Short answer: the Wharfedale Aura 2. It ranks #13 of 222 bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 4.6/5, at $2,799; the Arendal 1528 Monitor 8 ranks #23, rated 4.4/5, and costs $6,000, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
Why pick the Wharfedale Aura 2: A mini tower style bookshelf speaker with nearly flat response, huge clean output, wide sound, and bass that reaches deep in most rooms. The catch: A breakup/peak around 13kHz can sound sharp or shrill depending on the track, the main tonal flaw noted.
The Arendal 1528 Monitor 8 is the deeper-bass pick. A big three way monitor with dual 8 inch woofers, bass deep enough to skip a subwoofer, and extremely low distortion at high volume. Its bass reaches about 41Hz before falling 3dB, against 56Hz for the Wharfedale Aura 2. The catch: A dip in the midbase around 100Hz noticeably reduces the “chestiness” of male vocals compared to the reviewer’s reference speaker.
Buy the Wharfedale Aura 2. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Arendal 1528 Monitor 8 and costs less, which makes it the one to get unless you need something the other one does better.
Want more options? Browse the full Passive Home rankings.
A mini tower style bookshelf speaker with nearly flat response, huge clean output, wide sound, and bass that reaches deep in most rooms.
A big three way monitor with dual 8 inch woofers, bass deep enough to skip a subwoofer, and extremely low distortion at high volume.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Wharfedale Aura 2 | Arendal 1528 Monitor 8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2799 per pair | $6000 per pair |
| Ranked | #13 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #23 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 30Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 26Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 56Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 22.1”H x 11.3”W x 15.3”D (561.3 x 287 x 388.6 mm) | 31.8”H x 11.4”W x 17.6”D (807.7 x 289.6 x 447 mm) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal (3.1 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 4 ohms nominal, 3.8 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 6.5” Black Glass Fibre Matrix Cone woofer, 4” Black Glass Fibre Matrix Cone midrange, 27x90mm AMT tweeter | Dual 8” woofers, 5” midrange, 28mm tweeter |
| Sensitivity | 87dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 84.4dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 45 lbs (20.4 kg) each | 103.6 lbs (47 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.03 | 5.59 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.65 | 7.04 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
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