Wharfedale has unveiled its latest audio masterpiece – the Wharfedale Aura Series. Promising flagship-level engineering at prices that won't break the bank, this new speaker range could make waves in the audio industry.
The Aura Series, born out of Wharfedale's ambitious R&D project initiated in 2016, is positioned above the classic entry-level Diamond speakers and sits comfortably between the mid-level EVO4 Series and the flagship Elysian speakers. The development project led to the creation of key technologies that have trickled down to form the foundation of the Aura Series.
One of the standout features of the Aura Series is the utilization of Wharfedale’s Air Motion Transfer (AMT) tweeter, a folded design that enhances the diaphragm's operating efficiency, delivering high frequencies with greater precision and dynamics. This technology, initially present in the Elysian series, has been improved for the Aura loudspeakers to extend the response to an impressive 36kHz.
The Aura Series includes two standmount models (Aura 1 and Aura 2), two floorstanders (Aura 3 and Aura 4), and two center speakers for home cinema systems (Aura C and Aura CS). The speaker configurations range from two-way to three-way designs, with dedicated midrange units accompanying the AMT tweeter.
Derived directly from the Elysian project, the Aura Series boasts bass and midrange cones made from a woven glass fiber matrix, ensuring low mass and high rigidity. The crossover networks are meticulously designed to minimize electromagnetic interference, and Wharfedale's proprietary Slot Loaded Profiled Port (SLPP) design aims to deliver efficient bass reflex while minimizing turbulence.
The Aura speakers' cabinets are a visual and acoustic delight. Lacquered and polished, the smooth curves are not just aesthetically pleasing but also serve the purpose of dispersing acoustic output smoothly into the room without undesirable reflections. The cabinet construction, named Panel Resonance Optimization System (PROS), involves layers of woods of differing densities to minimize panel resonance and prevent unwanted internal sound energy interference.
For audiophiles looking to enhance their home audio setup, the Aura Series is set to be available from October 9, 2023, in black, white, or walnut wood veneer finishes. Optional stands, designed to complement the Aura 1 and Aura 2 standmounts, will also be available.
Here's a glimpse of the retail prices:
