Wharfedale was founded in 1932 for opera Gilbert Briggs, who built his first loudspeaker in Yorkshire and named the company after the Wharfe Valley, became a key figure in the development of high fidelity in the UK. Over the following decades, Briggs pioneered two-way systems and double-walled cabinets filled with sand to dampen resonances. In 1958, the company was sold to the Rank Group; today, it is part of the International Audio Group. Mass production takes place in China, and in 2023, Wharfedale unveiled the Dovedale, the first loudspeaker built in the UK in over forty years.
The catalog is divided into families with distinct personalities. The Heritage line revives historic models: the original Linton dates back to 1965, the Denton 85 was relaunched for the brand's 85th anniversary, while the Super Denton and Super Linton are three-way standmount speakers that recall the vintage "Super" versions, with wood veneer cabinets and drivers with Kevlar cones.
The most modern series feature the AMT (Air Motion Transformer) tweeter, a pleated membrane unit that moves air like a bellows and delivers fast, extended high frequencies. It's found in the EVO 5 series, presented at the 2025 Munich High End Show, the Aura series, announced in 2023 with glass-fiber cones for the midrange and bass, and the flagship Elysian series, now in its second-generation Elysian R, with a revised AMT, updated crossover, and further optimized cabinetry.
In the Elysian R series, we offer the Elysian 1R and 2R bookshelf speakers, the Elysian 3R and 4R floorstanding speakers, and the Elysian CR center channel. In the Aura series, we offer the Aura 1 and Aura 2 bookshelf speakers, the Aura 3 and Aura 4 floorstanding speakers, the Aura C and Aura CS center speakers, and the dedicated Aura 1 Stand and Aura 2 Stand. The EVO 5 series includes the EVO 5.1 and 5.2 bookshelf speakers, and the EVO 5.3 and 5.4 floorstanding speakers. The Heritage line includes the Linton with the Linton Stands, the Super Linton, Denton 85, Denton 1S, Super Denton, and the Heritage Center center channel.
The first criterion is the room. In small or medium-sized rooms, a well-positioned bookshelf speaker on a stand, such as the EVO 5.2, Aura 2, or Super Denton, delivers a more refined bass than a floorstanding speaker forced against a wall. Floorstanding models like the EVO 5.4, Aura 4, or Elysian 4R perform best in large rooms with adequate amplification.
The second is sonic character. The Heritage line favors warmth and softness, with a classic aesthetic that fits perfectly in a furnished living room; the series with AMT tweeters offer more detail and openness in the highs, useful for those listening at moderate volumes and seeking resolution. Moving up from EVO 5 to Aura to Elysian R, dynamics, extension, and build quality increase. For home theater, each series has its own center channel, so as to maintain the same timbre across the front channels.
Finally the stands: on bookshelf models they make a real difference, and the dedicated Linton and Aura stands are designed to bring the tweeters up to listening height.
In our Carpi showroom, you can listen to Wharfedale speakers in the listening room, compare different series with the same amplifier, and receive advice on matching them to your system. Models can also be ordered online at audiocostruzioni.com with shipping; if you have any questions about sizing or pairings, you can ask us for advice by email before purchasing. We'll also consider trading in your current speakers.
