I collected them for years.
    I had mach, modus, vardus, diamond, pacific series but after a lot of wharfedales now I use a german Heco Elementa 300.
    It is a very good bookshelf loudspeaker but if I find better in wharfedale bookshelves I will try. 🤔😉
    4.2 is not available in Hungary.. Hmmm..

  • Reply
    Michael
    20th May 2020 at 7:04 am

    Hi,
    Curious what amp you reviewed these with?
    Cheers in advance!

    • Reply
      Paul Rigby
      20th May 2020 at 9:43 am

      Hi Michael – for all reviews, to view the reference system used, just scroll to the bottom of the review to see the list.

      • Reply
        Michael Curtis
        19th June 2020 at 7:03 am

        Thanks Paul. Did you feel the Audiolab 6000a drove the 4.2’s well? Did you happen to hook these up to anything else with more power?

        I already own these speakers and am considering a new amplifier to replace my 1978 TEAC AS-M50 in my primary set up. The 6000a is on my shortlist, but am wondering whether something with a little more grunt than the 6000a would be an even better match? Though price wise its a solid step up to something like the Audiolab 8300 or Cambridge CXA81, so I’d prefer not to throw my money away on something I didn’t need!

        • Reply
          Paul Rigby
          22nd June 2020 at 9:18 am

          Yes, the pairing was fine and yes again, I tried them with a pair of Icon Audio 845 mono blocks and an Aesthetix pre amp (valves again). Which sounded even better 🙂 More grunt is a fair aim. Depends on your budget though.

    • Reply
      Sean
      18th July 2021 at 6:02 am

      I’ve searched these speakers to see what wharfedale subwoofer should be paired.
      Also their catalogue that show rooms with no subs.
      Nothing found.
      Have you a suggestion? 12″ 10″

  • Reply
    Ionut
    8th June 2020 at 7:18 pm

    Hi Paul, how are you doing? How would you compare these with B&W 606 or even the Spendor A1? Which one would be your choice? Thanks

    • Reply
      Paul Rigby
      9th June 2020 at 9:45 am

      I’d choose the 4.2s over the 606s. The latter are excellent but, for what they give, I think either the A1s or 4.2 edges them out, depending on which element of the sonic spectrum you examine. The A1s are better behaved than the 4.2s, more cultured and responsible. With the 4.2s, you have the tiger by the tail. They have power and grunt but can be a touch unforgiving in the mids, on rare occasions, during high-energy crescendos. In tonal balance terms, they are the best of the three and the more exciting of the three.

  • Reply
    Ionut
    9th June 2020 at 4:08 pm

    Thank you very much Paul for your sharp in depth answer. Cheers

    • Reply
      Paul Rigby
      9th June 2020 at 6:24 pm

      Not a problem, Ionut.

  • Reply
    Ionut
    12th June 2020 at 9:26 pm

    Hi Paul and sorry to bother you again… Any thoughts on the Focal Aria 906 compared with the ones already mention above? Thank you

    • Reply
      Paul Rigby
      14th June 2020 at 12:09 pm

      Big impressive but there’s better out there, Ionut.

  • Reply
    Ionut
    12th June 2020 at 9:37 pm

    “mentioned” sorry

  • Reply
    Ionut
    14th June 2020 at 2:22 pm

    I suppose Evo 4.2 are better than the focals?

    • Reply
      Paul Rigby
      15th June 2020 at 10:39 am

      I would choose the 4.2s myself, put it that way.

  • Reply
    Miguel
    15th June 2020 at 7:09 pm

    Hi Paul, thank you for another insightful review. I am wondering if you have any plans to review the Evo 4.4’s in the near future? Thanks!

    • Reply
      Paul Rigby
      16th June 2020 at 8:59 am

      No plans Miguel because there’s a long queue of other items here to look at but, you never know, sometimes these review just pop up out of nowhere 🙂

      • Reply
        Miguel
        17th June 2020 at 1:38 pm

        How would you compare the Evo 4.2 to the Monitor Audio Silver 300? I realize maybe we are not talking apples to apples here, since the MA’s are towers, but I wonder what your choice would be in terms of overall sound quality and soundstage?

        • Reply
          Paul Rigby
          18th June 2020 at 9:00 am

          Hi Miguel – the 300s offer a more refined and mature presentation but then they’re more expensive so that shouldn’t be a surprise. The 4.2s offers great solidity, confidence and power.

