Wharfdale Evo 5.4 - Alternatives?

[Discharge]

Hi,

I'm not an audiophile by any stretch of the imagintion, i'm very much starting out on my journey after getting a set of Beyerdynamics 770 Pro I realised how much I was missing and quickly upgraded to Sen 490 Pro cans which im super happy with.

But now I want to get a good set of speakers and amp, my budget is very much mid-range and the 5.4 is really at the top end of that but I was hoping for some advice before I choose some speakers to demo at Richer Sounds in Chester, so I can at least go in there with some sort of an idea to select the right speaker.

Amp wise I'm settled on a Wiim Amp Ultra (Unless i'm told otherwise), I figure this is a good base and I can use it as a streamer later?

I like the sound of the Wharfdale Lintons, and the idea of a less fatiguing sound from the videos i've watched but I cant really find anything that covers the more extreme end of my music taste:

• RHCP / The Strokes = groove, punch, swagger
• Stanley Clarke = bass texture and articulation
• Kygo = space, scale, low-end support
• Ensiferum / Slipknot / Meshuggah = speed, separation, headroom, control

Correct me if i'm wrong but this leans more into the 5.4 than the Linton?

EDIT: I have a 4m x 8m high-ceiling room (carpeted).

 

[staticV3]

I was hoping for some advice before I choose some speakers

Personally, I'd only buy what's been Klppel'd by Amir, Erin, 0DiBi etc.

That way, you know you're getting quality speakers, and you can apply loudspeaker correction inside your WiiM for a dead neutral starting point.

Amp wise I'm settled on a Wiim Amp Ultra (Unless i'm told otherwise), I figure this is a good base and I can use it as a streamer later?

Definitely!

Correct me if i'm wrong but this leans more into the 5.4 than the Linton?

Does it lean into the 5.4? Not sure why that'd be.

 

[Discharge]

My understanding from reviews is:

Linton favors tone, body, warmth, groove, ease
EVO 5.4 favors organisation, openness, scale, composure, technical grip

Like I say, I'm really just regurgitating other peoples data/opinions.

Are there any specific models that I should look at by Klppel'd by Amir, Erin, 0DiBi?

 

[levimax]

My understanding from reviews is:

Linton favors tone, body, warmth, groove, ease
EVO 5.4 favors organisation, openness, scale, composure, technical grip

Like I say, I'm really just regurgitating other peoples data/opinions.

Are there any specific models that I should look at by Klppel'd by Amir, Erin, 0DiBi?

Audiophile flowery language is extremely imprecise and ambiguous. @amirm our host put together a video explaining his Klipple measurements. It will take an hour of your time but speakers are a big long term investment and it will be worth your time. https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...derstanding-speaker-measurements-video.44101/ Have fun.

 

[Paul7777x]

My understanding from reviews is:

Linton favors tone, body, warmth, groove, ease
EVO 5.4 favors organisation, openness, scale, composure, technical grip

Like I say, I'm really just regurgitating other peoples data/opinions.

Are there any specific models that I should look at by Klppel'd by Amir, Erin, 0DiBi?

The underlined above is gibberish.

Semantically null nonsense to fill space by those who haven’t a clue, but are paid to pretend otherwise as ‘reviewers’, or by owners with the same end result.

They may even believe what they write; but it is utterly useless to anybody.

Measurements are a big help.

Hearing them in your own room with the necessary room correction is the only serious way to go.

If that’s impossible it becomes a bit of a lottery.

But speakers that measure well are predictable. And you then know that they can be made to work at home.

 

[mglobe]

My understanding from reviews is:

Linton favors tone, body, warmth, groove, ease
EVO 5.4 favors organisation, openness, scale, composure, technical grip

Like I say, I'm really just regurgitating other peoples data/opinions.

Are there any specific models that I should look at by Klppel'd by Amir, Erin, 0DiBi?

With the criteria being floor standers and in the EVO 5.4 price range, you might look at Polk R700's

 

[mglobe]

Here’s a link to Erin’s data and also his video review of the R700.

https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/polk_r700/

 

[YouDontHaveEnoughBass]

I've got the Lintons and love them, and use Erin's Klippel measurements to achieve what I wouldn't be able to with the 5.4 (which have no published measurements)

With Wiims 10 bands of EQ I use the first 7 filters to get the speakers measuring ruler flat on axis from 40hz to 20000hz:
Filter 1: ON PK Fc 40.00 Hz Gain 5.00 dB Q 1.000
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 497.0 Hz Gain -1.00 dB Q 2.903
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 1396 Hz Gain -0.90 dB Q 4.924
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 1840 Hz Gain 2.00 dB Q 3.737
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 2538 Hz Gain 1.10 dB Q 6.020
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 4087 Hz Gain 1.80 dB Q 2.706
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 12843 Hz Gain -1.30 dB Q 1.110

