Why the Wharfedale AURA 2 Will Blow Your Mind

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[@petercomeau2190]

From the designer! Thank you, Erin, for such a wonderful review and it's great that your measurements not only align with mine but also go some way to revealing why the Aura 2 is such a well balanced speaker. You correctly surmised that the treble lift, on-axis, is there to provide a smooth power response in-room. This makes sure that the harmonic overtones of instruments and voices are correctly balanced with the fundamentals - the output of any AMT or ribbon treble unit reduces in the vertical direction off-axis and it is the power response, not the on-axis frequency response, that we hear as defining the tonal character. I doubt, however, that the 'kick' at 13kHz is responsible for any hint of sharpness you may have noticed on some recordings. Play a pure tone at 13kHz at normal listening levels and it is hardly audible. In my experience, treble sharpness, stridency or excess sibilance in speakers largely occurs because of something happening in the 1 - 5kHz region. It is difficult for the hi-fi designer to cater for less-than-perfect recordings. A lot of recordings contain a lift in the 1 - 3kHz region to boost 'presence' and this often results in recordings sounding over-bright or sharp. Usually, for hi-fi speakers, a slight depression in this area is necessary to make the balance more palatable for a wide variety of recordings. This also explains why studio monitor speakers, which are more likely to deliver a flat power response overall, are not generally liked by hi-fi listeners but considered too 'bright' or 'revealing'. You are also right in pointing out the balance of bass to midrange is set to take account of reinforcement from the in-room boost at low frequencies. I have seen that most hi-fi users prefer to place speakers relatively close to the front wall and it makes sense to accommodate this to avoid an over-heavy or boomy bass. As you found, the Aura 2 delivers full bodied bass output down to 40Hz and below thanks, largely, to the Slot Loaded Profile Port (SLPP) system that we, at Wharfedale, developed from an idea from Gilbert Briggs the founder of Wharfedale. The SLPP system provides better integration of bass with room acoustics, resulting in higher efficiency of the port system at very low frequencies. It is easy to adjust the distance from the wall behind the speakers to achieve the balance of bass to midrange that the listener likes. Finally I was interested to hear about the Van Halen track you used when listening. Personally I'd love to know more about how you reacted to listening to different styles and genre of music through the Auras as your subjective opinion, I think, makes a nice balance with the measurements and indicates more about how listeners will experience using these speakers in their own homes.

[@rickg8015]

Wow, Peter in the house.. Mad respect, Sir..🫡

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

Thanks for taking the time to reply, Mr. Comeau! I very much appreciate your insights and constructive feedback. I look forward to reviewing more of your designs as it seems I’m fond of all the ones I’ve heard thus far. Cheers!

[@JoseFerreira-zb7wh]

Nice that you could take the time to give some feedback on this. This sort of interaction is great!

[@JoseFerreira-zb7wh]

@@ErinsAudioCorner hope you review the elysian 2! After watching this, i was curious! One thing to mention is because there aren't many 3 way speaker designs out there with this size it's hard to find good stands with the correct height to use with these. (are more even so with the elysians) One is more or less limited to the ones from wharfedale themselves which add to the overall cost significantly. Any suggestions on alternative (good) stands to use with these? Keep it up man! 😀 PS - I agree with Mr. Comeau that the subjective parts of your reviews are also very important and maybe they should take more time of the overall reviews. Trying them in different contexts with different styles of music would be nice.

[@jedi-mic]

hi A couple of questions, have you thought about making a crossover just using inductors and resistance and what's your feeling on this? I've got I think it's a Linton from the mid 70s the 12 inch Bass Driver, three way, in good storage condition for 30 years. I was wondering about crossovers is there a better crossover available for it ,and should I change out the tweeters and the mid range? I thought about a Volt mid range the three inch Dome what do you think about that? And a seas tweeter? What do you think about using one of these ribbon tweeters instead be a better choice? Is there any bracing diagram placement I should put in the cabinet I'm assuming this will help? I was going to add an extra dampened baffle over the original so it's level front. I was going to go with plaster of Paris and PVA glue Mix one of the best dampening materials you can get. Over an isolation dampening sheet of Marmoleum and probably use inside in strategic places as some resonant dampening to the cabinet, stuck on with a water based bitumen substitute from Wickes. Or should I just keep it original? maybe just change the crossover for slightly different values and maybe the type of capacitor and inductors used? I think it's important to use electrolytic in the crossover this always gets rubbished and it's an important part to the sound but of course in the right places generally in parallel I think, to clear that up would be good! I was going to go with carbon film resistors Vishay 2 Watts and stack them in three two parallel one in series to give me a better wattage handling, your input would be greatly appreciated! thanks! I was thinking about a Mark audio as well one of his 4 inch single drivers as the mid range, they've been getting some hype! That might work quite well as a mid range not sure which one would be the best tho. A bit of topic here I was wondering what you think is the best pre-amp to use with the Wharfedale pro CPD 1600W Poweramp x2 bridged monoblocks I was thinking of a valve amp but got to keep the cost down no more than a thousand and probably less than that. You can drive the Poweramp at 9.3 volts so if you could have a preamp with very high output maybe 6-8 ppv should work nicely I would have thought.

