Wharfedale Evo 5 series (5.4)

[funkera91]

Keep in mind that Wharfedale almost never reply to emails — I’ve written to them twice and never got a reply.

 

[Robert-Hifi]

Hi! Want to discuss a new speaker line.
I personally bought 5.4 for my suburban dacha. Works together with Audiolab 9000a amp and SMSL sux DAC. While I lack the courage to write a full review, my initial impressions are far better than I anticipated! (For context, I have the Aura 3 in my apartment and previously owned the Evo 4.4 and Linton 85.). To succinctly describe the difference between the Evo 4.4 and the 5.4 in one sentence: The 5.4 is more refined.

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Aesthetics: For a speaker at this price point, the 5.4 is truly impressive! I appreciate its modern-retro design, which strikes a perfect balance—neither as contemporary as KEF nor as classic as Klipsch Heritage. The magnetically attached grilles and the absence of visible screws add a touch of luxury. The speaker terminals are now housed in a sturdy, small plastic plate, a significant improvement over the flimsy plates found in the Aura and 4 series. The overall design is very reminiscent of the Aura, with similar cabinet shapes and plinth architecture. However, I find the removal of bi-wiring capabilities puzzling. Why eliminate this feature? Now we have two crossover plates, so bi-wiring would only require an additional pair of terminals. And, of course - nano giga resoframe is just a peace of rubber around the drivers Hooray - there is no chrome details so speaker looks a bit more respectable.
Base: In-room response of base is gorgeous in terms of going deep. I've seen recommendations to position the speakers 20 cm away from back wall, but let's be realistic—most of us don't have palaces or castles! Like many others, I've placed the speakers near the walls, and while the bass is impressive, it does tend to overpower the sound.
Highs: The highs are excellent—they are slightly recessed but still retain all the necessary detail, which is perfect for a relaxed listening experience in a suburban setting. Just sit back and enjoy.
Mids: he midrange is excellent for vocals, but I need to test how well it handles heavy metal. I'm concerned that the soft dome tweeters might introduce distortion, but I'll keep an ear out for that. In general, the midrange performance is quite satisfying.
build quality: The build quality is decent but not outstanding. The veneer finish is somewhat inaccurate, with minor dents present right out of the box. This is a bit disappointing, but it doesn't detract significantly from the overall experience.

Postscript: As for the previous model, the 4.4, I was thoroughly disappointed. As one YouTuber put it, it felt like something was broken in them. They produced the dullest sound I've ever heard, and selling them was a chore. Several people came to listen to the 4.4s, and the common reaction was, "They're okay, but something seems off." Therefore, I'm glad the 5.4 represents a significant step forward. Whether it's a step forward or just a shift in direction, I appreciate this new path. Cheers to Mr. Comeau!

And stay tuned for a closer look inside the 5.4 soon!
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What is your experience with the sweet spot of the Evo 5.4 at the MLP?
If you more your head horizontally 10 inches or so, do you notice the treble dropping off due to the sharp beaming of the AMT?

From the measurements on Hi-Fi Voice the horizontal dispersion at 30 degrees looks okay.
That bump around 14 kHz certainly helps to limit the treble dropping off.
But vertically the drop already start at 2-3 kHz at 30 degrees.

Wharfedale EVO5.4

Reprosoustavy Wharfedale řady EVO jsou nejen pro nás synonymem klasického, tradičního hi-fi – jejich kombinace atraktivní ceny díky velkým výrobním objemům, osvědčeného anglického konstruktérského přístupu a kultivované zvukové charakteristiky je skoro bezprecedentní. Wharfedale má ve svém...

www.hifi-voice.com

 

[funkera91]

Guys, how is possible 5.4/5.2 to be better than 4.2 and 4.4? When listening with high quality earphones on 4k youtube video comparison videos between both models, the 5 series sound very dull with a lot of bass and no instrument separation , lack of mid section. Probably in not the best way of listening to the speakers like that, but i have tried with 6-7 videos made from different youtubers and all of them sound same. The problem is that i cant listen to them alive as there is no audio shop in my country that offers them..
And i have Evo 4.c as center and evo 4.1 as surrounds. Fhe FL and FR are Wharfedale Linton 85 th.. I confirm that tonality is very very different between front and center speaker while watchingmovies - it frustrates me a lot that difference

 

[Everett T]

Guys, how is possible 5.4/5.2 to be better than 4.2 and 4.4? When listening with high quality earphones on 4k youtube video comparison videos between both models, the 5 series sound very dull with a lot of bass and no instrument separation , lack of mid section. Probably in not the best way of listening to the speakers like that, but i have tried with 6-7 videos made from different youtubers and all of them sound same. The problem is that i cant listen to them alive as there is no audio shop in my country that offers them..
And i have Evo 4.c as center and evo 4.1 as surrounds. Fhe FL and FR are Wharfedale Linton 85 th.. I confirm that tonality is very very different between front and center speaker while watchingmovies - it frustrates me a lot that difference

YouTube isn't a way to make a comparison of speakers, FWIW. If you're not able to audition at a local store and no one locally has both sets, find a retailer online with a generous return policy and order one of each to demo.

I'd imagine that the two sound very similar through the midrange and treble but I'm curious what you're hearing that stands out so much with your current setup?

 

[Peccatum]

Owner of a Diamond 12 system and a full Evo 4 system. How would you compare Aura to 4.4?

 

[Kurt1977]

Hello,

How would you compare the aura to the Evo 5? I am a happy owner of the diamond 12.3 but on certain recordings i find the midrange (or lower treble) a bit forward and would like to upgrade to the Aura or Evo 5.

Thanks!!