If you're also going to buy some good subwoofers, is there still any good reason to buy the Lintons? (I am in doubt between these 2 speakers, but I most certainly am going to buy 2 SVS SB-100 Pro's.)
It might not always be as clear cut as in this situation to make it useful but I am glad you appreciated the idea - a serious message but one that hopefully in its delivery gets a smile as well :)
Well I've auditioned both speakers (including the 4.4) due to space constraints in my office and my desire for front clustered raisins I'm opting for the Linton's
I own the Lintons and the example with raisins is a great way of explaining their soundstage characteristics. It’s their biggest weakness in my opinion, while their midrange and tonality are the outstanding features. What people prefer will come down to taste and what their priorities are. What a great and comprehensive review. Bravo!
I auditioned Lintons and Evo 4.2's side by side in a store. I went in planning to buy the Lintons based on reviews, but I bought the Evo 4.2, and I am very happy with them. They sound somewhat different and it comes down to preference. I found the Lintons sound richer and forward in the mid to highs, which I did not like. In other words, I found the Lintons sound too forward and bright (in comparison), and preferred the 4.2's, which seemed more balanced and relaxed. Separately, I think the walnut Evo's are one of the best looking speakers around . I love the matt look. The Lintons look dated to me. But this is all personal preference.
Love my EVO 4.2's! The way Wharfedale combined a, too rarely seen, soft-dome midrange and the AMT tweeter totally sold me. It really is a fabulous match and what I think really separates the EVO line from the competition. As with almost any speaker this size, a sub or two is needed for deep bass, but most should know that going in. Wharfedale is really stepping up to the plate. Excellent review!
It is very obvious that no reviewer would go too much in favour of particular model as it would affect the overall interest in long term. Evo 4.2 are such a good bargain that you won't be able to get same sound quality even after spending 10x more. Wharfedale totl Elysian series beats pretty much any speaker on earth, it is so good.
I own the Lintons, bought them 2.5 months ago without hearing them first and was instantly worried I had made a bad decision .... I am no longer worried, best decision ever. My next purchase may be an "All In" to get the center Evo 4.CS and the 4.2`s to go all Wharfedale.
Your coverage at Bristol of the Evo 4.4s really shows how far they have taken the 4.2s while preserving all of the aforementioned in your review plus adding that bass and keeping the clarity.
Congradulations on your orignal use of raisons to describe the speaker imaging. When the US distributor changed, I got a pair of EVO2-20 speakers (~~$500/pr) and was so impressed, I ordered the EVO2-30 speakers ($800/pr) and the center channel for an eventual home theater system. The EVO line is the sleeper bargain of speakers, and the addition of the new tweeter makes it even better and a great value from Wharfedale that is not well known to reviewers. The tapered cabinet style was also used with their for their top of the line Jade speakers which are no longer available.
What really clicked for me was your comparison at 13:30ish between Evo and Linton which I translated to "how will you be listening to these speakers" I'm a life long B&W customer for my main system but am growing weary of their accurate/bright/fatiguing sound. More importantly I'm currently shopping for a home office system. just bought the KEFLS50 W2's for my office and I'm not a fan...to bright and don't sound good at low volumes (IMHO). So I think the Linton"s with a PrimaLuna in my office would be good...in my main system maybe an Ev o version. that is the what I'm going to research.
Realy well explained and presented Steve, thanks so much for this. Subbed. I bought the evo 4.4s about 10 days ago, and i recognise many of the key sonic characters you describe in the 4.2s, which tells me two things: The evos have a family sound, and yiu know your stuff and seem to hear what i hear, huzzah! Im blown away by the 4.4s, not least because they are so easy to drive and they can really deliver even just paired wuth a Naim Atom. Word of warning! These units need a lot of 'running in'. Pump em for two hours at least before critical listening or you will want to return them. Out of the box they sound broken. After two hours you can hear they are going to be great... Im 10 days in and Id suggest they are just about ready!
I have spent some time with the Warfedale Dentons and have really enjoyed their relaxing sound. I have recently moved on from a fairly bright highly detailed system and like you say with that type of system it generally makes you analyse the music rather than actually sitting down and 'listening ' to the music. Im now considering moving onto the Linton's . Love the old school look with 8inch drivers and a warmer tone. I have spent far to many year's listening to the 'sounds' rather than just enjoying the music!
Harry I asked my contact at Audiolab about using the 6000a with the Lintons - they said its a great pairing and its what they used at the last Bristol show where I made a video for it - thats probably the video you have seen
@@PursuitPerfectSystem hi Terry thanks for your reply, yes that was the video i had seen. After giving it lots of thought I have decided that a stand mounted speaker just isn't going to be suitable for my needs with children etc and im now considering the floorstanding evo 4.3 and 4.4 , i think the 4.4 is probably a bit too big for me but bass is also very important so could be swayed if the bass was much greater. Do you think the evo 4.3 would give a satisfying amount of bass?
It was particularly interesting to see how the raisins reflect what would be assumed based on cabinet design. With the predictable blurring caused by speaker grill/ recessed mounting board design of the Linton compared to the open and curved EVO. Sound waves from the drivers radiate along the surfaces they are mounted to. When the wave hits a boundary like the cabinet or grill edge, it radiates out into the room at a slight time delay causing the blurring. I sold Wharfedale in the '70's. Like the massive W70D. They were famous for filling cavities in the cabinet walls with sand to deaden vibrations. Most speakers from that time period suffered from the recessed mounting board design flaw.
Been through a few amps with mine, the Arcam SA20 is a SUPERB match, the class A (to 20w) addresses a slight lack of detail and dynamism at very low volumes, and the sheer power (180w/Ch into 4ohm) really gets a grip of them at all volumes.
been using my amazing evo 4.2 for almost a year now and planning to upgrade to lintons. the raisins anology also means the lintons have significantly better center imaging which i like (i also saw this in other linton reviews). the evo have an amazing diffused and spread out sound but lacks imaging. also, the vocals tend to be shouty and forward a lot times (can be too much in my opinion). evos are not neutral in my experience with strong emphasis on mids.
This is the first truly meaningful review of the EVO 4.2's I've heard thus far. Very well done! Spot on! I have considered these speakers for purchase but there were certain aspects of the EVOs that I "needed" to learn about opposed to what I "wanted" to hear or learn about. You nailed my needs and wants perfectly and so I can now feel much more confident in making a purchasing decision. (Lintons versus EVOs). I am considering marrying up the EVOs with the Schiit Aegir (kinda class A continuity "thing") but given the low power of the Aegirs I may need to purchase 2 as in a mono-block configuration. I'd prefer not to purchase 2 so I'll see how a single does with it's 20 W power rating. I was really looking forward to this review and you exceeded my expectations - so a huge thanks from Canada!!!!!!!!!!!! Why am I suddenly craving raisins?? (Now that was very clever!!!)
Terry, Good review!! I picked up a pair of the 4.2's at the end of last year, and LOVE them! A three-way, with AMT, curved cabinet, and a "nifty" port design, at this price point, is a SOLID DEAL! I paired them with an older Velodyne sub, and a older Carver M-500T. I listen to ALL types of music, and am COMPLETELY SATISFIED with these speakers. I keep the grills off, because they're beautiful to look at as well. Very intrigued by your DIRAC "adjustments" comments. I've been considering purchasing a component with DIRAC capabilities for some time now... Interested to see how you think they compare to the other speakers in this comparison. 👍👍
Another superb review and comparison. The downside is the more I watch your videos the more I doubt in my mind what I want? I have only owned one pair of Wharfedale's a few years ago when I was first getting into HiFi, a pair of Diamond 9.1 Anniversary Edition. For a super budget speaker, costing less than £120 new, the quality of the matte Walnut fit and finish was totally off the scale and puts speakers costing 15 times as much to shame. I mean this, I was baffled how they could produce such an amazing quality finish for literally peanuts? What interests me with the Evo is the AMT tweeter. To get an AMT tweeter with a Monitor Audio speaker you'd need to spend more than double for the Gold 100 5G at approx £1400. How would this speaker at £599, stand up against a far more expensive AMT speaker like the Gold 100? That I would really love to see (hint hint ;) PS I also loved the raisin example. A picture paints a thousand words..
I believe they are the best looking speakers I have ever seen, in all colours. Just wish they had more sparkle at the top. Judging by review only, which I think is accurate.
