Wharfedale EVO4.2 bookshelf speaker review

Clipdat
Clipdat Posts: 12,933
edited June 2020 in Speakers
My review of the Wharfedale EVO4.2 speakers is up! https://theaudiobeatnik.com/review-wharfedale-evo4-2-bookshelf-speakers/

These may be my favorite pair of speakers I've had in my room, in terms of their overall performance. They have a well-rounded presentation that I really enjoyed. Music "just sounds good" on them and that aspect is what keeps you listening and engaged for an extended amount of time.

I can't emphasize enough the value that they bring, at $1k/pair, or when they were on sale for $900/pair a month ago. Definitely give the EVO4 series a listen if you are adverse to bright/hot treble and enjoy listening for hours and hours long.
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Comments

  • halo
    halo Posts: 5,616
    Great review Drew! Thanks for sharing :smile:
    Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
    HT: Samsung QN90B * Marantz NR1510 * Panasonic DMP-BDT220 * Roku Ultra LT * APC H10
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,933
    edited June 2020
    A sincere thank you to Wharfedale USA for sharing my review on their FB page!

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  • tophatjohnny
    tophatjohnny Posts: 4,182
    Indeed another great review Drew. Not into bookshelf speakers but if I were I'd give those a shot.
    Thanks for sharing.
    "if it's not fun, it's not worth it & remember folks, "It's All About The Music"!!
    *****************************
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  • Mike Reeter
    Mike Reeter Posts: 4,315
    edited June 2020
    Thanks for another Great Review Drew! Envious of your ability to acquire such fun stuff to play with :D The EVO4.2's sound like a very good speaker, especially at the price point. I would imagine they are a good seller for Wharfedale as well.

    Wharfedale seems to be producing some very good quality speakers at affordable pricing, their EVO4.4 Floor Standers also receive positive reviews from owners.

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    I've been tempted to try a pair of the Linton Heritage. I love the "look" of the old school British Monitors, plus they seem to be a real bargain at the selling price. Haven't read one bad review on them yet.

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  • Mike Reeter
    Mike Reeter Posts: 4,315
    edited June 2020
    ...
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,933
    Wow! Music Direct featured an excerpt from my review on their product page for the EVO4.2!

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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    That is great. Congratulations.
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,933
    Thanks Bud!
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  • BlueBirdMusic
    BlueBirdMusic Posts: 2,267
    It is nicely written, Drew.

    Harry
    "Sometimes you have to look to the past to understand where you are going in the future"




    Harry / Marietta GA
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  • mlistens03
    mlistens03 Posts: 2,767
    Excellent review Drew! Now I wanna buy some Wharefdales! ;)
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  • maxward
    maxward Posts: 1,573
    Congrats, Drew. I just checked out MusicDirect.
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,933
    Ok, how cool is this?! When you Google "Wharfedale Evo4.2 review", my review is the featured result at the very top! Awesome!

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  • Nightfall
    Nightfall Posts: 10,086
    edited August 2020
    I mean no disrespect by posting this here I just didn't want to start another thread. If you find it in bad taste @Clipdat I'll be happy to edit it out or have a mod delete it if it's been too long.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJRXjtfE5FA
    afterburnt wrote: »
    They didn't speak a word of English, they were from South Carolina.