[@maxialp]

Let's please have a Evo 4.2's review too Erin, best regards. Keep up the work brother ✌💪

[@krishnagupta6323]

Yes please, 4.2 or 4.4 The one that Amir did on 4.1 does not correlate well with other 3 way speakers in the lineup

[@giolabs]

+1 to Evo 4.2 review

[@jjones5193]

Still very happy with my 4.4 +4.2+center setup

[@dan-qe1tb]

I just got them and had put them in the dining room. Bass is robust for one six inch woofer. I sit much closer to them than I do with my towers (5 or 6 ft). They are also close to the wall (one foot). I just put them with a sealed sub (hopefully evening out the bass, by pushing it forward in the room). I will be doing room EQ again once I get new cables. Sub mucks up the midrange if it's playing too loud because it's producing output up to double or triple what it's crossed over at. Signature of the Auras isn't as lively as it is with my Martin Logan Motions. Resolution was a bit better with the Elysians I had heard at a show (but, for a lot more money), but I've been enjoying the music so much, that I don't feel like I'm missing out. Auras have a more enveloping soundstage than my towers do. Dynamics are slightly worse (though my towers are almost at a Zu/Klipsch level). Timbre is more natural with the Auras. I hadn't noticed the tweeter dispersion problem with the Auras, because I rarely sit outside of the angles provided. I deal with this problem by listening to a bigger speakers in a bigger room from far away.

[@markscreename]

I'd love to see a review of their EVO4.2 which has a very similar design but uses a dome midrange. At $1,199 the appear to be a fantastic value given the measurements of Wharfedale's other speakers!

[@avnut5517]

What an Over The Top review 😁 Thank you for the detailed testing!

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

A man who knows his movies!

[@TriAmpHiFi]

Good one. Full credit.

[@djoleradosavljevic2580]

Wharfedale is really pushing it on all price points. IAG in general doing great work. Would love to see the cheaper EVO line reviewed 4.2 or 4.3. Great stuff as always Erin!

[@Osuna..]

Yo tengo los evo 4.3 y un Marantz 40n, y suenan espectaculares.

[@apb1236]

Just purchased these with a 20% discount (happening on the wharfedaleUSA website as of this writing). Pretty thrilled with the sound and quality. Using them on the beautiful stands in my home office and have zero fault with them. Lovely walnut cabinetry and the 6.5” woofers with the bass ports are more than enough to enjoy. Add a sub if you need more but don’t think these are really aimed at that type of heavy-bass listening. Near perfect blend of style and sound for me.

[@roccobruno8027]

It's really nice to see a 3-way "bookshelf" as they should in effect be able to avoid many of the 2-way issues.

[@willbrink]

Seems like a brand that takes its design and engineering seriously while offering great value, which is rare these days! Those cost less then my ATC SCM 19s that are 2 ways that need a sub for full range sound.

[@gaurd3]

Even when a speaker doesn’t NEED a subwoofer, it needs a subwoofer. The subtle energy a quality subwoofer provides to a room on most songs is worth one.

[@Nick_2i]

For sure, but there is something to be said for having a speaker that lets you have a good time while you save up for a sub or two.

[@Antidoxy]

It's the other way around too. Had a subwoofer for a while until I bought good bookshelf speakers and the sub sounds more precise.

[@davidthom7127]

🤣

[@zenboy2000]

Great review, I'm glad to hear that the Aura 2 has overcome the issue with a small optimal listening position that the Evo 4.2 had.

[@cogitoergosunt560]

Fantastic video Erin as always, it will be very interesting to see you re opinion about the evo 4.2 or 4.3 as being a lot cheaper and they are also 3 way with amt tweeter

[@Revenant_Knight]

Erin thanks for testing these. I've had my eye on them for a while now. Do you think you can eventually compare them to the EVO 4.2?

[@masterchef6694]

I think the aura may be clearly better in the high & low frequencies as compared to evo 4.2 since it is a more expensive and a bigger speaker. Mid range is where I am not sure, someone has to compare them in a A B testing

[@vintageflanker7096]

Thanks for the review, Erin ! Considering the High End look and finish along with a somewhat fair price (1999€), this is quite a surprising result ! 🙂 Excellent low end extension for a non-floorstander. I wonder how big of a deal is the very narrow directivity in higher frequencies, tho.