Hi all, Great review Terry. After seeing your reviews about the Evo4.2 i was confinced that i should give them a try. Well i am in love with them 😉. I owned mostly mid range speakers such as Elac 180 and cinema serie, Klipsch RP series, SVS Ultra and Prime series, Totem Mite's and Rsinmakers. All hooked up to a Pioneer SC LX 58 receiver and supported with an SVS SB 2000 sub. I like bookshelfs to be played together with a sub. So i did not put them on stands but on my tv dressoir. Slightly turned them to the sweet spot. Note that i am very picky on harsch speakers. The Evo 4.2 surprises me in every way. They look good, do not sound harsch and have a wide soundstage. Sometimes they even let me think i am in a bar listening to a band and i am even there. The Evo4.2 blew all the other speakers i owned away. I can recommend them. But as i alwsys say....hearing is for everybody personel tast. Greetings Erwin
Terry's on a roll:D raisins were great and accurate for the Linton I would say from my demo. Just ordered the Lintons yesterday, they will go in the actual lounge Vs my projector AV room with my Dali iKON 6Mkiis and their dual soft dome + ribbon tweeters. These speakers are highly resolving in the treble domain and have wide dispersion so the imaging is good. But I fall into the analytical side of listening and they are overall too polite for me, my tastes have changed since buying them 8 years ago or so. What I want now is to enjoy the music as a cohesive whole. The Lintons are a warm hug of music with plenty of detail but your ears don't start focusing on things. Then they just make you smile. They're cheap enough that I don't have to worry about them being either side of the wood fire and here in NZ there are earthquakes so I'm sure they will be stable too:)
I replaced the q acoustics 3050i with the evo 4.3 which are the small tower in the range and smaller than my previous speakers and on another planet in terms of sound clarity even though I really liked the q acoustics which costed half of what my current wharfedale cost. Great speakers since I was shopping for something within the 2500 Euro budget and the wharfedale sounded better to my ears than most of the more expensive options I listened to, new kef R included
Just ordered them and they will arrive tomorrow. Will give my feedback in a week or so. Looking forward to your head on comparison with the other 8 speakers
@@ld4974 They are good for the price, voices and mids are clear and natural. Base a bit too boomy for me (no not standing in the corner although with the 4.2 design it should work as well). I am now trying the Quad S2 against the Evo 4.2 and so far I like the S2 a bit better. Tighter base and great voices and mids. Evo 4.2 has a little bit more authority and thicker stage. However, I notice that cables make a clear difference. Running of a XTZ Edge A2-300 amp ( very good) and have several cables (Silent Wire LS7, Qed ZT400, Supra FLY 3.4S, The Wave....) Cables is also very personal. I dont like too bright and detailed due to listening fatigue.
L D a bit of life and energy in part. But also the soundstage is a a bit unconvincing. I could have put up with one of those things missing. Not both. They are detailed. I wanted to try a true ribbon tweeter, but that detail seems to be at the expense of a bit of mass and depth. I was wondering if the Evo’s fixed that.
To me ATM tweeters have a special place in my heart. the air the speed its a sound u cant really explain it must be felt, btw the raisin u used is the best thing a reviewer could use it gives u a visual overview of the sound. keep on the good work
Got a pair of Evo 4.2 for £350 ex demo from a local dealer. As new and sound great so far but only on an old Pioneer SA 500a amp. Next job is a decent AV receiver.
I just bought the Evo's 4.2 pairing them with Nikko Alpha 130 Amp Nikko pre-amp beta 20 with a 25 band Nakamichi EQ... currently I have on one channel ADS 8hms speakers that are probably 25 plus years old and B&W 707 S2 on the other channel A&B respectively. I choose to play each channel independently. The ADS are incredible with great low extension and extremely high resolution The Evos will arrive in another week and I hope they will surpass what I have already. The B& W are simply suberb incredible lows but not as full resolution as the ADS..
Hi Terry, I really enjoyed your video because I'm undecided between the Linton and the Evo 4.2. I ask you for advice but keep in mind that I am using a translator because I am writing to you from Italy. I can't make a comparison between the two speakers in my environment and furthermore I'm not an expert on technical things. So I'm forced to think theoretically based on my listening environment. I describe it to you. Room 10 mq, distance of the speakers from the side and rear walls 30-40 cm, distance between the tweeters of the two speakers 180 cm. My listening point is at the vertex of an equilateral triangle of 180 cm, in practice there is the same distance between the two tweeters as there is with my ears. I listen to various music genres except opera and country. I do long listening sessions for 70% of the time at medium volume and the rest I turn up. Together with the speakers I will also buy a Nad with Dirac Live. In your experience, which is the theoretically most suitable model for my situation? I ask for your expert opinion. Thank you
I recently got the Evo 4.2 as a replacement for my old B&W 602 s3's which are in terms of format the same kind of 3 ways. Don't regret the purchase, I love them. Few characteristics. The Evo has a lot of clarity in the treble but are not as bright as the 602 s3's (which are in the spectrum also not not really as bright as some small modern bookshelves) . Perhaps I can describe the EVO as more life-like. Ioften have the illusion that a real performance is going on in the room. A horn loaded speaker puts an extra dimension to that experience, but these ones get pretty close. What I also want to underline is that the Evo's have a great balanced bass. The B&W's were bloated in their lows and while their range was low it didnt reach sub levels and also didn't really "connect" to the lower end frequencies of a sub woofer due to this pumping bass which messed it up for any sub to really smoothly connect. One could conclude it would be great for dance music but I hardly played it because it sounded ugly. The bass was more developed for Rock and Jazz and I often wished I could have equalized the bass out to balance and tinker some other things to make a greater sounding speaker. It just feels like it has more potential. No problems here with the Evo's, they are absolutely perfect in their own signature. What I only noticed the B&W's did a bit better was how they sounded outside the location they pointed at. With the EVO's you really need to sit in their range to notice the details.With the B&W's you could stand far aside them and still have the room filled. This is not a big deal however :)
Hi! What amp would you recommend for the Evo 4.2? Denon any good for these, since they are more likely to have a more brighter sound as compared to Marantz. I am worried it might be too treble-y. Just can’t decide ...
Nice review. Looking forward to the rest of the group. Having heard both myself I agree with your observations. Preferred Lintons though. They sounded more life like to me. Being an opera singer I'm very used to a real orchestral sound and instrument timbers and Lintons came closer to that sound.
Just watched a couple of comparisons over the weekend - liked them so much that I am now a subscriber. The raisins idea actually made sense. I'm feeling kind of partial to the Evo 4.2s and may replace my KEF R300's with them - I'm looking for a more non-fatiguing speaker. Speaking of which, how fatiguing/non-fatiguing are the Evo 4.2s after a few hours' listen?
I've had mine for 6 months now, I've got LS50's and a pair of Q Acoustics 3020's too The LS50 make a better job of TV but the Wharfies are a more neutral speaker....very revealing despite being totally non fatiguing....so they don't suit poor amplification...don't bother if you have class D or an AV amp...neither will let them shine the way a good 100 plus watts of A/B does...they'll work OK but just not quite as they should. They have more of a dig around in 4ohm than the specs suggest. They also take forever to run in, 3 months effectively with normal usage. But, no, no fatigue
@@DomRivers67 thanks Dominic. That's what I was hoping to hear. I'm picking a pair up this weekend. I've got a 76w musical fidelity m2si a/b amp and 130w into 4 oh with lots of current and using in a small 15x10 room. I think I should have enough power. It was plenty for the Kefs.
The KEF shouldnt sound like the Linton, they should sound more like the EVO - I would maybe have a think about a few other factors that could be the cause
A very good review, I like your presentation and raisining... I hear that they are both very good speakers. I prefer the EVO's bottom slot port over the Linton's back port, it should make room placement easier...
The Wharfedale Lintons and similar are a much more tradiitional Wharefdale warm sound. The Evo's, like the Elysians, have a AMT tweeter, that makes them a little more lively on the top end, and not really comparable at all to the speakers not using the AMT tweeters. Can't really compare the Diamonds to the Lintons either. Just different speakers. Your raisin analogy isn't too bada comparison actually. Not ideal, but it's complex to descirbe the way sound works and appears in the air. You've done a great job with this review / comparison
Pair these wharfedale evo 4.2 with tt2+ m scaler and benchmark ahb2, both ahb2 and tt2 in low gain mode and you could have a system which is unbeatable at any price point.
Terry, I love your reviewing style, but I’m going to make this more difficult for you. If you added a sub, like any Rel or a Rel t9i or dual Rel’s or dual Rel t9is to the mix of this review, which speaker would you choose, Lintons or Evo 4.2? Given that both Rel’s or even one would clearly out perform the bass of the Evo 4.4. If you have not already done so, can you point out what tools you use for your DSP correction or do you sell those tools and could you talk about the procedure, just a little bit. I’m not expecting you to give all of your DSP secrets away because I believe it’s a service that you sell. Your example of the raisins was actually brilliant and should be used more by others because it takes the guess work out of it because sound is so hard to describe. If you have already covered DSP please point me to that video, thanks as always.
