Wharfedale Evo 4.2 - A Story Of Love & Heartbreak (Powered by Cambridge Audio CXA 81)

[Rui]

KEF and Celestion are part of Gold Peak Acoustics.......Wharfedale are part of International Audio Group...a completely different company.

Thank you, i wasn´t sure of that. i had read in a newspaper of the changes and a friend also told me. I didn´t doubt of he telling me that it was the same group of kef and celestion wich i also didn´t remenber the name of the group, regards

 

[Rui]

The new SMSL DA9 amplifier is getting excellent reviews (class D) and only £199 on Amazon!

i think it´s an excessive price for a class D amp. Are we entering in the realm of low-fi ,the path seems to lead to it

 

[Rui]

i thought that my main system was an average quality in hi-fi ,but now i´m sure it´s what everyone calls the high-end quality

 

[Al ears]

Please note this thread is quite old and the only recent posts seem to be yours.

 

[npxavar]

My combination is a Cambridge Audio CXA80 (the previous model of the OP's amplifier) with a Dali Oberon 3.

I can attest that the amplifier tends to sound boring, with really fast music being kind of tasteless.

 

[gasolin]

How about the TOPPING LA90D ?

TOPPING LA90D Discrete Amplifier Class AB 2x120W / 1x180W 4 Ohm Silver - Audiophonics

Topping now offers the excellent LA90 in a version using discrete circuits, the LA90 Discrete. The result is a powerful amplifier with incredible metering for a breathtaking listening experience...

www.audiophonics.fr

or https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/inte...2x250w-4-ohm-32bit-768khz-dsd256-p-16952.html

 

[npxavar]

What about them? Have you auditioned them with quick-tempo music?

 

[gasolin]

one can not own a neutral sounding speaker that is at the same time energetic and punchy

Dynaudio Evidence Master

Dynaudio Evidence Master loudspeaker Measurements

Sidebar 3: Measurements Although my estimate of the big Dynaudio's sensitivity was fractionally lower than specified, at 90.5dB(B)/2.83V/m, this is still significantly higher than average. In addition, the speaker's impedance (fig.1) drops below 4 ohms only in the upper bass, which, coupled with...

www.stereophile.com

How about Dynaudio emit 20 or Evoke 10 ?

 

[npxavar]

... without it being a flagship set of speakers.

 

[AJM1981]

Dynaudio Evidence Master

Dynaudio Evidence Master loudspeaker Measurements

Sidebar 3: Measurements Although my estimate of the big Dynaudio's sensitivity was fractionally lower than specified, at 90.5dB(B)/2.83V/m, this is still significantly higher than average. In addition, the speaker's impedance (fig.1) drops below 4 ohms only in the upper bass, which, coupled with...

www.stereophile.com

How about Dynaudio emit 20 or Evoke 10 ?

Meant it more in the way like..

Neutral is a signature
Energetic and punchy is a signature

If a speaker is punchy, it is not neutral
and vice versa.

If I would not have monitors, I would like a neutral speaker for producing, mixing and mastering. But I am into slight coloration when it comes to playback so I would not mind auditioning those loudspeakers.

On the other hand, speakers can transpose in signature with amps and settings, so things are not carved into stone.

My Denton 85th..'s (second set) are being described as natural; probably due a little coloration in the female vocal freq range They have good bass but when I crank up its bass with a setting on my amp for a movie I often wonder why I ever got a sub for our bedroom (that one doesn't dig as deep as the one in my living) They sound unbelievably big and deliver this high quality cinematic bass experience in a breeze. My previous diamond 11.2 did ok, but not this well and to me that definitely justifies a price difference. Also received good praise for that in reviews. Loads of potential and detail in the lows without it sounding muddy. But for music I don't really like to utilize that. The versatility of these speakers with the right amp is huge.

 

[Gray]

If a speaker is punchy, it is not neutral
and vice versa.

My speakers are most certainly both punchy and neutral - and I wouldn't want to be without both qualities.

'Neutral' is most commonly (if not exclusively) used to describe tonal balance.
No speaker can be truly neutral of course, but ideally it neither adds, nor takes anything away - from any aspect of the sound.

Music is punchy. If a speaker "doesn't sound punchy" then it is unquestionably not neutral - it is taking something away from the music.

I know it's a controversial statement (especially to those that favour a warm, 'safe', 'forgiving' or a non-punchy sound but .....to me, anything less than neutral is wrong.....and that means the sound must contain as much punchiness as the music itself does.

I suppose some might say a speaker can sound too 'punchy'.....for their taste maybe, but it can't add any punchiness that isn't in the music....can it?

 

[AJM1981]

My speakers are most certainly both punchy and neutral - and I wouldn't want to be without both qualities.

'Neutral' is most commonly (if not exclusively) used to describe tonal balance.
No speaker can be truly neutral of course, but ideally it neither adds, nor takes anything away - from any aspect of the sound.

Monitors should be as close to neutral as possible in order to mix well on them.

Music is punchy. If a speaker "doesn't sound punchy" then it is unquestionably not neutral - it is taking something away from the music.