[@loudandclearmedia]

Great review, as always, Erin. As you were speaking your intro about stand mount three ways being so unusual, I couldn't help but think of the KEF R3 Meta, which I believe you tested pretty recently, and is even at a very competitive price point to the Aura. Could you give us a quick opinion on those two products compared, or even to the much more expensive Reference 1 Meta? Thanks for all you do, brother! 🍻

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

I initially had a comparison in this video, but I edited it out and will make it into a separate comparison video that I will probably release sometime next week. 👍

[@loudandclearmedia]

​@@ErinsAudioCorner Awesome! There is zero chance the Aura and R3 Meta won't be cross shopped by a ton of people so that will be very useful to that end I think. Blessings!

[@JoseFerreira-zb7wh]

The reference 1 makes more Sense to BE compared with The elysian 2.

[@user-dh7lt4we2t]

The Elysian 4 sounds fantastic! Good to see AURA 2 also is a great one.

[@jameskirk796]

Thanks for another great review as always Erin! 👍

[@kingtubby999]

Another class review, the only audio reviewer I like. This or the kef r3 meta?

[@Nick_2i]

Between this and the Linton, I have high hopes for their other speakers. I would love to hear your thoughts on these vs the R3 Meta or the Philharmonic BMR.

[@baruchdor]

i will love to hear your thoughts on these vs the r3 as well erin

[@ChicagoRob2]

Great review, which also shows how good the Ascend Acoustics is for $1000 less.

[@kobush18]

Excellent review as usual 👍 This British manufacturer is underated big time. They offer some of the best value for money. my opinion you can't go wrong buying wharfdale, pleasing for the ears as well to the eyes, great finish and sound.

[@eriklarsson3188]

The English have always produced excellent hi-fi equipment, I'm not surprised these Wharfedale sounds good. They're also 'decent' when it comes to producing music/bands etc.

[@mattholland315]

Another great review Erin. The next model up uses smaller woofers so will be an interesting comparison. Model after that reverts to the 6.5”.

[@GPintoFerrao]

I have a pair in a gloss piano black. The great built quality and sound provided make them the most interesting "bookshelves" loudspeakers that market offers till now at least at this price point or even more

[@pjcdm]

I bought the evo 4.2. I'm delighted with them. I have them with a sub. My room is a 36ft x 12ft enclosed patio with one side of a brick wall and others sides with 1/2 openings (essentially allowing waves to escape). Ceiling is foam+ metal sheet on an angle. I've got the cheap smsl a300. Don't like the "linear" remote. Speakers are 9ft apart, away from the wall, and I'm in one end of the narrow space sitting 9 ft away.

[@lukeselker5175]

Very impressive performance! They might not always be reference level speakers, but wharfdale usually voices their speakers pretty well, fairly neutral most of the time .Doesn't hurt that they're beautiful to look at.

[@jgsabato]

Great review. Looks like Wharfdale has another winner here. Being a basshead, I would probably add something like a Rhythmik Servo controlled sub to complete the low end and give that small midwoofer a break. This maybe considered a minitower today, but thinking about " bookshelf" speakers from my early days in audio, when bookshelf speakers had 8",10" and 12" woofers, this falls solidly in that camp. You can keep the glossy walnut, but in black or white, that finish looks great. Happy New Year Erin, take a break today. You have really been churning out reviews lately. You sure you have a day job?

[@34332]

Nice to see your enthusiasm! Can't wait for your review re. the rest of the line-up. Btw, in the EU these are 1999,- euro's, which makes it even a better deal. Kudo's to Peter Comeau 👌

[@dudemanismadcool]

In Australia they retail for $4500 AUD, which is equivalent to 3266 euro as of writing. Small market woes, I suppose.

[@34332]

@@dudemanismadcool Lol. If I'm not mistaken there are already very good local Australian speaker brands which, most likely, perform better at a much lower pricepoint. Maybe it's for a niche market, but I can't see anyone paying 4500 AUD, when one can get a pair of Richter speakers (for example).

[@dudemanismadcool]

@@34332 Thanks for the suggestion. Alas I am sure measurements of these speakers are probably non-existent and the same would go for all Australian brands.

[@NosEL34]

Great review...great speaker. I would've never known or thought it without this review. 👍

[@psyphonyxaudio]

I realized a while back .. you dropped your intro. Im sorta happy to see that trend ( intros going away ) in this media platform. Really nice response on these.

[@CC-xu2yz]

Yep. Takes too long to get into it.