That is why it’s very important to listen for yourself because it’s impossible for me to predict what others rooms are going to be like because they are all so different. Also valve amplifiers vary so wildly
i think that all is perfect about the wharfedale evo 4.2 but I am a little convinced that the space between the speaker and bottom plate was more an aesthetic choice than sound wise as some suggest. They needed a space to put the name of the speaker and on standmounts it just looks classy.
Incredible I get so many mixed reviews about the comparison among these two speakers. Crazy... really crazy. Electronics seem to make a LOT of difference.
@@PursuitPerfectSystem I've made drawings and used beans to explain in pictures over messenger to friends what I am referring to, or what I am getting from such and such recording... I completely know where you're coming from. I am dying to see the Raisins diagram from the Fyne speakers compared to the others. I own Fyne, and I feel they are simply stellar, but then I might also be Jaded, lol.
Great review Terry. Smart looking speaker and great to see new carbon fibre material used in the tweeter.. will demo these to hear what difference it makes to more traditional tweeters. I recall older ae bookshelf speakers also having Less agility or timing . I wonder if it’s anything to do with the pointed cone ae tend to use in their mid/bass driver
The Lynton's are very much of the old school 'BBC' design (early KEF, Rogers, Graham, Spendor and of course Harbeth) to name but a few, albeit in an updated presentation and are voiced towards a more neutral sound and excel with certain musical genres, such as acoustic/vocals, folk, jazz, most blues, classical even - relaxed you might say. Whereas the Evo's are fast and dynamic across a varied and perhaps more recent genres - you're a bit late to the party though Terry, seems the word is out that these Evo's are a freekin steal (sssh don't tell Wharfedale!) my only quibble is that they are not bookshelf speakers - stand-mounters all day everyday. So, I guess your choice of listening may dictate your preference or you could buy both (ps I am not in the employ or getting any kick-backs from the manufacturers) cough...
Hi Terry great work ! Love watching your videos ! I'm adding EVO 4.C Center Channel along with my EVO 4.2's for watching Movies. What sort of budget AVR or Amp combo to give the descent sound ? Thanks in advance.
Interesting analogy with the raisins, which really involves one to listen to both of them to truly know how they sound. I would likely seek the Evo sound over the Linton but don't have the ability to audition them so THANK YOU for your thoughts! Cheers
Newly subscribed your channel. From India (Kerala) You really do great reviews with no non-sense, that's unique when compared to other audio reviews in youtube. You speak about the sound more and less about visual appearance. Now coming to the point have read that Linton's have a typical laid back characteristic, which is something I prefers. A more neutral presentation with less listening fatigue. Also read Linton has a bigger soundstage compared to Kef s R-3. Wished to buy a medium sized speakers with proper woofer, midrange, tweeter setup, always. And both these qualifies for that. Was seriously eyeing Linton, we have limited opportunity for an audition, leave the option to home test it. So have to rely on reviews heavily. Only serious buyers(while buying) are offered an audition here, India. So will it be a bad idea for a person having laid back preference to go and buy it to be paired with a rega elix-R. It is seen as a lifetime investment. Hoping that you may be able to throw some light.
Also i think the best affordable speakers are : Wharfedale Diamond 11 series , EVO series and Elysian series designed by Peter Comeau. They sound and look like speakers that cost 3 or 4 times more , they are unique and very good built. I HAVE SPOKEN
I had a pair of EVO2-10, and there punched way above their weight class. I don't listen the way I once did, I have a pair of Klipsch R-15M these days, but I do miss those Wharfedales.
The Evo 4.2 seems to be a more modern speaker majoring in detail and clarity, whereas the Linton is more old school trying to give a balanced musical gamut. In any case the Evo seems great value for money. IMHO the Wharfedales offer more bang per buck than Focal or B&W. I do think Wharfedale are on a roll.
Great review....but I'm confused. I thought speakers where supposed to image behind the speaker. Your raisin illustration looked like your sound stage was in front. Please explain....
I don't always buy into that theory - the theory that the speakers are the microphone and everything is then beyond them doesn't make sense to me as most of the time things are close mic'd not far mic'd, when recording however - some speakers do present sound like this in the right environment and it is extremely impressive to listen to but I have only heard it a handful of times and I dont get sound like that in my room. There is also the saying with hifi of getting closer to the music, you cant get closer to it with it being further away from you :) So no BS in my Raisin diagram for how the speakers sounded in my room.
@Pursuit Perfect System where would you put the EVO4.2's compared to the older KEF R300's (basically considered an LS50 with more bass, but also a 3-way bookshelf for those who don't know) in terms of home theater use? Do you think they would be a downgrade/sidegrade/upgrade? Would the air motion tweeter design lend itself to be more or less favorable than the uni-Q driver for strictly home theater use?
Its a different speaker mate so its not a forward backward or sideways step but one in a different direction. The KEF R are really good speakers mate if your looking for better sound maybe work on getting more from them
@@PursuitPerfectSystem yea, I think they're really good as well and currently use a NAD T758v3 receiver with DIRAC Live. I mainly only see reviews talk about music though, and I was interested in how they might be different for home theater performance.
Top review! Thanks. I particularly appreciated your comments about analytical listening around minute 13 but the whole review was chockablock with interesting comments.
What sort of amp do you recommend with these speakers? A warmer sounding amp like a naim or a more neural sounding amp like a Linn? I myself got a older Linn Majik and a Bluesound note 2i with a pair off audio physics. The audio physics are really exiting and fun to listen to but they are quite weak with vocals and midrange. I am looking for some budget speakers with a warm and easy to listen to sound and i think these are exactly what i am looking for, but i was wondering if my Linn Majik is a good combination with the wharfedale's?
Denton are more like for like yes for price which is why the EVO 4.2 stands out as it offers a lot for the money. but I won't know how much until I try all the others
They look interesting. I am coming from a pair of B%W 685 S 2' . And the two speakers are nearly Identical in Specs. THE B&W s, are slightly more extended than the Warfedale. Also they are more efficient at 93 DB. So, what am I gaining? Further , I am listening to the speaker test on the 685's. So, I am not sure what I am listening for? THE B%W are running 43 -25K. DO I replace my B%W's? What would be the definitive factor, that would make me want to switch speakers? THE one thing that got me hooked, are the Air-Motions. I am running Martin Logans on my main system, and I know how amazing those tweeters sound. Thank you for the excellent review.
I’ve a couple of issues; Due to their size does it make them top heavy on the stands ? Also would the dedicated wharfdale stands be necessary for their mounting? Otherwise really like the look of them both with or without grills.
Yes they are potentially top heavy so you want a stand that can be solid and has a large top plate I think ideally. I dont know if you bolt them to the wharfedale stands that might be the safest way if you can - maybe contact them and check.
Another great review, thanks Terry. So I guess I am going to have to try and home demo both the Evo 4.4 and the Lintons and decide which sound I prefer. Do you know which retailers in the UK would facilitate this? Thanks again
Well consider it like this, this is not me having a pop at anyone but just looking at the alternative - when someone reviews something like speakers they are hearing maybe 50% of their room and about 50% of the speaker - because the room dominates the sound of the speaker in key areas, this is unavoidable and different room sizes and placement the speakers will sound different. This has been the case since the dawn of the first speaker The reviewer may say well I know my room and I can listen through the room and you can of course, but you are still hearing the rooms effect on the speaker - so their opinion is of the speaker in their room which is a totally different room to yours and you have no idea about the sound they are hearing in their room when they review the speaker. So that review is no more relevant or less than mine for starter except I am ultra transparent and try and show as much as I can because video allows for more than mags and websites. I don't take that approach I do my best to take my room out of the equation as much as possible to try and just hear the speaker - this is impossible but I try - this is how I want to listen anyway. So DSP helps to undo the negatives of my room on how the speakers should sound so I would argue I am hearing more of them as an overall speaker rather than less from using dsp - that is my take on it and I am happy for others to have a different view of course. Are my reviews more or less relevant that is up to you to decide but when you take into account the true full picture I dont think so. I also record the sound of my review system and make a video demonstrating this sound to give you the best idea I can of the sound quality I am referring to in the review, to give you the most context I can for the review overall. I cant do anymore right now, if I could I would - review, demo, graphs what else is there :)
@@PursuitPerfectSystem yhea, never thought of it like that, I suppose every review of every speaker, or other piece of kit for that matter, is influenced by its surroundings like you say, I like the reviews on UA-cam, but suppose if you take them as gospel and expect exactly what's been described to take place in your personal space, you maybe in for a suprise,, Anyway thanks for going the extra mile, I'll put my sub in,👍
@@paulwibb.8944 yes its a negative of the subjective nature of the beast but if your aware of it you can spot things like reviewers listening spaces and when you know a little about how that space sounds you can guestimate what the room is doing to how the system sound I.e a lively room will emphasise treble and bass and make mid range sound more reverberant
@@PursuitPerfectSystem yes I know first hand of how people ignore the room, trying to convince someone their not getting the best out of there equipment or space is no easy task I suppose, not always easy though depending on lifestyle.