    Village Idiot of Club Polk
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,933
    I think it was a pretty good review! He picked up on many of the same things that I did about their performance.
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  • Milito
    Milito Posts: 1,958
    Nice review Drew.
    Yamaha RX-A2070, Musical Fidelity M6si integrated amp, Benchmark Dac1, Bluesound NODE 2i, Audiolab 6000CDT CD Transport, Parasound Zphono USB Phono Preamp, Fluance RT85, Ortofon 2M Bronze, Polk L600's, L400, L900's, RC80i's, SVS 3000 Micro, Audioquest Interconnects and Digital Cables, Nordost Silver Shadow Digital Cable, Cullen Gold and Crossover Series Power Cables, Douglas Connection Alpha 12AWG OCC Speaker Cables, Douglas Connection Alpha Analog Interconnect Cables, Douglas Connection Alpha 11 OCC Custom Power Cable, Signal Power Cable, Furman PL-8C 15 Power Conditioner, Sony 65" 900F, Sony UBP-X700, Fios, Apple TV 4K, Audioquest Chocolate HDMI Cables.
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  • halo
    halo Posts: 5,616
    I purchased a pair of these Wharfedale EVO 4.2 speakers in the middle of October 2020 and it’s now the beginning of February 2021so I’ve had some time with them. These are phenomenal speakers. I can easily say that I believe they best the Polk L200 speakers that I heard through the demo program here. I cannot get over what an outstanding value these are at $1k (Luckily, I found a demo pair at Music Direct for quite a bit less in the Walnut finish). Great review Drew! It kept these speakers on the back burner as I wanted to try them against the Triangle Borea BR03. No contest. The EVO 4.2 were immediately and noticeably the better of the two for me. Of course, the Wharfedale speakers were more $ than I wanted to spend but I don’t regret it at all. I guess you have to pay to play. lol.
    Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
    HT: Samsung QN90B * Marantz NR1510 * Panasonic DMP-BDT220 * Roku Ultra LT * APC H10
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  • Mike Reeter
    Mike Reeter Posts: 4,315
    halo wrote: »
    I purchased a pair of these Wharfedale EVO 4.2 speakers in the middle of October 2020 and it’s now the beginning of February 2021so I’ve had some time with them. These are phenomenal speakers. I can easily say that I believe they best the Polk L200 speakers that I heard through the demo program here. I cannot get over what an outstanding value these are at $1k (Luckily, I found a demo pair at Music Direct for quite a bit less in the Walnut finish). Great review Drew! It kept these speakers on the back burner as I wanted to try them against the Triangle Borea BR03. No contest. The EVO 4.2 were immediately and noticeably the better of the two for me. Of course, the Wharfedale speakers were more $ than I wanted to spend but I don’t regret it at all. I guess you have to pay to play. lol.

    To better the BRO3 and the L200's, at the price of admission, is saying something.

    Congrats on the EVO 4.2 Victor!

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  • Dr_Wu
    Dr_Wu Posts: 335
    Risking only the $20 return shipping charge, I bought a pair of the EVO 4.3 speakers in October. They are the small-form floorstanders (35" high, with integral spikes), and have a second woofer, compared to the 4.2s. I found everything described in this review and others to be true. The soundstage is great, if perhaps not quite as dramatic as SDA. Where the EVOs assert a distinct advantage is in detail and clarity. I daresay the Wharfedales have pushed my CRS+ 4.1TLs to the sidelines.
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  • erniejade
    erniejade Posts: 6,321
    Congrats @halo and @Dr_Wu
    They look like an incredible value.
    Klipsch The Nines, Audioquest Thunderbird Interconnect, Innuos Zen MK3 W4S recovery, Revolution Audio Labs USB & Ethernet, Border Patrol SE-I, Audioquest Niagara 5000 & Thunder, Cullen Crossover II PC's.
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,933
    Gorgeous! Got any photos of them set up? Glad to hear that the towers also have impressive soundstaging.
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  • Dr_Wu
    Dr_Wu Posts: 335
    Here they are in my little listening room.f372ganup73i.jpg
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  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,146
    I don't know how I missed this thread. :s

    Great review Drew!
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,933
    Boom, son! You best RECOGNIZE.

    All about that dedicated dome midrange driver! B)
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  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,933
    Bump!
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    These are on sale again bringing them from $1,200 down to their original MSRP of $999, so I just ordered a pair in walnut from Crutchfield.

    Looking forward to writing a Zero Fidelity style "after the hype" review after I get a chance to become reacquainted with these.

    I believe the only difference this time around is that this pair won't be broken in already when I listen to them, and at some point Wharfedale switched from a metal phase plug to a plastic one.


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