That first EQ uses up a fair bit of amp headroom so maybe skip it if using a less powerful amp; it serves to bring the bass up to be flat all the way down to 40hz rather than drooping down from about 80hz or so (if you do end up getting the Ulta you'll have enough power for this unless you're in a big room)

The next 3 filters I keep reserved for room EQ to trim any bass peaks at listening position; currently I only need the one to nip off 6db at 46hz the rest is fine

This all produces an extremely pleasing system that impresses anyone that comes over; spotify jams quickly become a main activity of the night

I'm sure the 5.4 is a competent speaker but without such measurements available it wouldn't be something I'd consider as none of this would be possible

 

[Discharge]

I've got the Lintons and love them, and use Erin's Klippel measurements to achieve what I wouldn't be able to with the 5.4 (which have no published measurements)

With Wiims 10 bands of EQ I use the first 7 filters to get the speakers measuring ruler flat on axis from 40hz to 20000hz:
Filter 1: ON PK Fc 40.00 Hz Gain 5.00 dB Q 1.000
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 497.0 Hz Gain -1.00 dB Q 2.903
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 1396 Hz Gain -0.90 dB Q 4.924
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 1840 Hz Gain 2.00 dB Q 3.737
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 2538 Hz Gain 1.10 dB Q 6.020
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 4087 Hz Gain 1.80 dB Q 2.706
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 12843 Hz Gain -1.30 dB Q 1.110

That first EQ uses up a fair bit of amp headroom so maybe skip it if using a less powerful amp; it serves to bring the bass up to be flat all the way down to 40hz rather than drooping down from about 80hz or so (if you do end up getting the Ulta you'll have enough power for this unless you're in a big room)

The next 3 filters I keep reserved for room EQ to trim any bass peaks at listening position; currently I only need the one to nip off 6db at 46hz the rest is fine

This all produces an extremely pleasing system that impresses anyone that comes over; spotify jams quickly become a main activity of the night

I'm sure the 5.4 is a competent speaker but without such measurements available it wouldn't be something I'd consider as none of this would be possible

Do you have the Wiim Amp Ultra?

I was actually going for that amp and the Lintons originally and then I thought maybe the Lintons wouldnt be big enough for my sized room, what do you think?

 

[levimax]

Do you have the Wiim Amp Ultra?

I was actually going for that amp and the Lintons originally and then I thought maybe the Lintons wouldnt be big enough for my sized room, what do you think?

Bigger is always better if you can get away with it, see Hoffman's Iron Law https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josef_Anton_Hofmann

 

[mglobe]

Do you have the Wiim Amp Ultra?

I was actually going for that amp and the Lintons originally and then I thought maybe the Lintons wouldnt be big enough for my sized room, what do you think?

Lintons do pretty well on FR. Different, but I’m better or worse than the Polks other than lacking the low end that Polk delivers. Polks are much more capable of higher SPL.

 

[Alexei]

Hi,

I'm not an audiophile by any stretch of the imagintion, i'm very much starting out on my journey after getting a set of Beyerdynamics 770 Pro I realised how much I was missing and quickly upgraded to Sen 490 Pro cans which im super happy with.

But now I want to get a good set of speakers and amp, my budget is very much mid-range and the 5.4 is really at the top end of that but I was hoping for some advice before I choose some speakers to demo at Richer Sounds in Chester, so I can at least go in there with some sort of an idea to select the right speaker.

Amp wise I'm settled on a Wiim Amp Ultra (Unless i'm told otherwise), I figure this is a good base and I can use it as a streamer later?

I like the sound of the Wharfdale Lintons, and the idea of a less fatiguing sound from the videos i've watched but I cant really find anything that covers the more extreme end of my music taste:

• RHCP / The Strokes = groove, punch, swagger
• Stanley Clarke = bass texture and articulation
• Kygo = space, scale, low-end support
• Ensiferum / Slipknot / Meshuggah = speed, separation, headroom, control

Correct me if i'm wrong but this leans more into the 5.4 than the Linton?

EDIT: I have a 4m x 8m high-ceiling room (carpeted).

Hi Discharge, I also have Lintons and I agree with YouDontHaveEnoughBass overall.
My room’s 5.5x6.2m, std 8’ ceilings and there’s no shortage of full-level bass extension to 40Hz in-room. No issue getting down to 35Hz -6dB at listening posn in my room either. You’ll love Kygo’s synth bass lines! Chest thump and perceived bass transients are stunning.
Midrange sounds uncoloured to me at least.