Hi, im interested on the evo 4.2 or the elac dbr62. Wondering if i can ask a couple of questions Do you think the evos will pair well with the ps audio sprout 100? If you have heard the elacs and how they perform against the evo. I know its not in the same price range but if the price is not a factor, which would be a better buy? Thanks.
I'm torn between the 4.1's and 4.2's. I'm thinking for an extra £150 it's a no brainer. Saying that, a chap on a different vid commented that he heard the two together and said the 4.1s sounded clearer. So he went with the 2 ways. I think a trip to richer sounds might be the best bet (when they're open!)
I used to own a pair of Tannoy Kensington GRs and I missed the sound of it on my vinyls. I would like to ask that which one would be more close to the warm sound of the Tannoy speakers? I had Revel Salon 2s on my system for complex music already. So I'm now looking for easy driving speakers that focus on the vocal , Wharfedale Evo 4.2 or Linton Heritage would be the sound signature I'm looking for?
Awesome review, and is something I'm going through at the moment, and I'm err-ing to the side of the Lintons. One question is, while I appreciate there isn't a matching centre for the Linton's, what centre would you pair with them? I thought a Diamond 11.CS as it has the same driver material etc, but I've been recommended by certain shops to just go for the 12.C. It's not ideal, but unfortunately I can only have one system! What do you think? Thank you
Excellent video and comparison!If you like you can test the new Mission LX-3 MΚII 350 euros.Mission is sister company (IAG) with wharfedale and this new speaker was designed by Peter Comeau who i think also design the wrfs 225s!!
The Evo 4.2 does a great job in this. Source: own experience and another review comparing them to the Kef ls50 meta. I only noticed one thing. Radio broadcast with those multiband compressors and limiters on top get really exposed for pushing dynamics in the mids away. Not disturbing but more noticable than with my old B&W's.
i learnt the importance when i got my wharfdale evo 4.2 speakers it sounded terrible on my desk which is big and made of plywood i kinda knew this would happen so i put them ontop of my old speakers since i blew the woofers when family annoyed me but anyways tannoy Mercury m20 speakers are a great height for the wharfdales still sounded muddy close to the wall moved it bit by bit till it was about a 1 m away the midbass evened out and lower tones really came to life for anyone who uses wharfdale evo 4.2 speakers i would remove the black foot piece of wood so ur left with the speaker box the plinth at the bottom doesn't sound good with the down firing port i assume this is because the plinth allows for bass to come from the sides and not the fromt or back it brings the speakers into an audiophile happiness for me
I've actually just had my first pair wharfefale speakers now just over a year, I have the D330 floor standers, it took few weeks for them to warm in when they did was mighty impressed, I'd love to try get the Linton's
@@johnkeenan9495 well these are trying times for us, anyway hope you'll get the well-paid job. Need your advice concerning the speakers, any chance to get your link of facebook or whatsapp?
@@darenbenovsky3680 sorry never got back to you sooner than I envisioned, Face book John Keenan (ragnaar) or to my email address johnkeenan13@yahoo.com
Thanks, great interesting review. We want more raisins! I would like to know : if your only parameter was the emotional aspect, wich speaker would you chose?
I like your raison d’etre (!) for using a visual aid to describe the different sound presentation between speakers, by means of comparison. Overlaid comparive frequency response plots between speakers is the only other visual method I can think of, that could give some idea of the differences. I am looking forward to your upcoming speaker reviews.
Terry I am choosing between Denton 85th Anniversary edition and Evo 4.2. Some friends if mine told me that EVO has a very strong bass and not good for my room which is only 20 Sqm. They say that the bass will dominate and this the only reason that I dont like to buy the evo and go for Denton 85th instead. Need your comment sir. Thank you.(I watch your review on EVo for like 3 times already and I think is good )
Hi Danny Sorry 20m2 I am uncertain what that means for dimensions - the bass out of the 4.2 is not massive - I haven't heard the Denton know what they are like in comparison sorry man
@@PursuitPerfectSystem my room is 4 meters by 5 meters. Choosing between Wharfedale Denton 85th Anniversary edition and Wharfedale Evo. 4.2. Can my room size accommodate the bass of Evo? Just sold my b&w607 because I like to upgrade to B&w 606 ANNIVERSARY edition. But changed my plan when I heard your reviews. My old b&w607 is bright for me (maybe because of my amplifier) and I have no idea how the B&W606 ANNIVERSARY edition sounds, have you listened to the new B&W?
Interesting thing about sound diagram comparing Lintons VS Evo 4.4. But I feel the opposite. But my Lintons were modified(resistors, capacitors, solder but no change in nominals) And... I assume that there is bareky any reason to buy 4.2+stands instead of 4.3 - same space, not much of price difference. Or am I wrong?
Big wide box speakers are generally not about trying to give you the pin point imaging os a slimmer speaker - that is what I was showing. This was years ago I dont remember any more than that sorry
If you would like more details come and see the review on my website www.pursuitperfectsystem.com/wharfedale-evo-4-2-hifi-speakers-review/
Is it still possible to hear the sound demo you made of these speakers? Looks like it was taken down due to a copy strike or something.
@@andrewanderson3746 yeah it was taken down which is a real shame as I got amazing sound out of them for that demo sorry about that
@@PursuitPerfectSystem Would you be willing and able to share the demo with me via email? Probably no risk of copy strike that way.
If you're also going to buy some good subwoofers, is there still any good reason to buy the Lintons? (I am in doubt between these 2 speakers, but I most certainly am going to buy 2 SVS SB-100 Pro's.)
Terry should keep the raisins for all tests a picture is worth a thousand words
It might not always be as clear cut as in this situation to make it useful but I am glad you appreciated the idea - a serious message but one that hopefully in its delivery gets a smile as well :)
Well I've auditioned both speakers (including the 4.4) due to space constraints in my office and my desire for front clustered raisins I'm opting for the Linton's
I own the Lintons and the example with raisins is a great way of explaining their soundstage characteristics. It’s their biggest weakness in my opinion, while their midrange and tonality are the outstanding features. What people prefer will come down to taste and what their priorities are. What a great and comprehensive review. Bravo!
Its not a weakness its a characteristic of them which makes them stand out :) thanks btw
I auditioned Lintons and Evo 4.2's side by side in a store. I went in planning to buy the Lintons based on reviews, but I bought the Evo 4.2, and I am very happy with them. They sound somewhat different and it comes down to preference. I found the Lintons sound richer and forward in the mid to highs, which I did not like. In other words, I found the Lintons sound too forward and bright (in comparison), and preferred the 4.2's, which seemed more balanced and relaxed.
Separately, I think the walnut Evo's are one of the best looking speakers around . I love the matt look. The Lintons look dated to me. But this is all personal preference.
Love my EVO 4.2's! The way Wharfedale combined a, too rarely seen, soft-dome midrange and the AMT tweeter totally sold me. It really is a fabulous match and what I think really separates the EVO line from the competition. As with almost any speaker this size, a sub or two is needed for deep bass, but most should know that going in. Wharfedale is really stepping up to the plate. Excellent review!
Well done Terry you’re really raisin the bar with this review 😀👍
😅
It is very obvious that no reviewer would go too much in favour of particular model as it would affect the overall interest in long term. Evo 4.2 are such a good bargain that you won't be able to get same sound quality even after spending 10x more. Wharfedale totl Elysian series beats pretty much any speaker on earth, it is so good.
I own the Lintons, bought them 2.5 months ago without hearing them first and was instantly worried I had made a bad decision ....
I am no longer worried, best decision ever.
My next purchase may be an "All In" to get the center Evo 4.CS and the 4.2`s to go all Wharfedale.
Your coverage at Bristol of the Evo 4.4s really shows how far they have taken the 4.2s while preserving all of the aforementioned in your review plus adding that bass and keeping the clarity.
Mine evo 4.2 arrived today! Stunning quality and sound is great!
As a proud owner of the Klipsch RP-600M look forward to the comparison
Congradulations on your orignal use of raisons to describe the speaker imaging. When the US distributor changed, I got a pair of EVO2-20 speakers (~~$500/pr) and was so impressed, I ordered the EVO2-30 speakers ($800/pr) and the center channel for an eventual home theater system. The EVO line is the sleeper bargain of speakers, and the addition of the new tweeter makes it even better and a great value from Wharfedale that is not well known to reviewers. The tapered cabinet style was also used with their for their top of the line Jade speakers which are no longer available.
