Wharfedale EVO 4.4

Let's take a quick look at the history behind this name, which is almost unpronounceable for the Latin world: Wharfedale. Mr. Gilbert Briggs built his first loudspeaker in the basement of his home in Ilkley, Yorkshire, located in the valley of the River Wharfe, an area known today as Wharfedale. There you have it. But there are more interesting things to mention; the name of the company would not be suspicious at all if it had been founded today, but we have to admit that in 1933, calling yourself Wharfedale Wireless Works was quite something.

It currently belongs to the International Audio Group, which also owns other legendary brands in the sector such as Audiolab, Mission, Leak, Castle, Quad, and... Luxman.

Having made this brief introduction, I would like to mention that sometimes the stars align and you get something truly special. This has been the case here; although we will be discussing the EVO 4.4 speakers in this article, the magic and synergy between the components I have enjoyed in my home, with the iFi Audio Zen One Signature and my Wazoo XL integrated amplifier, has been superlative. On more than one occasion, I have changed components in my music system to get the most out of each product reviewed, but in this case, it wasn't necessary at all. From the very first second, it was clear to me that this worked like a charm and that, therefore, nothing needed to be changed.

Following in the footsteps of other major brands, where their flagship product features the most cutting-edge technology and lower-end models subsequently acquire parts of it, this was no exception. That's why the EVO 4.4 is a more economical version of the ELISYAN, although it incorporates many of its innovations. Above all, those that have a positive effect on the sound, although not so much on the aesthetics; a way of reducing costs and delivering a high-end product at a reasonable price.

The model that arrived at my home is off-white in color, with an elegant, very stylish finish. In the new device test, my wife gave it her seal of approval. And the truth is that it looks different in photos. It is smaller than it appears in photos and, at the same time, gives the impression of being larger. What I am saying is a little confusing, but it is the truth. And I am talking about the speakers without sound; when you turn them on, you won't believe your ears.

Among its main features, it is a three-way speaker with a crossover filter at 1.4 KHz and 4.6 KHz. It has an AMT (Air Motion Transformer) ribbon tweeter. This is not a very common solution nowadays, in fact, it is quite rare. Kevlar in the bass and a sensitivity of 89 db. All this is mounted in a bass-reflex structure. With a maximum power of 200 W.

Associated equipment:

» iFi Audio Zen One Signature, connected in balanced mode via DIN 4.4 mm.
» Bow Technologies Wazoo XL.
» Roon Labs on dedicated PC.
» Wharfedale EVO 4.4
» Taga Platinum (cables)
» Custom rack

Everyone knows that fine-tuning components is vital to analyzing them correctly. And everyone knows that most of us who analyze components don't do it. Well, in my case, I do, because I tend to take advantage of distributors and manufacturers and keep the items they lend me for analysis longer than normal.

I spent a long time listening to them, just as I installed them the first time, without moving them a millimeter. Being a perfectionist, this speaks highly of the sound dispersion of the EVO 4.4. I didn't have the obsessive need to adjust the angle of the speakers to the right place because they sounded good. And my eyes told me that I had to move them a few degrees. In the end, I did, although I was left with a clear idea of the magnificent spatial design of these speakers, without having to place them in their exact sweet spot. Without a doubt, this flexibility is crucial when deciding on one model or another for non-dedicated rooms.

The sound they produce, their personal signature, is clear and defined. I will try to convey how a particular track sounds without boring you, as a clear example.

Jennifer Warnes has a song that is superlative and extraordinary for testing the sound of anything. It's called "Way Down Deep." It's excellently recorded and features separate instruments, vocals, and a slow rhythm marked by low percussion that runs through everything until it reaches the bottom of the earth. What a crazy song, really. Listen to it! Even if it's on your phone, just to get to know it.

Well, it starts with a few brush strokes on the drums, followed by the bass drum. This sets the tempo and the depth of the composition. With the brushes playing in the room, we have a clear idea of the mental framework within which the sound scene will move until the bass drum bursts in and blows everything away. At a relatively low volume, it's as powerful as a punch in the face. But at the same time fast, very fast. Obviously, the room helps, but it doesn't help it do its job; the amplifier and speakers do the work, the room doesn't detract from it.

The natural sound is provided by the ribbon tweeter, which undoubtedly does much of its work in the range "that we hear, not our pets." You don't get the feeling that you're listening to a conventional tweeter, but rather a very, very high-frequency transducer. And as you can imagine and take for granted, this translates into a beauty and presence in Jennifer's voice that transports you to classical music recordings, even when you're listening to a melodic song. The pitch of Jennifer's voice is slightly higher than I think the song deserves. In any case, it's her voice, and the Wharfedale EVO 4.4 perfectly captures its tone. As an added curiosity, the song was written by... everyone take a bow, Leonard Cohen.

From what I have said so far, I want to make one thing very clear: when we talk about whether a speaker fits in a room, we are not referring to the physical size of the speaker itself, but to the sound and the amount of air it is capable of moving. It is clear that the EVO 4.4 moves a lot of air and generates such a large sound wave in its relatively small enclosure that it makes you think of professional sound and everything. The model reviewed "fits" in a 30-square-meter room and could easily be used in a larger one.

Initially, I talked about the synergy between components in this article. And now I'm going to bring out the less brilliant part of this fact. When, by chance in this case, you put together a winning combination like the one described above in the Associated Equipment section, the music suffers. Well, not exactly the music, but the recordings. The good and the bad. As I always like to be positive, here are two more tracks to put your systems through their paces: Jeff Buckley, "Hallelujah," Tuck & Patti, "High Heel Blues." If your neighbors hate you for playing this music at full volume, remind them that you read it in a competitor's publication...

Final conclusions

The Wharfedale EVO 4.4 are great speakers for large rooms. For smaller rooms, it is better to opt for the EVO 4.2 to EVO 4.3 versions. The ability to create atmosphere and depth of stage with an almost unlimited capacity to move air in the room is remarkable. Its AMT tweeter option places it almost as an outsider in the market, although with a personality of its own that can only be achieved when one is very sure of oneself. This choice gives a superior and smoother presence in the mid/high and high/low ranges, eliminating sound edges and creating a more natural sense of reality.

I liked them for their sound and for being something different. With the current trend of doing everything the same and following "the market pattern," we are losing diversity along the way, which is a shame. From now on, I will be keeping a close eye on them.

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