[@MartinClemance-nh9qf]

Thanks Erin. I have the Evo 4.2 and enjoy them. One thing i find I can do with them is push them right up against the back wall. Be interesting to know if you tried something similar with the Aura

[@MrSplit57]

I don’t think that is apropriate positioning! I keep my Evo4.2 with toe-in less than 10 degrees, just to avoid first reflections from the walls.

[@markmeridian3360]

Looking forward to your test of the Elysian. Hopefully you can do the Elysian 4.

[@davids2214]

Great review! Would love to see how it stacks up to the similarly priced other new IAG design the Quad Revela. Ribbon vs AMT etc

[@peterlarkin762]

Evo 4.3 owner here - they also have a nice linear frequency response and were designed by Peter Comeau. For me they are hard to beat... Neutral, with great ability to separate details and define them without sounding harsh. Bottom and lower mids warmish but never sluggish sounding. They can play bad recordings to some degree of enjoyment (compared to many others). Always sound composed throughout the spectrum. They do have a very slightly laid back Wharfedale house sound (less midrange attack than others) but I enjoy that characteristic as my ears get older:)

[@AbsoluteFidelity]

Crazy good for its price. Loved it when I heard them, and I liked the how the Aura 2 sounded more than the Elysian 2. When I heard the Aura 4, it was a big step up from the 2. These Auras gave me the impression of a very midcentric speaker, like most Wharfedales, wonder whats in the data that could indicate this. Maybe the slightly higher levels in the mids?

[@mattholland315]

This was my impression of the Buchardt S400 mkII. Great bass and treble, but because they are very linear the overriding impression is of midrange accuracy and tonal realism. It’s how speakers should be in my opinion

[@AbsoluteFidelity]

@@mattholland315 I dont get the midcentric impression when I hear other linear speakers like Genelec The Ones or Neumann KH. The midcentric-ness of the Auras is very noticeable and it is one aspect that I love about them.

[@RennieAsh]

​@@AbsoluteFidelityslightly higher mid level, and narrowing dispersion in the treble

[@unprofessionality]

Would love to see an Elysian review someday!

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

Me, too.

[@unprofessionality]

@@ErinsAudioCorner I have the Evo 4.4's and the big center channel in walnut for our home theater and they have closer to a satin finish that has received begrudging WAF. I love them.

[@matt34003434]

This speaker checks a lot of blocks for me, smartly designed 3 way that looks fantastic and can be placed close to a wall. My only gripe is the price of the matching stands makes the Solid Series SS stands seem like a bargain. I'll be picking up a pair in white soon.

[@Helios2052]

The way I looked at it was that I would have been happy paying even 3k for the speakers alone, so considering them a package at 3500 seemed justifiable 😅 I do think the stands are overpriced, but for what it’s worth they are very nice looking and feel well very made. I also got the white finish and it’s amazing.

[@danielaspeflo7715]

Great review Erin👍…If you compare this to the Kef R3 meta what do you think?..which is better?

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

I’ll discuss this in an upcoming video. :)

[@tone-369]

AURA AMT Equipped with the now world-famous Wharfedale AMT transducer, each AURA model emits breathtaking high-frequency definition Unlike conventional dome or other ribbon and planar diaphragms, the Wharfedale AMT high-frequency transducer does not move forwards and backwards like a piston. It is therefore not constrained by the mass of its diaphragm, with the attendant blurring of transient response. Instead, the diaphragm is folded and carries conductive elements immersed in an immensely strong magnetic field. Not only is this an efficient way of moving air, it is also highly accurate as the diaphragm is under close control of the motor system at all times. The result is a wide bandwidth transducer that achieves extremely low distortion and wonderful musical detail, with scintillating speed and dynamic ability

[@marco-qr8ig]

Thanx-X Erin ...... what do you suggest VS Kef R3 Meta (or non-Meta)? Also the KEF R3 are 3way ;)

[@aceofspades6667]

I still have yet to meet a ribbon or Amt tweeter that doesn’t call attention to itself and I’ve tried a ton. I liked the Adam audio a7x and a7v. But the folded Amt would be impressive for a bit and then becoming grating with say 20 min of listening. I’ll keep and open mind and try to find a pair of these to hear.

[@sleepwait9613]

Thanks Erin for this review. 2000 seems to be the sweet spot where you can have a stellar performance and very nice finish and construction . Not exactly cheap but still acceptable imho considering wht you get and its resale value. I had the chance to visit a store a couple of days ago and tried some elac high end speakers, comparing them with my dbr 62. The vela bs 404 impressed me, as well as their tower counterpart fs09. Hope you try them out someday. Thanks again for your great videos!