I did like the raisin analogy. I give it 100 raisins!
What really clicked for me was your comparison at 13:30ish between Evo and Linton which I translated to "how will you be listening to these speakers" I'm a life long B&W customer for my main system but am growing weary of their accurate/bright/fatiguing sound. More importantly I'm currently shopping for a home office system. just bought the KEFLS50 W2's for my office and I'm not a fan...to bright and don't sound good at low volumes (IMHO). So I think the Linton"s with a PrimaLuna in my office would be good...in my main system maybe an Ev
o version. that is the what I'm going to research.
Realy well explained and presented Steve, thanks so much for this. Subbed.
I bought the evo 4.4s about 10 days ago, and i recognise many of the key sonic characters you describe in the 4.2s, which tells me two things: The evos have a family sound, and yiu know your stuff and seem to hear what i hear, huzzah!
Im blown away by the 4.4s, not least because they are so easy to drive and they can really deliver even just paired wuth a Naim Atom.
Word of warning! These units need a lot of 'running in'. Pump em for two hours at least before critical listening or you will want to return them. Out of the box they sound broken. After two hours you can hear they are going to be great... Im 10 days in and Id suggest they are just about ready!
I have spent some time with the Warfedale Dentons and have really enjoyed their relaxing sound. I have recently moved on from a fairly bright highly detailed system and like you say with that type of system it generally makes you analyse the music rather than actually sitting down and 'listening ' to the music.
Im now considering moving onto the Linton's . Love the old school look with 8inch drivers and a warmer tone. I have spent far to many year's listening to the 'sounds' rather than just enjoying the music!
How tall are the Linton's on there stands?
Harry I asked my contact at Audiolab about using the 6000a with the Lintons - they said its a great pairing and its what they used at the last Bristol show where I made a video for it - thats probably the video you have seen
@@PursuitPerfectSystem hi Terry thanks for your reply, yes that was the video i had seen. After giving it lots of thought I have decided that a stand mounted speaker just isn't going to be suitable for my needs with children etc and im now considering the floorstanding evo 4.3 and 4.4 , i think the 4.4 is probably a bit too big for me but bass is also very important so could be swayed if the bass was much greater.
Do you think the evo 4.3 would give a satisfying amount of bass?
Tottaly agree with you.
It was particularly interesting to see how the raisins reflect what would be assumed based on cabinet design. With the predictable blurring caused by speaker grill/ recessed mounting board design of the Linton compared to the open and curved EVO. Sound waves from the drivers radiate along the surfaces they are mounted to. When the wave hits a boundary like the cabinet or grill edge, it radiates out into the room at a slight time delay causing the blurring.
I sold Wharfedale in the '70's. Like the massive W70D. They were famous for filling cavities in the cabinet walls with sand to deaden vibrations. Most speakers from that time period suffered from the recessed mounting board design flaw.
Been through a few amps with mine, the Arcam SA20 is a SUPERB match, the class A (to 20w) addresses a slight lack of detail and dynamism at very low volumes, and the sheer power (180w/Ch into 4ohm) really gets a grip of them at all volumes.
Can you add a sub to the arcam sa20?
@@paull9989yes you can
I wonder about the Arcam A25. Do you still have the 4.2s?
@@junichiikeda5860 I do.
Great review! Regardless of the sound, I think the 4.2 is also an extremely good-looking speaker!
been using my amazing evo 4.2 for almost a year now and planning to upgrade to lintons. the raisins anology also means the lintons have significantly better center imaging which i like (i also saw this in other linton reviews). the evo have an amazing diffused and spread out sound but lacks imaging. also, the vocals tend to be shouty and forward a lot times (can be too much in my opinion). evos are not neutral in my experience with strong emphasis on mids.
I run the EVO 4.2s with a Cambridge CXA81 amp and I have found that pairing balances the midrange out quite well
This is the first truly meaningful review of the EVO 4.2's I've heard thus far. Very well done!
Spot on! I have considered these speakers for purchase but there were certain aspects
of the EVOs that I "needed" to learn about opposed to what I "wanted" to hear or learn about. You nailed my needs and wants perfectly and so I can now feel much more confident
in making a purchasing decision. (Lintons versus EVOs). I am considering marrying up the EVOs with the Schiit Aegir (kinda class A continuity "thing") but given the low power of the Aegirs I may need to purchase 2 as in a mono-block configuration. I'd prefer not to purchase 2 so I'll see how a single does with it's 20 W power rating. I was really looking forward to this review and you exceeded my expectations - so a huge thanks from Canada!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why am I suddenly craving raisins?? (Now that was very clever!!!)
Thanks very much Charles really appreciate it
Terry, Good review!! I picked up a pair of the 4.2's at the end of last year, and LOVE them! A three-way, with AMT, curved cabinet, and a "nifty" port design, at this price point, is a SOLID DEAL! I paired them with an older Velodyne sub, and a older Carver M-500T. I listen to ALL types of music, and am COMPLETELY SATISFIED with these speakers. I keep the grills off, because they're beautiful to look at as well. Very intrigued by your DIRAC "adjustments" comments. I've been considering purchasing a component with DIRAC capabilities for some time now... Interested to see how you think they compare to the other speakers in this comparison. 👍👍
Keep using the raisins for future speaker reviews! The visual representation really helps. :)
I dont know if it will always be as relevant in terms of a comparison but lets see what happens - cheers man :)
Another superb review and comparison. The downside is the more I watch your videos the more I doubt in my mind what I want? I have only owned one pair of Wharfedale's a few years ago when I was first getting into HiFi, a pair of Diamond 9.1 Anniversary Edition. For a super budget speaker, costing less than £120 new, the quality of the matte Walnut fit and finish was totally off the scale and puts speakers costing 15 times as much to shame. I mean this, I was baffled how they could produce such an amazing quality finish for literally peanuts? What interests me with the Evo is the AMT tweeter. To get an AMT tweeter with a Monitor Audio speaker you'd need to spend more than double for the Gold 100 5G at approx £1400. How would this speaker at £599, stand up against a far more expensive AMT speaker like the Gold 100? That I would really love to see (hint hint ;) PS I also loved the raisin example. A picture paints a thousand words..
Grills always on terry,, for part time audiophiles! Another great review...keep em coming.
I believe they are the best looking speakers I have ever seen, in all colours. Just wish they had more sparkle at the top. Judging by review only, which I think is accurate.
I have a plan for that
Another useful video. I liked the raisin analogy and its an excellent effort at attempting to convey how they sound. Great job)
The raisins were genius Terry - loved it!
Hi all,
Great review Terry. After seeing your reviews about the Evo4.2 i was confinced that i should give them a try. Well i am in love with them 😉. I owned mostly mid range speakers such as Elac 180 and cinema serie, Klipsch RP series, SVS Ultra and Prime series, Totem Mite's and Rsinmakers. All hooked up to a Pioneer SC LX 58 receiver and supported with an SVS SB 2000 sub. I like bookshelfs to be played together with a sub. So i did not put them on stands but on my tv dressoir. Slightly turned them to the sweet spot. Note that i am very picky on harsch speakers. The Evo 4.2 surprises me in every way. They look good, do not sound harsch and have a wide soundstage. Sometimes they even let me think i am in a bar listening to a band and i am even there. The Evo4.2 blew all the other speakers i owned away. I can recommend them. But as i alwsys say....hearing is for everybody personel tast.
Greetings Erwin
Terry's on a roll:D raisins were great and accurate for the Linton I would say from my demo. Just ordered the Lintons yesterday, they will go in the actual lounge Vs my projector AV room with my Dali iKON 6Mkiis and their dual soft dome + ribbon tweeters. These speakers are highly resolving in the treble domain and have wide dispersion so the imaging is good. But I fall into the analytical side of listening and they are overall too polite for me, my tastes have changed since buying them 8 years ago or so.
What I want now is to enjoy the music as a cohesive whole. The Lintons are a warm hug of music with plenty of detail but your ears don't start focusing on things. Then they just make you smile. They're cheap enough that I don't have to worry about them being either side of the wood fire and here in NZ there are earthquakes so I'm sure they will be stable too:)
I replaced the q acoustics 3050i with the evo 4.3 which are the small tower in the range and smaller than my previous speakers and on another planet in terms of sound clarity even though I really liked the q acoustics which costed half of what my current wharfedale cost. Great speakers since I was shopping for something within the 2500 Euro budget and the wharfedale sounded better to my ears than most of the more expensive options I listened to, new kef R included
Just ordered them and they will arrive tomorrow. Will give my feedback in a week or so. Looking forward to your head on comparison with the other 8 speakers
What do you think of them?