  • Reply
    WM
    17th June 2020 at 5:58 am

    Could you please give views of Evo4.2 vs Kef LS50 vs Fyne F500? Especially on tone and soundstage.

    • Reply
      Paul Rigby
      17th June 2020 at 9:47 am

      Hi WM – I haven’t reviewed the KEF or Fyne designs. I’ve had ‘casual’ experiences, you might say and colleagues have used them too so this advice must be received with a certain amount of caution. The KEFs sound bigger than their small box design, bass is good. The mids can offer a slight emphasis at times but so can the 4.2s. The Fynes can be a tad edgy in treble terms and they need a disciplined amp to get a grip of the bass. I’d still go for the 4.2s.

  • Reply
    Ivan
    19th July 2020 at 4:34 pm

    Hi Paul,, for pairing with 6000A, would you choose MA silver 100 or Wharfedales? The backdrop would be some jazz, plenty of female vocals, acoustic guitar…

    • Reply
      Paul Rigby
      20th July 2020 at 3:07 pm

      For that flavour of music, maybe the MA speakers, Ivan. Actually, before you open your wallet. Check out a new review I will post this week. Which might add another to your list.

      • Reply
        Ivan
        20th July 2020 at 3:25 pm

        Great, thank you! Really looking forward to the forthcoming review then!

      • Reply
        Ivan
        3rd August 2020 at 7:33 pm

        Hey Paul, whilst exploring something very different, I stumbled upon an intriguing proposition: Q Acoustic concept 40. Given that they are going for under £700 at the moment, how would they compare with MA Silver 100s?

        • Reply
          Paul Rigby
          4th August 2020 at 3:08 pm

          I’m not exactly sure, to be honest because I have yet to compare them but the 40s are very nice indeed and if you can grab them on a deal then go for it.

  • Reply
    Quinton
    27th July 2020 at 11:51 pm

    Just bought the 4.2’s but I can’t find the stands
    Where did you get those stands

  • Reply
    Tony Alumkal
    16th August 2020 at 9:26 pm

    One minor correction: the Elysian speakers use a somewhat larger AMT tweeter that is supposedly superior to the Evo one. This makes sense given that the Elysians are “cost no object” speakers, while the Evos are more reasonably priced. I would love to see a comparison review of the two lines.

  • Reply
    Ben McMillan
    16th October 2020 at 4:48 am

    Thank you for the excellent review, Paul! How would you rate the Evo 4.2 against the Denton 85th? I have read the latter are more warm, but at the same price point and aesthetic, I’m really torn. I’m pairing with a vintage amp and new turntable, in a small room.

    • Reply
      Paul Rigby
      16th October 2020 at 9:49 am

      Hi Ben – I would see the Evo speakers as being the more neutral of the two with the better tonal balance and larger soundstage.

  • Reply
    Paul John Marquez
    6th November 2020 at 6:00 pm

    Hi Paul,
    I have a Denon AVR X2400H receiver. Will it be a nice match for EVO 4.2 or do I still need a much powerful receiver. I’d like to replace my current bookshelf speaker Polk Audio S20 series.

    • Reply
      Paul Rigby
      9th November 2020 at 11:22 am

      They should work fine together, Paul.

  • Reply
    Paul John Marquez
    9th November 2020 at 4:21 pm

    Thanks Paul……

  • Reply
    Igor
    14th November 2020 at 11:03 pm

    Hi Paul ! The speaekers Wharfedale Evo 4.2 good combinaton the amplifier Hegel H90 ? Thank you, Igor

    • Reply
      Paul Rigby
      16th November 2020 at 10:47 am

      That pairing should be fine, Igor.

  • Reply
    Adrian
    17th November 2020 at 9:02 pm

    Hi Paul! CXA61 with Evo 4.2 or MA Silver 100 for metal music with female voices? Thank you.

    • Reply
      Paul Rigby
      18th November 2020 at 4:32 pm

      Adrian – both are excellent but for your requirements, I’d lean towards the 100s.

  • Reply
    roata adrian
    18th November 2020 at 8:44 pm

    Thank you very much. I’ll follow your advice.

  • Reply
    Ahmet
    27th November 2020 at 9:41 pm

    Hi Paul thanks for great review! Ihave roksan kandy k2. What do you think they match good?

    • Reply
      Paul Rigby
      30th November 2020 at 3:25 pm

      Yep Ahmet – nice amp and it should work well with the EVOs.