[@crimlarksSteve]

Nice review, Erin. I could see these replacing my decades old speakers in the near future.

[@danab7472]

These look great and I’d love to consider buying a pair. I don’t object to the price of the speakers but the stands are way too expensive.

[@biggchinoxxl]

High praise for this. Any thoughts on comparing this vs the Revel M106 and the Kefs R3 Metas? They are about similar price class and very well reviewed.

[@bencausey]

Thanks for letting us know your general sound impressions up front in the video! 👍

[@carlbrown3634]

As always excellent review Erin! Thanks to Wharfedale for allowing this review and thanks to you Erin for sharing.

[@bluecollarhero]

Great review Erin! How do these compere to the Emotivas that you liked? I went with the T2+ after hearing the EVO4.4 but the Aura 2 wasn't out yet. I love with my T2+ but are always curious about new AMT speakers.

[@biliam1982]

I would also like to add my vote for a shootout with the Philharmonic BMR. Those two seemed destined to be compared to each other.

[@cremersalex]

In classical music it's instruments like concert bass drum (gran cassa) and the bass pedals on a church organ that go extremely deep.

[@Ustaleone]

Loved the video Erin. Just a request for the future, some timestamps would be nice since the charts are not always something I understand. Thanks!

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

Noted! I have started that with more recent videos. 👍

[@Ustaleone]

​@@ErinsAudioCorner Thank you.

[@officialchill1706]

My assumption with all these hifi brands is that their speakers probably arent as great as the audiophile magazines make them out to be. Doubly so when I see the vintage sort of look with the Lintons and to a lesser degree these Auras. And yet the data speaks for itself - both hitting the mark. Wharfedale and KEF really representing the UK audio scene strongly!

[@homeboi808]

Now get your hands on the Elysian 2 to see the difference.

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

I hope so.

[@williamdirks5805]

Excellent review. Would really appreciate an Aura 1 review -- if it's any good. Also, while I never buy anything without seeing measurements, I'd appreciate more comparisons on the basis of aspects such as detail and resolution, harmonic richness, etc. -- two speakers that measure equally flat may still sound different. Thanks!

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

Of course speakers that measure equally flat may not sound the same. That’s a logical fallacy that’s been pushed by people who don’t understand that there is more than one thing to measure. Speakers can have wide or narrow radiation but measure the same way on-axis. They’d sound completely different in the room. BUT, the most important thing to know is that two different speakers will never measure the same. Baffle, driver size, enclosure… they matter. Heck, even samples of the same model often have variances of +/-1dB (worse for poorer QC designs). So when someone tells you that two speakers that measure the same don’t sound the same then you’re dealing with someone who is either ignorant about measurements or is purposely being disingenuous. 👍

[@williamdirks5805]

Yes, of course I know that two different speakers will never measure exactly the same. I guess you missed what I was asking -- because you're so focused on measurements. I'm asking for more information BESIDES measurements.@@ErinsAudioCorner​

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

@@williamdirks5805 please don’t assume that I only focus on measurements. I wouldn’t be in this hobby if I didn’t love listening to music on anything, regardless of how it might measure. I get just as much enjoyment out of listening to music from my iPhone sitting on a table in my kitchen, as I might a HiFi system. The music is first. The playback system is second. So please don’t lump me into whatever category you think I belong in. Doing so puts a narrow perspective on what I am trying to do here, respectfully. As for the other things, I have talked about those in other reviews. For example: “detail and resolution“ are often simply artifacts of high frequency, boost. I discussed this in a review of Martin Logan bookshelf speakers from last summer. It’s actually extremely easy to track subjective reviewers’ correlation to high frequency boost in the way they call these things “detail”. Honestly, in some ways it’s comical. Truly.

[@williamdirks5805]

@@ErinsAudioCorner I'm well aware that SOMETIMES detail is an artifact of high frequency emphasis or something else. And I wasn't unfairly lumping you together with people who ONLY care about measurements, just saying that you "focus," on measurements, which you very clearly do compared with people like Steve Guttenberg. So you're just not getting what I'm asking. I'm not asking for your technical explanation of ANYTHING. I've been listening and reading publications for decades (probably as many decades as you've been alive), so YOU don't need lump me together with dumbshits and assume you have to explain the obvious. I'm just asking for more well-rounded reviews, But never mind. I'll listen to Guttenberg for subjective listening impression and to you for more technical discussions.

[@bbfoto7248]

​​@@williamdirks5805 Can I ask what the best speakers you've heard are in regards to "detail and resolution" and "harmonic richness"?

