Wharfedale Evo 4.S Surround Speaker Walnut (Pair)

The Wharfedale Evo 4.S is the dedicated surround channel speaker in the Evo 4 range, a series that brings technology trickled down from Wharfedale's flagship Elysian speakers to a more accessible price point. Designed to be wall-mounted behind or beside the listening position, the Evo 4.S delivers the same tonal character as the rest of the Evo 4 family, ensuring seamless integration in a full home cinema system alongside the Evo 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, or 4.C.

AMT Tweeter Technology

At the heart of every Evo 4 speaker is an Air Motion Transformer (AMT) tweeter — a design that uses a large, pleated lightweight diaphragm driven across its surface by rows of strategically placed magnets. The result is exceptionally low distortion and fine musical detail without the brightness or harshness that conventional dome tweeters can produce. The Evo 4.S uses dual 30×60mm AMT tweeters, one firing from each side of the enclosure, to create a wide, enveloping surround field.

Driver Complement

Below the AMT tweeters sit dual 50mm soft dome midrange drivers, providing smooth vocal reproduction and a natural tonal balance. Bass is handled by a pair of 165mm (6.5″) woven Kevlar cone drivers — Kevlar being both stiff enough for accurate piston motion above its crossover point and well-damped enough to control resonance. Each cone is fitted with a low-loss rubber surround that absorbs unwanted resonance modes, delivering bass that is deep and impactful yet tuneful and precise.

Cabinet Construction

The Evo 4.S uses a closed-box (sealed) enclosure, which provides tighter, more controlled bass response — ideal for a surround channel where timing and integration with the front stage are critical. The cabinet itself employs Wharfedale’s multi-layered sandwich construction: soft, high-loss chipboard is sandwiched between stiff MDF layers, with each material’s different resonance characteristics cancelling the other’s vibrations. Intelligent Spot Bracing connects opposite cabinet walls at computer-modelled positions, providing superior rigidity compared to traditional figure-eight bracing. Cabinet edges are contoured to minimise diffraction, and all visible surfaces are finished in book-matched real wood veneer for a consistent grain pattern.

System Integration

The same tweeter technology, driver cone design, and crossover topology are used across the entire Evo 4 range, ensuring matched tonal balance and seamless surround imaging. The Evo 4.S features dual 5-way binding posts for bi-wire capability, with angled terminals for easier connection when wall-mounted. The crossover transitions at 1.5 kHz and 4.4 kHz, maintaining consistent dispersion and integration between all three driver types.

What the Press Says

• What Hi-Fi? Awards 2022 winner (Evo 4.4 5.1 pack)