@@ld4974 They are good for the price, voices and mids are clear and natural. Base a bit too boomy for me (no not standing in the corner although with the 4.2 design it should work as well). I am now trying the Quad S2 against the Evo 4.2 and so far I like the S2 a bit better. Tighter base and great voices and mids. Evo 4.2 has a little bit more authority and thicker stage. However, I notice that cables make a clear difference. Running of a XTZ Edge A2-300 amp ( very good) and have several cables (Silent Wire LS7, Qed ZT400, Supra FLY 3.4S, The Wave....) Cables is also very personal. I dont like too bright and detailed due to listening fatigue.
Lars Vedder interesting comment. I am watching these videos looking for an alternative to the Quad S2s!
@@thewillwilliams I have heard only good things about the Quad S2, although personally I am suspect of the small woofer. What do you find lacking?
L D a bit of life and energy in part. But also the soundstage is a a bit unconvincing. I could have put up with one of those things missing. Not both. They are detailed. I wanted to try a true ribbon tweeter, but that detail seems to be at the expense of a bit of mass and depth. I was wondering if the Evo’s fixed that.
Like your review style, would like to see your take on the Elysian 2's and maybe the 4's? . . . Please?
I would like to see my take on them as well man - either would be good I am not that fussy :)
To me ATM tweeters have a special place in my heart. the air the speed its a sound u cant really explain it must be felt, btw the raisin u used is the best thing a reviewer could use it gives u a visual overview of the sound. keep on the good work
Got a pair of Evo 4.2 for £350 ex demo from a local dealer. As new and sound great so far but only on an old Pioneer SA 500a amp. Next job is a decent AV receiver.
I just bought the Evo's 4.2 pairing them with Nikko Alpha 130 Amp Nikko pre-amp beta 20 with a 25 band Nakamichi EQ... currently I have on one channel ADS 8hms speakers that are probably 25 plus years old and B&W 707 S2 on the other channel A&B respectively. I choose to play each channel independently. The ADS are incredible with great low extension and extremely high resolution The Evos will arrive in another week and I hope they will surpass what I have already. The B& W are simply suberb incredible lows but not as full resolution as the ADS..
Hi Terry, I really enjoyed your video because I'm undecided between the Linton and the Evo 4.2.
I ask you for advice but keep in mind that I am using a translator because I am writing to you from Italy.
I can't make a comparison between the two speakers in my environment and furthermore I'm not an expert on technical things.
So I'm forced to think theoretically based on my listening environment.
I describe it to you.
Room 10 mq, distance of the speakers from the side and rear walls 30-40 cm, distance between the tweeters of the two speakers 180 cm.
My listening point is at the vertex of an equilateral triangle of 180 cm, in practice there is the same distance between the two tweeters as there is with my ears.
I listen to various music genres except opera and country.
I do long listening sessions for 70% of the time at medium volume and the rest I turn up.
Together with the speakers I will also buy a Nad with Dirac Live.
In your experience, which is the theoretically most suitable model for my situation?
I ask for your expert opinion.
Thank you
I recently got the Evo 4.2 as a replacement for my old B&W 602 s3's which are in terms of format the same kind of 3 ways. Don't regret the purchase, I love them.
Few characteristics.
The Evo has a lot of clarity in the treble but are not as bright as the 602 s3's (which are in the spectrum also not not really as bright as some small modern bookshelves) .
Perhaps I can describe the EVO as more life-like. Ioften have the illusion that a real performance is going on in the room. A horn loaded speaker puts an extra dimension to that experience, but these ones get pretty close.
What I also want to underline is that the Evo's have a great balanced bass. The B&W's were bloated in their lows and while their range was low it didnt reach sub levels and also didn't really "connect" to the lower end frequencies of a sub woofer due to this pumping bass which messed it up for any sub to really smoothly connect. One could conclude it would be great for dance music but I hardly played it because it sounded ugly. The bass was more developed for Rock and Jazz and I often wished I could have equalized the bass out to balance and tinker some other things to make a greater sounding speaker. It just feels like it has more potential. No problems here with the Evo's, they are absolutely perfect in their own signature.
What I only noticed the B&W's did a bit better was how they sounded outside the location they pointed at. With the EVO's you really need to sit in their range to notice the details.With the B&W's you could stand far aside them and still have the room filled. This is not a big deal however :)
Hi! What amp would you recommend for the Evo 4.2? Denon any good for these, since they are more likely to have a more brighter sound as compared to Marantz. I am worried it might be too treble-y. Just can’t decide ...
Nice review. Looking forward to the rest of the group. Having heard both myself I agree with your observations. Preferred Lintons though. They sounded more life like to me. Being an opera singer I'm very used to a real orchestral sound and instrument timbers and Lintons came closer to that sound.
Yeah I can see that for sure Mihael mate thanks
Yes
Just watched a couple of comparisons over the weekend - liked them so much that I am now a subscriber. The raisins idea actually made sense. I'm feeling kind of partial to the Evo 4.2s and may replace my KEF R300's with them - I'm looking for a more non-fatiguing speaker. Speaking of which, how fatiguing/non-fatiguing are the Evo 4.2s after a few hours' listen?
I've had mine for 6 months now, I've got LS50's and a pair of Q Acoustics 3020's too
The LS50 make a better job of TV but the Wharfies are a more neutral speaker....very revealing despite being totally non fatiguing....so they don't suit poor amplification...don't bother if you have class D or an AV amp...neither will let them shine the way a good 100 plus watts of A/B does...they'll work OK but just not quite as they should.
They have more of a dig around in 4ohm than the specs suggest.
They also take forever to run in, 3 months effectively with normal usage.
But, no, no fatigue
@@DomRivers67 thanks Dominic. That's what I was hoping to hear. I'm picking a pair up this weekend. I've got a 76w musical fidelity m2si a/b amp and 130w into 4 oh with lots of current and using in a small 15x10 room. I think I should have enough power. It was plenty for the Kefs.
Friend tell me who is better in tone and in general Acoustic Energy AE500 vs Linton Heritage?
Had I seen your raisin analogy before I bought my Kef Q950, I'd bought the Evo 4.4. The Kef are, for the most part, like the Lintons.
The KEF shouldnt sound like the Linton, they should sound more like the EVO - I would maybe have a think about a few other factors that could be the cause
Wd be interested to know how the Linton stacks up to the Wharfedale EVO 4.4
A very good review, I like your presentation and raisining... I hear that they are both very good speakers. I prefer the EVO's bottom slot port over the Linton's back port, it should make room placement easier...
The Wharfedale Lintons and similar are a much more tradiitional Wharefdale warm sound. The Evo's, like the Elysians, have a AMT tweeter, that makes them a little more lively on the top end, and not really comparable at all to the speakers not using the AMT tweeters. Can't really compare the Diamonds to the Lintons either. Just different speakers.
Your raisin analogy isn't too bada comparison actually. Not ideal, but it's complex to descirbe the way sound works and appears in the air. You've done a great job with this review / comparison
Pair these wharfedale evo 4.2 with tt2+ m scaler and benchmark ahb2, both ahb2 and tt2 in low gain mode and you could have a system which is unbeatable at any price point.
Terry, I love your reviewing style, but I’m going to make this more difficult for you. If you added a sub, like any Rel or a Rel t9i or dual Rel’s or dual Rel t9is to the mix of this review, which speaker would you choose, Lintons or Evo 4.2? Given that both Rel’s or even one would clearly out perform the bass of the Evo 4.4.
If you have not already done so, can you point out what tools you use for your DSP correction or do you sell those tools and could you talk about the procedure, just a little bit. I’m not expecting you to give all of your DSP secrets away because I believe it’s a service that you sell.
Your example of the raisins was actually brilliant and should be used more by others because it takes the guess work out of it because sound is so hard to describe. If you have already covered DSP please point me to that video, thanks as always.
I heard both on demonstration found that the Linton was better with my valve amp but your room is a major factor love the raison analogy though
That is why it’s very important to listen for yourself because it’s impossible for me to predict what others rooms are going to be like because they are all so different. Also valve amplifiers vary so wildly
i think that all is perfect about the wharfedale evo 4.2 but I am a little convinced that the space between the speaker and bottom plate was more an aesthetic choice than sound wise as some suggest. They needed a space to put the name of the speaker and on standmounts it just looks classy.
For sure the Lintons looks MUCH better
Why no sound demo for evo 4.2?
Excellent review Terry, nice to see your channel growing👍
Another great review, well done. How would the EVO 4.2 work as a front stage for a surround system?
Incredible I get so many mixed reviews about the comparison among these two speakers. Crazy... really crazy. Electronics seem to make a LOT of difference.
