Wharfedale EVO5.1 Bookshelf Speakers

About The Wharfedale EVO5.1 Bookshelf Speakers

For over nine decades, Wharfedale has been at the forefront of loudspeaker design, blending cutting-edge technology with a deep understanding of musicality. The EVO5.1 bookshelf speakers are a culmination of that experience, designed for those who want refined performance in a compact form without stepping up to floorstanders.

Sitting proudly above the EVO4 range, the EVO5.1 is a significant leap forward in detail, scale and resolution. If you’re chasing a rich, immersive listening experience from a speaker that fits almost anywhere, the EVO5.1 delivers in spades.

AMT High-Frequency Precision

Perhaps the most defining characteristic of the EVO5.1 is its high-frequency performance, driven by Wharfedale’s true AMT (Air Motion Transformer) driver. Instead of using a traditional dome or cone, which push air forward, AMTs move air by squeezing it through a pleated diaphragm made of ultra-thin light weight polymer. Strong magnets are positioned on either side of the diaphragm, creating a powerful magnetic field. When an audio signal passes through the conductive traces, the diaphragm is energised, causing the pleats to contract and expand.

As the pleats move, they 'squeeze' and 'expand' the air between them, pushing it out in a highly efficient manner. This allows the AMT to move four times more air than a traditional dome tweeter of the same surface area, delivering lower distortion (since the diaphragm moves less) and faster transient response (owing to lower mass and minimal movement). It also produces a wider frequency range and excellent horizontal dispersion.

The AMT unit developed for EVO 5 is larger than the EVO 4 equivalent - 35x70mm compared to 30x60mm - which further improves efficiency and dispersion. It also features a new sound-absorbing material that Wharfedale calls SilentWeave™, developed for the EVO 5 Series. this cotton/felt hybrid is added to the cavity behind the diaphragm to reduce soundwave reflections inside the speaker.

Lower-Midrange and Bass Refinements

To complement the advanced AMT high-frequency driver, Wharfedale has refined the midrange unit originally developed for the EVO4 series. Now featured in the three-way EVO5.2, EVO5.3 and EVO5.4 models, this upgraded driver uses a 50mm soft dome diaphragm designed for fast, detailed and wide-bandwidth performance. It delivers a seamless transition between the tweeter and bass drivers, ensuring a cohesive and natural sound.

The fabric dome is treated with a special plasticiser damping compound and ventilated into a carefully engineered rear chamber. This chamber is shaped to diffuse and absorb unwanted rear energy, helping to maintain a clean and linear response. The result is exceptional midrange clarity across an impressively wide 800Hz to 5kHz range — a performance rarely achieved in this class.

Re-Engineered Cabinets

Each model in the EVO 5 series now features an optimally increased internal cabinet volume. The expanded cabinet volume contributes to deeper bass extension and improved overall sound dispersion, creating a more immersive and expansive audio field.

The inclusion of a hybrid plinth, which combines metal and wood elements of the cabinet’s details, enhances structural integrity and reduces unwanted vibrations. This innovative base ensures that sound remains clean and uncoloured, free from external resonance artefacts. Whether you're placing the speakers on stands or in a well-ventilated bookshelf space, you'll get clean, controlled bass that feels right at home in both small and medium-sized rooms.

A Visual Statement

The EVO5.1 looks every bit as premium as it sounds. The Walnut comes in a high-quality real wood veneer finish. While the White, Lunar Grey and Black are all finished in a smooth matt, which gives the speakers are more modern look and feel. It’s a speaker that blends into refined living spaces without disappearing altogether. The curved cabinet design isn’t just about acoustics; it adds a sculptural elegance that many boxy competitors can’t match.

Our Review

The Wharfedale EVO5.1 Bookshelf Speakers deliver on every front. They’re compact but powerful, beautifully built and stunningly accurate. The inclusion of an AMT tweeter at this price is rare, but more than that, it’s been implemented with a level of finesse that makes the EVO5.1 one of the most musically rewarding bookshelf speakers in its class.

If you’re looking for a speaker that captures the full spirit of the recording, the timber, the texture, the emotion, then the EVO5.1 deserves your attention. This is high-end performance in a form factor that fits almost anywhere, crafted by a brand with over 90 years of loudspeaker expertise. Quite simply, it’s another Wharfedale classic in the making.

Main Features & Specifications

• General Description: 2-Driver, 2-way Bookshelf/Standmount Speakers
• Enclosure Type: Bass Reflex
• Bass Driver: 1 x 130mm (5") Black Woven Kevlar Cone
• Treble Driver: 30 x 70mm AMT
• Sensitivity (2.83V @ 1M): 87dB
• Recommended Amplifier Power: 25-100 Watts
• Peak SPL: 98dB
• Nominal Impedance: 4Ω (8Ω compatible)
• Minimum Impedance: 3.4Ω
• Frequency Response: (+/-3dB) : 56Hz - 24kHz
• Bass Extension (-6dB): 46Hz
• Crossover Frequency: 2.7kHz
• Speaker Stands: High Carbon Steel Stands (Sold Separately)
• Dimensions (WxHxD): 220 x 340 x 325mm
• Net Weight: 8.0 kg each
• Available In Various Colours: Black, Lunar Grey, White & Walnut Veneer
• Manufacturer's Warranty: 5 Years. This protects the original purchaser against manufacturing defects but not abuse.

Note: Features & Specifications Subject To Change Without Notice. E&OE.