Wharfedale Elysian 2 8.5 Inch 3-Way Standmount Speaker at Vinyl Sound Buffalo NY USA

The Elysian 2 is a 3-way standmount loudspeaker from Wharfedale (Huntingdon, England), available at Vinyl Sound in Buffalo, NY, USA. The flagship ELYSIAN series represents Wharfedale's most ambitious engineering project in the brand's 90-year history, combining a 27x90mm AMT (Air Motion Transformer) high-frequency transducer, a 6-inch (150mm) coated fibre glass matrix midrange driver, and an 8.5-inch (220mm) European-manufactured coated fibre glass matrix bass driver. The three-way system delivers a frequency response of 35Hz to 22kHz (+/-3dB) with 89dB sensitivity and a nominal 4-ohm impedance, in a piano-lacquer cabinet hand-polished to six levels of depth. This listing is for the speaker unit only; the matching Elysian 2 stand is available separately.

AMT High-Frequency Driver and European Bass Engineering

The ELYSIAN 2's AMT (Air Motion Transformer) high-frequency driver uses a large, pleated PET diaphragm driven by rows of metallic strips immersed in a powerful magnetic field. Unlike a conventional dome tweeter that moves as a piston, the AMT's folded diaphragm contracts and expands in response to the musical signal, squeezing air between the pleats to produce the desired waveform. This mechanism multiplies air velocity relative to diaphragm excursion, enabling lower moving mass, higher transient accuracy, and extended high-frequency response beyond the limits of conventional dome designs. The 8.5-inch bass driver is sourced from European manufacturers and uses a coated fibre glass matrix cone chosen for optimal stiffness-to-mass ratio, driven by a low-distortion motor system capable of bass extension to 35Hz from a standmount cabinet. A dedicated 6-inch fibre glass matrix midrange driver bridges the 360Hz to 2.9kHz band, the frequency range most critical to vocal and instrumental timbre.

SLPP Bass Reflex, Crossover Engineering, and Piano-Lacquer Cabinet

The ELYSIAN 2's bass performance is enhanced by Wharfedale's SLPP (Slot-Loaded Profiled Port), which vents bass energy through a precision-shaped slot at the base of the cabinet, equalising the high internal pressure to room pressure and reducing the turbulence and distortion typical of conventional rear-ported designs. The crossover network has been fine-tuned over hundreds of hours of listening using the highest-grade acoustically transparent components, with particular attention to phase consistency across the driver array to provide a wide and stable listening window across a broad range of seating positions. The enclosure is built to furniture grade, with handcrafted veneers enhanced by genuine piano-finish lacquers and hand-polished across six levels of depth, establishing a standard of cabinetry rarely encountered at this price point.

Key Features

• 27x90mm AMT High-Frequency Driver: Pleated PET diaphragm transducer delivering ultra-low distortion, fast transient response, and high-frequency extension beyond the capabilities of conventional dome tweeters.
• 8.5-Inch European Bass Driver: Coated fibre glass matrix cone with low-distortion motor system capable of 35Hz extension from a standmount enclosure.
• Dedicated 6-Inch Midrange Driver: Separates the critical vocal and instrumental frequency band from bass and treble for lower distortion and greater natural clarity in a 3-way topology.
• SLPP Bass Reflex Port: Slot-Loaded Profiled Port vents at the cabinet base to reduce distortion and improve placement flexibility compared to conventional rear-ported designs.
• Phase-Consistent Crossover Network: Fine-tuned over hundreds of listening hours using highest-grade acoustically transparent components for a wide, stable stereo image across a broad seating range.
• Piano-Lacquer Cabinet: Handcrafted real-wood veneers hand-polished to six levels of depth for furniture-grade aesthetics that match the speaker's performance ambition.
• 25–250W Power Handling: Compatible with a wide range of amplifiers from modest integrated designs to high-current separates.

Technical Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Wharfedale Elysian 2?

The Wharfedale Elysian 2 is a 3-way standmount loudspeaker from Wharfedale's flagship ELYSIAN series, featuring a 27x90mm AMT tweeter, a 6-inch fibre glass matrix midrange driver, and an 8.5-inch European bass driver, with a frequency response of 35Hz to 22kHz and 89dB sensitivity. It is sold here as a speaker unit; the matching Elysian 2 stand is available separately from Vinyl Sound Buffalo.

How does the Elysian 2 compare to the Elysian 1?

The Elysian 2 and Elysian 1 both belong to Wharfedale's flagship ELYSIAN series and share the same AMT tweeter, SLPP bass reflex technology, and piano-lacquer cabinet construction. The key difference is driver configuration and scale: the Elysian 1 is a 2-way design with a 7-inch (180mm) bass driver, achieving 49Hz extension in a more compact cabinet. The Elysian 2 adds a dedicated 6-inch midrange driver for a 3-way topology and uses a substantially larger 8.5-inch bass driver, extending response to 35Hz and providing greater dynamic headroom and midrange resolution for larger listening rooms.

How does the Elysian 2 compare to the Dynaudio Contour 20i?

The Wharfedale Elysian 2 and the Dynaudio Contour 20i are both premium standmount speakers targeting serious two-channel listeners. The Contour 20i is a 2-way design using Dynaudio's Esotar3 tweeter and a 7-inch Hexis-equipped woofer, with a presentation known for its tight, precise imaging. The Elysian 2's 3-way topology with a dedicated midrange driver gives it a structural advantage in midrange separation and low-distortion reproduction of voices, while its AMT tweeter offers a distinctly wider dispersion characteristic than the Contour 20i's dome unit.

What amplifier does the Elysian 2 need?

The Elysian 2 accepts between 25W and 250W of amplifier power with a 89dB sensitivity rating. Its nominal 4-ohm impedance means an amplifier comfortable driving 4-ohm loads will extract the best dynamic performance. High-quality integrated amplifiers from brands such as Hegel, Naim, or Audiolab at 50W and above pair well, while high-current separates will reveal the full dynamic range of the 8.5-inch bass driver.

Does the Elysian 2 require the dedicated Wharfedale stand?

The Elysian 2 can be placed on any robust third-party stand or shelf. However, Wharfedale's purpose-built Elysian 2 stand is laser-cut from high-carbon stainless steel and engineered specifically to raise the speaker to the correct ear-level position while isolating the cabinet from floor vibration. The stand's base plate also carries the same six-level hand-polished piano lacquer finish as the speaker cabinet for a cohesive visual result. The stand is available separately at Vinyl Sound Buffalo.

Is the Elysian 2 suitable for a home cinema front channel?

Yes. The Elysian 2 is well suited as the main stereo pair in a high-performance home cinema system. Wharfedale produces a matching ELYSIAN C centre channel speaker with the same AMT tweeter design and driver voicing, ensuring timbre-coherent integration across the front soundstage. The full ELYSIAN series shares consistent crossover and driver topology for seamless surround system configuration.

Where can I buy the Wharfedale Elysian 2 speaker in Buffalo, NY?

The Wharfedale Elysian 2 3-way standmount speaker is available at Vinyl Sound, an authorised Wharfedale dealer in Buffalo, NY, USA. Vinyl Sound carries the full ELYSIAN series and can arrange a listening demonstration of the Elysian 2 paired with matching amplification and the dedicated Elysian 2 stand.