Mine is the one you should trust as I used Raisins to explain it :)
Also maybe consider subscribing to my channel to help me grow and do more, thanks I really appreciate it.
@@PursuitPerfectSystem I've made drawings and used beans to explain in pictures over messenger to friends what I am referring to, or what I am getting from such and such recording... I completely know where you're coming from. I am dying to see the Raisins diagram from the Fyne speakers compared to the others. I own Fyne, and I feel they are simply stellar, but then I might also be Jaded, lol.
@@PursuitPerfectSystem Subscribed - I really liked your break down. Appreciated.
Good use of raisins but it does goes to show what u mean, thks
Great review Terry. Smart looking speaker and great to see new carbon fibre material used in the tweeter.. will demo these to hear what difference it makes to more traditional tweeters. I recall older ae bookshelf speakers also having Less agility or timing . I wonder if it’s anything to do with the pointed cone ae tend to use in their mid/bass driver
The Lynton's are very much of the old school 'BBC' design (early KEF, Rogers, Graham, Spendor and of course Harbeth) to name but a few, albeit in an updated presentation and are voiced towards a more neutral sound and excel with certain musical genres, such as acoustic/vocals, folk, jazz, most blues, classical even - relaxed you might say. Whereas the Evo's are fast and dynamic across a varied and perhaps more recent genres - you're a bit late to the party though Terry, seems the word is out that these Evo's are a freekin steal (sssh don't tell Wharfedale!) my only quibble is that they are not bookshelf speakers - stand-mounters all day everyday. So, I guess your choice of listening may dictate your preference or you could buy both (ps I am not in the employ or getting any kick-backs from the manufacturers) cough...
Hi Terry, may I trouble you for comparing the Evo 4.2 against Denton 85?
Sorry never listened to Denton to able to say anything about them
Thank you, may I ask if you have compare Evo 4.2 against Elac Unifi reference 6.2 / Ubr62?
@@semino1101 sorry no I haven’t
Ok thanks. I want to select the best of the 3, and Evo4.2, Denton85, Elac Ubr62 all at the same price range. Difficult to decide.
There will unlikely be a best, they will have pros and cons its just which of the cons annoy you the least
Hi Terry great work ! Love watching your videos ! I'm adding EVO 4.C Center Channel along with my EVO 4.2's for watching Movies. What sort of budget AVR or Amp combo to give the descent sound ? Thanks in advance.
What did you end up getting?
Great looking pair of speakers. I have a been a Wharfedale fan for years. Great work on the review Terry!
Interesting analogy with the raisins, which really involves one to listen to both of them to truly know how they sound. I would likely seek the Evo sound over the Linton but don't have the ability to audition them so THANK YOU for your thoughts! Cheers
Newly subscribed your channel. From India (Kerala) You really do great reviews with no non-sense, that's unique when compared to other audio reviews in youtube. You speak about the sound more and less about visual appearance.
Now coming to the point have read that Linton's have a typical laid back characteristic, which is something I prefers. A more neutral presentation with less listening fatigue. Also read Linton has a bigger soundstage compared to Kef s R-3. Wished to buy a medium sized speakers with proper woofer, midrange, tweeter setup, always. And both these qualifies for that. Was seriously eyeing Linton, we have limited opportunity for an audition, leave the option to home test it. So have to rely on reviews heavily. Only serious buyers(while buying) are offered an audition here, India. So will it be a bad idea for a person having laid back preference to go and buy it to be paired with a rega elix-R. It is seen as a lifetime investment. Hoping that you may be able to throw some light.
Also i think the best affordable speakers are : Wharfedale Diamond 11 series , EVO series and Elysian series designed by Peter Comeau. They sound and look like speakers that cost 3 or 4 times more , they are unique and very good built. I HAVE SPOKEN
Excellent review! I would really like to hear your opinion on Elysian 2 and if the big price difference translates into huge sound quality difference.
I had a pair of EVO2-10, and there punched way above their weight class. I don't listen the way I once did, I have a pair of Klipsch R-15M these days, but I do miss those Wharfedales.
The Evo 4.2 seems to be a more modern speaker majoring in detail and clarity, whereas the Linton is more old school trying to give a balanced musical gamut. In any case the Evo seems great value for money.
IMHO the Wharfedales offer more bang per buck than Focal or B&W. I do think Wharfedale are on a roll.
For a nice modern and nostalgia look the Lintons with a nice Luxman or McIntosh Integrated/seperate would be the cat's meow.
Great review....but I'm confused. I thought speakers where supposed to image behind the speaker. Your raisin illustration looked like your sound stage was in front. Please explain....
I don't always buy into that theory - the theory that the speakers are the microphone and everything is then beyond them doesn't make sense to me as most of the time things are close mic'd not far mic'd, when recording however - some speakers do present sound like this in the right environment and it is extremely impressive to listen to but I have only heard it a handful of times and I dont get sound like that in my room. There is also the saying with hifi of getting closer to the music, you cant get closer to it with it being further away from you :) So no BS in my Raisin diagram for how the speakers sounded in my room.
@Pursuit Perfect System where would you put the EVO4.2's compared to the older KEF R300's (basically considered an LS50 with more bass, but also a 3-way bookshelf for those who don't know) in terms of home theater use? Do you think they would be a downgrade/sidegrade/upgrade? Would the air motion tweeter design lend itself to be more or less favorable than the uni-Q driver for strictly home theater use?
Its a different speaker mate so its not a forward backward or sideways step but one in a different direction. The KEF R are really good speakers mate if your looking for better sound maybe work on getting more from them
@@PursuitPerfectSystem yea, I think they're really good as well and currently use a NAD T758v3 receiver with DIRAC Live. I mainly only see reviews talk about music though, and I was interested in how they might be different for home theater performance.
@@snootz I think they would be good but I think other more upfront speakers will be better for HC
I am here just for the raisins ;) good review!
Top review! Thanks. I particularly appreciated your comments about analytical listening around minute 13 but the whole review was chockablock with interesting comments.
What sort of amp do you recommend with these speakers? A warmer sounding amp like a naim or a more neural sounding amp like a Linn? I myself got a older Linn Majik and a Bluesound note 2i with a pair off audio physics. The audio physics are really exiting and fun to listen to but they are quite weak with vocals and midrange. I am looking for some budget speakers with a warm and easy to listen to sound and i think these are exactly what i am looking for, but i was wondering if my Linn Majik is a good combination with the wharfedale's?
The raisin diagram is brilliant. Would the Denton be a :"better"comparison to the Linton and the other speakers on your list? Thanks
:)
Denton are more like for like yes for price which is why the EVO 4.2 stands out as it offers a lot for the money. but I won't know how much until I try all the others
@@PursuitPerfectSystem The raisin diagram should be mandatory for all speakers; kinda like a nutrition label on food packages.
They look interesting. I am coming from a pair of B%W 685 S 2' . And the two speakers are nearly Identical in Specs. THE B&W s, are slightly more extended than the Warfedale. Also they are more efficient at 93 DB. So, what am I gaining? Further , I am listening to the speaker test on the 685's. So, I am not sure what I am listening for? THE B%W are running 43 -25K. DO I replace my B%W's? What would be the definitive factor, that would make me want to switch speakers? THE one thing that got me hooked, are the Air-Motions. I am running Martin Logans on my main system, and I know how amazing those tweeters sound. Thank you for the excellent review.
Never buy speakers based on specs, they mean very little for sound, just useful in some ways for suggesting what amp not to use
Thanks for the thorough review, and the raisins are an effective tool. Cheers!
I’ve a couple of issues;
Due to their size does it make them top heavy on the stands ?
Also would the dedicated wharfdale stands be necessary for their mounting?
Otherwise really like the look of them both with or without grills.
Yes they are potentially top heavy so you want a stand that can be solid and has a large top plate I think ideally. I dont know if you bolt them to the wharfedale stands that might be the safest way if you can - maybe contact them and check.
Great review What are you thoughts on the Evo 4.3? Worth the additional cost?
I havent listened to them sorry but for a bit more bass I am sure it's worth the extra yes
Thank you Terry!!Do you know if the evo's are any good in low volumes listening?
I dont see why not
All of the other Speakers in this Mega Test seem to have been given a separate Sound Demo video yet the EVO 4.2's have not. Is that forth coming?
There will be one yes
Another great review, thanks Terry. So I guess I am going to have to try and home demo both the Evo 4.4 and the Lintons and decide which sound I prefer. Do you know which retailers in the UK would facilitate this? Thanks again
Google it
Excellent review and comparison thanks,,
just one thing, not everyone uses DSP, including me, so how much of the review is actually applicable.