Everything is placement-dependent of course and they really don’t love being too close to the front wall if you want deep bass perception.

My only caveat is that you need to judge whether their treble performance suits what you want. For me, they are wonderfully natural at low volumes but you need to judge if their upper treble dynamic transient capabilities with cymbals, triangles, snare rattle, etc are to your taste. They certainly seem to measure well with steady tones.
It’s definitely not Kef-like treble despite measuring similarly, for my ears anyway.

The were criticisms of this tweeter ‘mushing together’ and graininess tendency at higher volumes in other forums. It was the reason some initially enthusiastic buyers offloaded them after a year or two. It might just be environment/perception. I do experience this compared to metal diaphragm speakers I also own.

 

[YouDontHaveEnoughBass]

Do you have the Wiim Amp Ultra?

I was actually going for that amp and the Lintons originally and then I thought maybe the Lintons wouldnt be big enough for my sized room, what do you think?

The Lintons are certainly big enough for you room; mines similar dimensions

Mine are powered by a pair of Fosi V3 Monos plugged into the line outs of the Wiim Pro Plus which i use as the streamer + dac + preamp, honestly you'll probably be fine with just the Wiim Ultra if you want everything in one tidy box and minimal fuss

Alexei's comments on the treble/tweeter are generally what I found it to sound like before I applied the EQ to flatten the on-axis, after I did that issue went away and any song thats playing sounds exactly how it should; bassy techno sounds like bassy techno, aggressive rock sounds like aggressive rock, classical sounds like classical etc etc

 

[Alexei]

Hi YDHEB, I also have a Wiim Amp Ultra but not a calibrated mic (just iPhone & iPad on-board mics). I tried Room Fit (both B&K and Harmon curves) with mixed results using i-device mics. Have temporarily stopped using the Wiim as an extra EQ layer and reverted to just using my Denon amp spkr outs. I need the Denon in circuit bec of all its analog, digital, DAB+ radio, etc interface & routing abilities.

If you get a moment I’d love to know what correction figures you’re applying, especially up top, to get your in-room response you’re happy with.
I get it won’t be totally applicable for my room but might give me an idea where to start experimenting again with taming treble. Tks.

 

[YouDontHaveEnoughBass]

Hi YDHEB, I also have a Wiim Amp Ultra but not a calibrated mic (just iPhone & iPad on-board mics). I tried Room Fit (both B&K and Harmon curves) with mixed results using i-device mics. Have temporarily stopped using the Wiim as an extra EQ layer and reverted to just using my Denon amp spkr outs. I need the Denon in circuit bec of all its analog, digital, DAB+ radio, etc interface & routing abilities.

If you get a moment I’d love to know what correction figures you’re applying, especially up top, to get your in-room response you’re happy with.
I get it won’t be totally applicable for my room but might give me an idea where to start experimenting again with taming treble. Tks.

Mid + Treble should be EQed using anechoic data so you can just copy my filters, bass should be done using in-room measurements (definitely dont copy my first filter boosting bass without a calibration mic to fix peaks in room itll sound wayyyy too bassy)

 

[Alexei]

Mid + Treble should be EQed using anechoic data so you can just copy my filters, bass should be done using in-room measurements (definitely dont copy my first filter boosting bass without a calibration mic to fix peaks in room itll sound wayyyy too bassy)

Thanks. I’ll give it a go. Adding any gain at 4087Hz seems like the opposite of what I want but you never know with psychoacoustics!

 

[sgent]

I think Erin mentioned in a live stream that the 5.4 are his next review, so maybe wait a few weeks and see if it goes live.

 

[Discharge]

I think Erin mentioned in a live stream that the 5.4 are his next review, so maybe wait a few weeks and see if it goes live.

Okay cool, im in no rush!

 

[XDM]

There are some measurements (but they're in-room so probably not very accurate) https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ew-evo-5-wharfedale-series.63977/post-2492405
Why not consider the Aura series? It's better, as has been measured by Erin's Audio Corner.

 

[Discharge]

I think Erin mentioned in a live stream that the 5.4 are his next review, so maybe wait a few weeks and see if it goes live.

any update on this? I see he hasnt posted anything this month

There are some measurements (but they're in-room so probably not very accurate) https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ew-evo-5-wharfedale-series.63977/post-2492405
Why not consider the Aura series? It's better, as has been measured by Erin's Audio Corner.

I had my heart set on a floorstander rather than bookshelf and the aura 3/4 are out of budget unless a set comes up second hand which doesnt look too likely, i'll check the 2 out though as they do look nice