I know it's a controversial statement (especially to those that favour a warm, 'safe', 'forgiving' or a non-punchy sound but .....to me, anything less than neutral is wrong.....and that means the sound must contain as much punchiness as the music itself does.

I suppose some might say a speaker can sound too 'punchy'.....for their taste maybe, but it can't add any punchiness that isn't in the music....can it?

Sure, pop, rock, disco, dance (etc) music is punchy and a track can be produced and experienced as really punchy on a neutral monitor after producing. A punchy speaker just emphasises that same punchiness by a factor. Loudspeakers made for clubs or concerts are often punchier than the average.

That's why for 'reference' (not especially for playback in my opinion) neutral without any coloration is better. Perhaps a bit comparible to the white point in photography. The idea being is that when you have a neutral image someones screen can be a little warmer in color,it stilll looks good. When you want a warmer picture on a neutral setup screen, you adjust the picture to be warmer, let's say "+2", one with a warmer screen will have a virtual +4 . But when one would master on a warmer screen one would say "it is already ok" from the initial photo, resulting in an unwanted cold output on a neutral calibrated screen. (In reality this also comes a bit closer to the curvature settings, but just to describe the point...)

Signatures of loudspeakers can be plotted out in radar charts. So it can be well that it is slightly more punchy but still in the middle when it comes to the other frequencies and still experienced as neutral.

 

[Gray]

Monitors should be as close to neutral as possible in order to mix well on them.

...and for me to listen to my music.
Minimal colouration for me thanks very much 👍

 

[AJM1981]

...and for me to listen to my music.
Minimal colouration for me thanks very much 👍

Sounds also a bit like the natural above neutral preference with a small emphasise on vocals. How it is perceived with the shape of our head and our ears above how a computer calculates the ideal line.

 

[Gray]

Sounds also a bit like the natural above neutral preference with a small emphasise on vocals. How it is perceived with the shape of our head and our ears above how a computer calculates the ideal line.

Yes, no two people will even hear the same balance - let alone have the same preference.

 

[npxavar]

After getting the Onkyo 6130 network streamer on the used market the Cambridge Audio CXA80 can finally handle fast/quick tempo music. That happens when I use the analogue outputs, and keep the digital filter setting to "SHARP".

Apparently the amp needs to be matched with a source with a strong emphasis on dynamics.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

I feel like this hobby is both the cure and the cause, a curse and a blessing. I used to enjoy music without being critical of what I am hearing. I have had some really great moments listening to the 4.2's though. Psychedelic soundscapes that dissolved my body and I was simply a consciousness floating in an ocean of sound. Ok, ok, the alcohol helped me get there but it wouldn't of been possible without the 4.2's.

I'll probably go the DIRAC route at some point. For now, I have got it in my mind to find another pair of speakers but I won't be letting go of the 4.2's with having tried and test a new pair. I'd like to try another amp to see what that brings to the table.

Room Size & Placement:

I tested these speakers in two rooms one small and one medium sized. In the process I was able to learn that room size, layout and furnishings have an astounding impact sound. My medium sized room has a tiled floor with a large rug but features less in the way of soft furnishings. The speakers were placed 9-10 feet apart, 4 feet away from side walls and 3 feet away from rear wall. The room acoustics made the highs seem a little sharper yet the room size and placement of the speakers allowed the delicious lower bass to breathe fully, gently filling the room without sounding constrained. The soundstage was wide, deep and immersive, instruments and vocals took on a 3D quality and the room became alive with the sound of music.

In the smaller room the speakers took on more of a warmer characteristic, dynamics seemed to improve slightly and the upper bass/lower mids seemed a little more defined. In the medium sized room I had more useable space to experiment with placement. They weren’t overly affected by placement closer to rear wall but when moved closer to side walls the bass became ‘boomy’. In the small room I was still able to place them 10 feet apart, listening 10 feet away but room constraints meant that one speaker was close to side and back wall. They still sound ok but the impressive soundstage was no longer impressive and on some songs the lower bass nearly over energised the room. Still a nice, warm, non fatiguing sound is produced.

I'm curious if you had more power it make the speakers come alive. I have an Emotiva 200 wpc class A/B amp and my Monitor Audio speakers pound. I'm sure I would have the same result with those EVO's. And I would never power them with a class D amp, but that's just me. You could consider bi-amping them with a class D amp for the woofers. But I would just get a powerful Class A/B amp.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

I owned the Quad S2 speakers for a while. Lovely build but a two way and I found the ribbon tweeter too bright for me…..
Then bought KEF LS50s after ‘rave’ reviews but they have a raised output between 2kHz and 5kHz so again were too bright for me….
Then I got the Evo 4.2s and had that ‘Goldilocks’ moment as they were just right! 🙂 Three way really brings out the midrange for me.
Changing from class D to class A amplifier was an eye opener for me too….👍

Changing from D to class AB was a huge improvement for me.

 

[RTHerringbone]

I find it odd when long-dead threads get resurrected randomly. One of the people quoted hasn't been seen since 2022! 🤷‍♂️ 🤔