Well consider it like this, this is not me having a pop at anyone but just looking at the alternative - when someone reviews something like speakers they are hearing maybe 50% of their room and about 50% of the speaker - because the room dominates the sound of the speaker in key areas, this is unavoidable and different room sizes and placement the speakers will sound different. This has been the case since the dawn of the first speaker
The reviewer may say well I know my room and I can listen through the room and you can of course, but you are still hearing the rooms effect on the speaker - so their opinion is of the speaker in their room which is a totally different room to yours and you have no idea about the sound they are hearing in their room when they review the speaker. So that review is no more relevant or less than mine for starter except I am ultra transparent and try and show as much as I can because video allows for more than mags and websites.
I don't take that approach I do my best to take my room out of the equation as much as possible to try and just hear the speaker - this is impossible but I try - this is how I want to listen anyway. So DSP helps to undo the negatives of my room on how the speakers should sound so I would argue I am hearing more of them as an overall speaker rather than less from using dsp - that is my take on it and I am happy for others to have a different view of course.
Are my reviews more or less relevant that is up to you to decide but when you take into account the true full picture I dont think so.
I also record the sound of my review system and make a video demonstrating this sound to give you the best idea I can of the sound quality I am referring to in the review, to give you the most context I can for the review overall. I cant do anymore right now, if I could I would - review, demo, graphs what else is there :)
@@PursuitPerfectSystem yhea, never thought of it like that, I suppose every review of every speaker, or other piece of kit for that matter, is influenced by its surroundings like you say, I like the reviews on UA-cam, but suppose if you take them as gospel and expect exactly what's been described to take place in your personal space, you maybe in for a suprise,,
Anyway thanks for going the extra mile, I'll put my sub in,👍
@@paulwibb.8944 yes its a negative of the subjective nature of the beast but if your aware of it you can spot things like reviewers listening spaces and when you know a little about how that space sounds you can guestimate what the room is doing to how the system sound I.e a lively room will emphasise treble and bass and make mid range sound more reverberant
It also me making people aware of the importance of room acoustics and frequency responses that often audiophiles dont even think about
@@PursuitPerfectSystem yes I know first hand of how people ignore the room, trying to convince someone their not getting the best out of there equipment or space is no easy task I suppose, not always easy though depending on lifestyle.
Hi, im interested on the evo 4.2 or the elac dbr62. Wondering if i can ask a couple of questions
Do you think the evos will pair well with the ps audio sprout 100?
If you have heard the elacs and how they perform against the evo. I know its not in the same price range but if the price is not a factor, which would be a better buy?
Thanks.
I'm torn between the 4.1's and 4.2's. I'm thinking for an extra £150 it's a no brainer.
Saying that, a chap on a different vid commented that he heard the two together and said the 4.1s sounded clearer. So he went with the 2 ways. I think a trip to richer sounds might be the best bet (when they're open!)
I used to own a pair of Tannoy Kensington GRs and I missed the sound of it on my vinyls. I would like to ask that which one would be more close to the warm sound of the Tannoy speakers? I had Revel Salon 2s on my system for complex music already. So I'm now looking for easy driving speakers that focus on the vocal , Wharfedale Evo 4.2 or Linton Heritage would be the sound signature I'm looking for?
Hello Terry. ¿Do you think that the Denon PMA600NE would be a good choice for my Evo 4.2? ¡Thank you so much!
Awesome review, and is something I'm going through at the moment, and I'm err-ing to the side of the Lintons. One question is, while I appreciate there isn't a matching centre for the Linton's, what centre would you pair with them? I thought a Diamond 11.CS as it has the same driver material etc, but I've been recommended by certain shops to just go for the 12.C. It's not ideal, but unfortunately I can only have one system! What do you think? Thank you
Excellent video and comparison!If you like you can test the new Mission LX-3 MΚII 350 euros.Mission is sister company (IAG) with wharfedale and this new speaker was designed by Peter Comeau who i think also design the wrfs 225s!!
I just ran across your channel and you do really well, im diggin it. So do you prefer the klipsch over the bowers 606? I love the look of both.
Which of thw two would be best suited to music from the 60's to the 80's that may not be the best recorded? Anyone?
The Evo 4.2 does a great job in this. Source: own experience and another review comparing them to the Kef ls50 meta. I only noticed one thing. Radio broadcast with those multiband compressors and limiters on top get really exposed for pushing dynamics in the mids away. Not disturbing but more noticable than with my old B&W's.
Thanks great review and i would like to know which amp i should buy to pair with them,my choices are nad c338 and rotel a12
i learnt the importance when i got my wharfdale evo 4.2 speakers it sounded terrible on my desk which is big and made of plywood i kinda knew this would happen so i put them ontop of my old speakers since i blew the woofers when family annoyed me but anyways tannoy Mercury m20 speakers are a great height for the wharfdales still sounded muddy close to the wall moved it bit by bit till it was about a 1 m away the midbass evened out and lower tones really came to life for anyone who uses wharfdale evo 4.2 speakers i would remove the black foot piece of wood so ur left with the speaker box the plinth at the bottom doesn't sound good with the down firing port i assume this is because the plinth allows for bass to come from the sides and not the fromt or back it brings the speakers into an audiophile happiness for me
I've actually just had my first pair wharfefale speakers now just over a year, I have the D330 floor standers, it took few weeks for them to warm in when they did was mighty impressed, I'd love to try get the Linton's
Hello John, so did you get the linton's? How were they? Overall are they just furniture or the quality speakers? Thank you for feedback.
@@darenbenovsky3680 not as yet unfortunately bud, been trying to get a job for well over a year now, hopefully things will look up better now
@@johnkeenan9495 well these are trying times for us, anyway hope you'll get the well-paid job. Need your advice concerning the speakers, any chance to get your link of facebook or whatsapp?
@@darenbenovsky3680 john keenan(ragnaar) on face book
@@darenbenovsky3680 sorry never got back to you sooner than I envisioned, Face book John Keenan (ragnaar) or to my email address johnkeenan13@yahoo.com
Would be Great to hear your opinion on Evo 4.1 aswell... i have those. But thinking about 4.2 or lintons.
Thanks, great interesting review. We want more raisins! I would like to know : if your only parameter was the emotional aspect, wich speaker would you chose?
I like your raison d’etre (!) for using a visual aid to describe the different sound presentation between speakers, by means of comparison.
Overlaid comparive frequency response plots between speakers is the only other visual method I can think of, that could give some idea of the differences. I am looking forward to your upcoming speaker reviews.
Terry I am choosing between Denton 85th Anniversary edition and Evo 4.2. Some friends if mine told me that EVO has a very strong bass and not good for my room which is only 20 Sqm. They say that the bass will dominate and this the only reason that I dont like to buy the evo and go for Denton 85th instead. Need your comment sir. Thank you.(I watch your review on EVo for like 3 times already and I think is good )
Hi Danny
Sorry 20m2 I am uncertain what that means for dimensions - the bass out of the 4.2 is not massive - I haven't heard the Denton know what they are like in comparison sorry man
@@PursuitPerfectSystem my room is 4 meters by 5 meters. Choosing between Wharfedale Denton 85th Anniversary edition and Wharfedale Evo. 4.2. Can my room size accommodate the bass of Evo? Just sold my b&w607 because I like to upgrade to B&w 606 ANNIVERSARY edition. But changed my plan when I heard your reviews. My old b&w607 is bright for me (maybe because of my amplifier) and I have no idea how the B&W606 ANNIVERSARY edition sounds, have you listened to the new B&W?
@@PursuitPerfectSystem by the way I also like the raisins analogy. it's cool way of describing the sound presentation. Thanks for the good review
Je possède c'est fameuses wharfedale Evo 4.2 depuis 2ans et gens suis entièrement satisfait elles ont une qualité sonore incroyable
I'm hoping we get a sound demo video for the Wharfedale EVOs as well. Another request would be a dedicated playlist for just sound demos.
Interesting thing about sound diagram comparing Lintons VS Evo 4.4. But I feel the opposite. But my Lintons were modified(resistors, capacitors, solder but no change in nominals)
And... I assume that there is bareky any reason to buy 4.2+stands instead of 4.3 - same space, not much of price difference. Or am I wrong?
Big wide box speakers are generally not about trying to give you the pin point imaging os a slimmer speaker - that is what I was showing. This was years ago I dont remember any more than that sorry
Sound demo, please Terry. I'm sure it would confirm and bare out your conclusions. Thanks
There will be one coming but I have had an issue which has put that video back somewhat, but there will be one
The reason behind your raison analogy is truly the Raison d'etre Terry.
Haha :)
Evo 4.2s should pair up with the Audiolab 6000a/7000a...I guess. Any other amp better?