  • Reply
    JAY
    3rd December 2020 at 3:50 pm

    Hi Paul, Thanks for the detailed review!. I have a DENON DRA-800H network stereo receiver. Do they match fine? How it is compared with Paradigm Monitor SE 6000F ?

    • Reply
      Paul Rigby
      5th December 2020 at 1:53 pm

      Technically, the Denon and EVOs should work well together, JAY. Haven’t had a chance to review the 6000F speakers I’m afraid and have never seen them available for review, for that matter. Neither have my colleagues. In fact, I’ve only ever seen home entertainment, AV guys review these designs which might give you a clue as to their intended purpose, perhaps?

      • Reply
        JAY
        5th December 2020 at 6:43 pm

        Many thanks for your prompt reply 🙂

  • Reply
    jeroen
    11th December 2020 at 4:26 pm

    Hello Paul, What a great review to read. Would a NAD Amp1 also be suitable for the wharfedale evo 4.2?

    • Reply
      Paul Rigby
      14th December 2020 at 10:41 am

      Yes, they should work well together, Jeroen.

  • Reply
    Brian
    14th January 2021 at 8:26 pm

    Hey Paul, great insight into the purpose of the Paradigms. I have an old Nikko Alpha 220 Amp, and have no budget to replace it. Would you pair the Evo’s with the AMP. My source is Cambridge Audio 640c into a Liquid Spark in pre-amp mode. Thanks, great review.

    Brian

    • Reply
      Paul Rigby
      15th January 2021 at 1:10 pm

      Hi Brian – yes, your power amp should team up quite well with the EVOs.

  • Reply
    Tom
    17th January 2021 at 1:32 pm

    Hey Paul, thanks so much for the review. I am torn between the MA silver 100s and Evo 4.2s. I like listening to classics (mainly piano concertos and some symphonies), rock and pop in that order. I will be pairing them with the Marantz 7005, would you be able to recommend between the two?

    Also would audiolab 6000a be a better pair with either of them?

    Tom

    • Reply
      Paul Rigby
      18th January 2021 at 4:01 pm

      Hi Tom – I’d lean towards the 100s for classical et al. The 6000A – which I prefer – would be fine with those although if you want to spend around the £1000 mark then something from Rega would be recommended too.

  • Reply
    Tony
    22nd January 2021 at 8:30 am

    Paul I have A Naim 272 pre and a 250 dr power amp, I need a new speaker, do I need to spend thousands for my amp or would the evo be any good or the Martin Logan 5i or even the Q Acoustics 3030?
    I’m currently in between speakers and am using a tiny pair of Q acoustics 2010 with good results which makes me think do I really need to spend 3k.

    • Reply
      Paul Rigby
      26th January 2021 at 2:15 pm

      Hi Tony – that depends on your needs and requirements. The EVO will provide a good all round performance, certainly. I would urge a demo, if possible. A good dealer, who wants to establish an on-going relationship with you as a customer, will listen to requests for home demos. Especially in the current situation. I’d push for that.

  • Reply
    Chris
    16th April 2021 at 5:08 pm

    Hi Paul, thanks for the review.

    I wondered if there’s a similar review for the Evo 4.1 speakers?

    I’m struggling to find any reviews for them anywhere which is a shame as they are a closer fit for me in terms of size and budget.

    • Reply
      Paul Rigby
      19th April 2021 at 10:36 am

      Many thanks. As for the 4.1s, I’m afraid I have yet to hear them, Chris.

  • Reply
    Griffin
    9th June 2021 at 3:46 am

    Hi Paul, Thank you for your great review. I wonder for Wharfedale EVO speakers, do you recommend bi-wiring or single wire with a jumper? Or it does not really matter? Thank you.

    • Reply
      Paul Rigby
      9th June 2021 at 9:46 am

      I found single to work admirably, Griffin

  • Reply
    Sean
    17th June 2021 at 2:21 pm

    Hi Paul
    I know this might be a silly questions as named bookshelf speakers, but is it okay to place these on the left and right of a tv long and low stand. There is about 2 feet spare to the left and right of the tv for speakers to sit on top.
    Instead of mounting on the stands?

    Was looking at using the
    CENTRE Wharfedale EVO 4.CS
    FRONT Wharfedale EVO 4.2
    REAR Wharfedale EVO 4.1

    Would you by chance have a Yamaha AV amplifier suggestion ? 🙂

    • Reply
      Paul Rigby
      18th June 2021 at 12:21 pm

      You can place speakers anywhere you fancy, Sean 🙂 As long as you have the amplifier to drive them properly. Placing them on proper stands helps to focus bass and prevents undue vibration while keeping the speakers at a consistent height maintains a sonic consistency but that all depends on budget and circumstances.
      What’s your budget re. the AV?

