Short answer: the Wharfedale Aura 2. It ranks #13 of 222 bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 4.6/5, at $2,799. The Dynaudio Emit 20 ranks #133, rated 3.6/5, at $1,049, $1,750 cheaper, not enough of a saving to outweigh the sound-quality gap.
The Wharfedale Aura 2 is the more accurate pick. A mini tower style bookshelf speaker with nearly flat response, huge clean output, wide sound, and bass that reaches deep in most rooms. Its measured preference score, a predictor of how neutral it sounds, is 6.03 against 4.22 for the Dynaudio Emit 20. The catch: A breakup/peak around 13kHz can sound sharp or shrill depending on the track, the main tonal flaw noted.
What the Dynaudio Emit 20 does well: Bookshelf speakers with unusually deep, low distortion bass for a two-way design and wide, consistent dispersion. The catch: A resonance around 600-800Hz gives snares and similar percussion a muffled, flat quality lacking impact: confirmed as originating in the woofer itself (isolated via measurements of the raw driver out of the cabinet), and attempts at constrained-layer damping didn’t resolve it.
Buy the Wharfedale Aura 2. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $1,750 saving on the Dynaudio Emit 20 is not enough to make up the difference.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete 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.
Bookshelf speakers with unusually deep, low distortion bass for a two-way design and wide, consistent dispersion.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Wharfedale Aura 2 | Dynaudio Emit 20 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2799 per pair | $1,049.00 per pair |
| Ranked | #13 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #133 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 30Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 33Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 56Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 54Hz (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) | 14.6”H x 8.1”W x 12.3”D (370.0 x 205.0 x 312.0 mm) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal (3.1 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 6 ohms nominal (5.5 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 6.5” Black Glass Fibre Matrix Cone woofer, 4” Black Glass Fibre Matrix Cone midrange, 27x90mm AMT tweeter | 7.1” Magnesium Silicate Polymer woofer, 1.1” Cerotar soft dome with Hexis tweeter |
| Sensitivity | 87dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 83.5dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner; 86dB manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 45 lbs (20.4 kg) each | 12.8 lbs (5.8 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported, rear |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.03 | 4.22 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.65 | 5.92 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
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