[@Andrea-qx6rf]

Dear I would like to ask if an amplifier MARANTZ model PM8006 Is enough good to guide and use at Better way these speakers or not

[@paulupton5557]

A wonderful, fascinating review.

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

Thank you kindly!

[@Openeyesopenheart42]

Excellent review as always Erin. Thanks

[@bruceandt]

Great review. You are the sound cop. You do all that should be done to review a box full of components…or speaker. Could you PLEASE take the time to use this set of skills to review the Totem Forest. Also the Musician Night 1.

[@bbfoto7248]

@ErinsAudioCorner 👍👍 It's great to have a beautifully-finished option that's also an excellent performing standmount...with a reasonable price point as well. 🙂 I'd kind of prefer that it be a slightly deeper/darker/richer walnut color for the single wood-grain option they offer, but that's just personal preference to match my own interior decor. And while you noted their excellent in-room low end extension, AND I realize that Wharfedale offers other models that may make my following thoughts irrelevant, I couldn't help but think how much it might be improved in regards to the low-end compression and dynamics at higher listening levels and/or for use in larger rooms if an excellent 8" midbass driver such as the Purifi 8 was used in place of the chosen 6.5" driver? The cabinet already seems large and volumous enough to incorporate such a driver, and it might make it even more desirable for those that really would like to forego the need to use a subwoofer. Yeah, this would most likely drive the cost up, but I'm just thinking out loud..."what if?". 😛

[@gg0297]

Well done, Sir! You should try getting the Quad Revela bookshelves too (they may be distributed by the same guys).

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

I believe they are. I did ask about the quad ESL 2812. But that one may be harder to get.

[@gg0297]

​@@ErinsAudioCornerThe Revela series is as fresh as the Aura. I haven't seen any (English) review. Would be really nice to review them (the stand mounts) and compare with the Auras.

[@theHerathrig]

Erin can you also review the Wharfdale Elysian speakers? Id like to know how it compares to the Aura.

[@bokramubokramu8834]

Please review Evo 4.2

[@JeffHeon]

I’m wondering how the Mission 700 would compare to the already reviewed Lintons & now those.

[@JosephTongret]

Gosh, dang you Erin! I can't afford for you to keep doing this to me😂

[@tablameister]

Thanks for the excellent review.

[@burton7023]

Sounds like a great speaker reminds me of the Polk lsim 703 some of the best speakers I've ever owned especially for the money

[@Helios2052]

I have the Aura 2’s and the 703s. Very similar tone but I just feel like the mids and highs of the Aura’s are more articulate. They are both amazing speakers.

[@FletcherFord1]

Great review! I guess you sold so many speakers that you ran the affiliate out of stock. Lol. I tried to buy a pair with your link, but it is backorder. Mine should be here this week! Thanks again for such a great review.

[@saberdoesgaming]

Can you tell me how you like them? Deciding between the Aura 2 and Linton 85ths

[@happyburial]

Great video as always, thank you very much!

[@dragonstone6594]

Hey Erin, Can you put a few more speakers on your review list: Denon SC-N10 (Cheapest decent looking speaker I could find, 99€, paired with Sony DH790 and Polk Audio PSW 10 could be a 1000€ Dolby Atmos Sound bar killer) Pro-Ject Audio Speaker Box 5 (Very cheap that punches very above its weight) Pro-Ject Audio Speaker Box 5 S2 (Same speaker, 2x the price but made in Europe) Mission QX-2 Mk II (Jay's iyagi's best speaker under $1K) Focal Theva N°1 (Focal's new entry level bookshelf) Wharfedale Evo 4.2 (One of the very few 3 way bookshelf's, only 640€ in Europe) Bowers & Wilkins 606 S3 (They say the best bookshelf under $1K, need to compare it to Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G, (that you have measured), that they also say best under $1K) Wharfedale ELYSIAN 2 (Looks to have even lower base than the Aura 2) And when you have the chance see if you can get your hands on some of the Perlisten stuff like the S4b (€8K) and compare it to KEF Reference 1. Not much to ask right? ;) Cheers.

[@tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120]

They look badaxx Dovetails look great also IAG Audiolab/Wharfdale/mission and a few others 😆 Thanks Always a joy my dude !

[@DearSX]

Do you think these would work with the back of the speaker 1ft away from the back wall? I'm curious now about the bigger ones, thanks for the review!

[@vw2148]

hi Erin. i enjoy ur no nonsense reviews. could you do one about KLH Kendall 2B please . thse multi 1000 $ speakers are beyond my range . thank you much !

[@hondaphan4172]

I agree as I haven't seen anything about the KLH Kendall 2B.

[@gelderlandproduction]

A GREAT review!