      • Reply
        SEAN
        19th June 2021 at 3:20 pm

        Thanks that is Great about the placement as Head Height Tweeters when sitting.

        Regards my Budget about in the middle. Was looking at the Yamaha RX-A4A as it has 110Watt @ 8 Ohms was confused with difference with RXA1080 but think was just the older model?

        • Reply
          Paul Rigby
          21st June 2021 at 11:29 am

          I can’t comment on the 4A Sean because I’ve yet to hear it. Personally I would go for the deal and grab the best you can find. Also check out Onkyo – I do like their amplifier modules.

          • Sean
            22nd June 2021 at 12:14 pm

            Only a $187 saving for the old model.
            Are the Onkyo more reliable than the Integra?
            I have had multiple issues with the HDMI cards replaced in and then out of warranty for free, but then when repaired the ARC started having issues along with the Chrome Cast as would start working then a minute later stop 🙁

          • Paul Rigby
            22nd June 2021 at 12:40 pm

            Hmm, I haven’t heard of issues with Onkyo – Denon, Marantz and even Yamaha yes but not Onkyo. Saying that, I would encourage you to do some extra research just to cover your back.

  • Reply
    Meeraj Sarkar
    17th June 2021 at 5:37 pm

    Hi, Paul I have a current setup of Yamaha AS500 Integrated with KEF Q100 Bookshelf. Would it be a upgrade SQ wise if I go for Wharfedale Evo with my current amp( 80watts /channel)? Further down the line if I upgrade the Amp.. What would you recommend that will give a considerable lift to my system. Keep up you good work, love your reviews.

    P.S. Mostly listen to Rock music

    • Reply
      Paul Rigby
      21st June 2021 at 11:21 am

      Sure and what would be the amp budget?

  • Reply
    Robert
    25th August 2021 at 1:15 pm

    Hi Paul,

    For symphonic metal, mostly not so good recorded, the Wharfedale Evo 4.4 or MA Silver 300? I hate a too bright sound. Someone said look at the Wharfedale Linton but i don’t like that retro look. And i am more for floorstanders.

    • Reply
      Paul Rigby
      25th August 2021 at 1:50 pm

      Both will be good – the extra bass weight on the EVOs might swing it, though.

  • Reply
    Robert
    25th August 2021 at 8:24 pm

    Hi Paul,

    Thanks for your answer. I take the wharfedale. They are also so beautiful.
    Do you what will be a good amp for these speakers? Cambridge cxa81, arcam sa20 or schiit audio?

    • Reply
      Paul Rigby
      26th August 2021 at 9:52 am

      What’s your budget for the amp, Robert?

  • Reply
    Robert
    26th August 2021 at 7:36 pm

    Hi Paul,

    I have now a Atoll in100se signature. My budget is 1500,–.

    • Reply
      Paul Rigby
      27th August 2021 at 2:26 pm

      I’d look at the Rega Elicit-R or, if you can a bit more, the Moon 240i.

  • Reply
    Robert
    28th August 2021 at 8:16 am

    Hi Paul,

    By the way, what do you think of the wharfedale Linton vs EVO 4.4? Someone said the EVO too unforgiving die metal and has no bass and will choice the Linton. Others said the sound of the Lintons are too lazy and highs not clear enough.

    • Reply
      Paul Rigby
      29th August 2021 at 12:21 pm

      I haven’t reviewed the Lintons so will have to reserve judgement on those. Colleagues I talk to give them a thumbs up, though.

  • Reply
    Erwin
    25th January 2023 at 7:12 pm

    Hi Paul,

    Nice review. I own the EVO4.2 but I was wondering which Tellurium Q speaker cable you are using? I paired them with an Anthem MRX 520. Currently using QED XT40i speaker cables . I also have VDH D352. But I would like to go for the Tellurium Q Ultra Blue2. Do you think the Tellurium would bring me more/step up over the QED XT40i.

    Thans you for your reply.

    Best Regards Erwin

    • Reply
      Paul Rigby
      26th January 2023 at 10:21 am

      Hi Erwin – I think I used a Black model from TQ for that review. I think. Been awhile. But the Blue IIs should work very well too. They are highly recommended.

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