[@klonoavirus]

It’s a shame the aura line up only has 2-way centre speakers. Would be great if you could test the evo line (4.2, 4.4, 4.C) since that line actually has a 3-way centre.

[@davidsembiante7348]

Yes. I thought the same. I'm thinking of getting the Aura 3 or 4 for left and right. I may use the aura 3 or 4 for the center as well.

[@magnusdanielsson2749]

Thats very impressive. Paired with two good subs itd be a very good setup

[@zefrog7482]

Nice looking speaker. I've always ran D.I.Y, but lately I've decided I want to simplify my system and have something that's going to be my final interation. Currently thinking of a pair of Neumann KH150's and a KH750 and have done with it. Would love to see you review those, same price as this Wharfdale as well, I've seen measurements for them, probably the best speaker at this price in my opinion to be honest, especially as not needing amplifier. I've not heard a pair yet though.

[@TriAmpHiFi]

. I'm with you, but I've got to finish this one last pair. Then that will be that.

[@BL-yj2wp]

Unless you lean back in your seat. Then they're terrible like every non-coaxial design in the near-field.

[@zefrog7482]

@@TriAmpHiFi lol, ain't that just the way it goes, I've been saying that to myself for years, but finally decided I don't want to keep chasing better anymore.

[@TriAmpHiFi]

@@zefrog7482 lol... good luck to both of us.

[@zefrog7482]

@@BL-yj2wp I won't really be that nearfield for that to be an issue. I do love a coaxial driver though. Some Genelec the 1's would probably be my choice if money was no object but I just can't justify the cost as I'd need 8341 really at minimum for my listening distance.

[@edbarkowski4455]

Compared to Philharmonic BMR ??

[@justincasey2336]

Great review, thanks for your great work, have been chewing through your videos ovwr the past few weeks! Would love to see an Elysian review. Also is that an original TMNT cabinet i saw there?

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

I hope to get my hands on some of those models to review as well. As for the cabinet, I wish. It’s just an arcade1up version. Which is a whole lot easier to move around and put together. But it would be cool as heck if I had the real deal one from the 80s.

[@falvegas511]

I PLAY A RECORDING OF A MUSIC GROUP I ACTUALLY ATTENDED "LIVE" TO THE SOUND ROOM OF LOCAL MERCHANT.... PLAY INTO VARIOUS SPEAKER BRANDS. WHICH SOUNDS THE MOST REALISTIC IS THE ONE I BUY....IN MY PRICE RANGE. THERE ARE SPEAKERS "I WANT" THAT COST MORE (PER PAIR) THAN MY ENTIRE AUDIO/VIDEO HOME THEATER SYSTEM.

[@markd4292]

Thanks Erin. I actually have been eyeballing these Aura 2 in the last few days. That's a fast review that helps, considering these speakers just came out a short while ago. I like a wide soundstage, however I think I will be moving my entertainment setup from the long wall to the short wall, and I may consider a more narrower dispersion type of speaker. Suggestions? (easy to drive, and dynamic, and sound depth). However, if I get the Aura 2 and it is a wider dispersion speaker I am almost certain that I will have to play around with some acoustic treatments especially given the fact that I probably have about 1.5 ft to 2 ft to play with on the side walls. I do enjoy a decent horn speaker and I can't help to believe that in this particular setup on room placement, a horn may be the better option, but I will be sacrificing that more audiophile like sound. Difficult decision. Currently I have the Sonus Faber Lumina 5 along the long wall and they are a wide dispersion speaker and I really like their sound signature despite the lifted treble. I am considering the Wharfedale Aura 2, The Klipsch Forte IV, The Triangle Australe, The JBL HDI 3800 or the Martin Logan F100, or I may stick with the Sonus Faber and improve my front end then get the Sonus Faber Sonetto 8. Thanks

[@generynkewicz4871]

Still rather have the Kef R3 Meta as this price point.

[@px7355]

Why does these have such small woofers? The cabinet should be able to accommodate 8 inch woofers like its bigger brother the Elysian 2.

[@Boban85]

Erin, the Aura 2s for $2000 new or the Lintons new with original stands for $900, if you had to chose? Thank you!

[@rickc661]

fun stuff as always. You mention the meta, the small version which is about a thousand $ less than these. the more apt compare would be with the larger R3 version. which is still a bit 'cheaper'. so very close, so many good speakers nowadays...... I have the LS50 version and sub. - way better than the 8000 hz my 70+ year old ear can hear ( right next to speaker. 10 ft way.... )

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

Well, to reiterate, the reason I mentioned the LS 50 is because it’s an easy way to relate the audibility of that distortion, and I had the data on hand. I plan to release a video comparing this speaker versus the R3 meta. In fact, I initially had that in this review, but I decided to remove it and save it for a separate video so this one could be cut short and additional five.

[@tonydigregorio3806]

@@ErinsAudioCornerwould love to see that video!

[@MrSplit57]

Thank you, Mr. Erin for an excellent review. Could you please recommend amplifiers (preferably several brands) to pair with them.

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

I'm currently reviewing the NAD C 3050 with BluOS and Dirac Live built-in. It's pretty freaking awesome. Not sure if that's in your budget but if it is, you might want to check it out. Link below (affiliate link, if you buy it): howl.me/cleOavykNAx

[@dieterloebel2459]

Roksan K3

[@JamesWilliams-gf8gm]

The measurements are better than the $4k revel 125be. Too small for my tastes but good to see.

[@Bradimus1]

Pretty nice speakers!

[@rjmoyer2]

Interesting. I have the Evo 4.1 and I’m considering upgrading to the Aura 1.

[@nattaphoomtewarun9978]

Interesting Almost perfect measurement. I'm looking for Speaker with Veneer finished with reasonable price..... difficult to find now a day on the market. Glass fiber cone Driver -> equivalent to PMC Twenty5 which cost double!!!! Not counting AMT..... interesting to listen too it. personally I'm worry about AMT tweeter. Can you recommend how to set proper the Hight to the ear level to smoothen highend? as measurment show vertical disperser is narrow. How should I sit during testing?

[@xpidex3399]

And looks like they have a proper center channel too. Now I want you to get the ones below i thin evo4 ones.

[@x-techgaming]

As you mentioned *BASS RANGE* in the beginning... I have been strictly looking for a speaker that covers as much bass range as possible, while still sounding great, of course. What speakers might this be? So far, I came up with: Philharmonic Tower(20-25Hz), Buchardt S400 MKII(33Hz), Linton 85th(35Hz), Philharmonic Monitor(36Hz), Sierra LX(36Hz).

[@bluelithium9808]

No speaker operating nominally is going to shut any amp down due to impedance. The AMT is the best hf transducer on planet earth and this is a good one at that.

[@krishnagupta6323]

Hi Erin, you clearly mentioned that you have to stay within the 20 degree vertical range range but seemed like that wasn't a big deal for you, is it because you mainly listen to music sitting in a particular position and not walk around? Asking because the off axis response is very different from that of "within 20 degrees"

[@rickg8015]

Erin.. Could you do a follow up showing the cab innards and bare driver magnet structues and baskets? Thanks…

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

Unfortunately, I already have these boxed up and ready to go back.

[@pgansz]

Great review Erin. One thing I don't hear much about from you is what kind of electronics you're using. My guess is class D amplification. Can you throw that out there for us?

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

I thought I mentioned it but maybe I didn’t. McIntosh MC462 for this review.

[@eddietours3728]

Hope you can review the mission 770 one day ✌🏼

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

Me, too.

[@timh6510]

Man, are you going to bump my Ascends down one on the Spinorama rankings? 😄

[@timh6510]

Did. Oh well. That looks like an amazing speaker for sure.

[@chevyimp5857]

What a great evidence based review...cool

[@SylviaVanderlay]

Hi Erin, can I feed the Auras with a Crown Audio XLS 1002? I am not worried about power, but rather with S/N ratio is aprox 96dB and THD

[@ErinsAudioCorner]

You can give it a shot. You may have to keep the game low on that app, though. I used to own it and it was pretty noisy. But I also used it on literal theater speakers that came from my local movie theater and they were very high sensitivity, which made the System noise audible.

[@SylviaVanderlay]

Thanks a lot!

[@LelandPratt-nw9ix]

I’ve got the series down, EVO4.3s and this review ticks a lot of its boxes too. With 2 woofers the bass focuses in at about 3 feet. On your terminals picture with 1 jumper, are the drivers in series?

[@MrPigeonaids]

This or the R3 Meta is a difficult choice

[@slofty]

I'd let listening level settle the decision.

[@JamesWilliams-gf8gm]

Kefs lack dynamics to my ear. Make sure you listen for that and they are snappy enough with snare drums etc for you.

[@loudandclearmedia]

Erin replied to a comment that he's working on exactly that comparison to be released next week. Because yeah, I'd imagine those two products will be cross shopped often.

[@slofty]

Yeah he said it primarily comes down to output/listening level needs ~unless~ some characteristic of a particular model is higher up on the list for someone e.g. coax imaging for those that like to be able move around the room. For those in the latter camp getting both to demo is pretty much the M.O. My response above from the other day had not one like- not that the number matters but it goes to show that saying something ahead of time is meaningless if it is based upon the merit of reason (engineering). Yikes.