AURA 3 (Pair)

AURA AMT

Equipped with the now world-famous Wharfedale AMT transducer, each AURA model emits breathtaking high-frequency de?nition.

Unlike conventional dome or other ribbon and planar diaphragms, the Wharfedale AMT high-frequency transducer does not move forwards and backwards like a piston. It is, therefore, not constrained by the mass of its diaphragm, with the attendant blurring of transient response. Instead, the diaphragm is folded and carries conductive elements immersed in an immensely strong magnetic ?eld. Not only is this an e?cient way of moving air, but it is also highly accurate as the diaphragm is under close control of the motor system at all times. The result is a wide bandwidth transducer that achieves extremely low distortion and extraordinary musical detail, with scintillating speed and dynamic ability.

AURA Cones

As Wharfedale engineers found when designing the ?agship ELYSIAN series, the transient accuracy and e?ciency of the AMT need to be matched by the midrange and bass drivers for a seamless audio performance. Accordingly, AURA also uses a proprietary woven glass ?bre matrix diaphragm for the midrange and bass cones terminated by high-?exibility rubber surrounds. The voice coils driving the cones are immersed in high ?ux magnetic ?elds, with eddy currents and inductance controlled by copper-clad pole pieces.

These low-distortion motor systems are mounted on die-cast aluminium chassis, each ?xed to the cabinet by six high-tensile bolts to maintain the rigidity of the structure and provide an accurate transient response. The rubber trim rings surrounding each chassis are not just a decorative feature but also control any resonance occurring at the junction of the aluminium chassis and wood cabinet.

Wharfedale’s SLPP (Slot Loaded Pro?led Port) bass re?ex design was developed from the original idea of Gilbert Briggs, the entrepreneur who set up and ran Wharfedale from 1932 to 1964. In the AURA series, the high-pressure, high-velocity air?ow from a downward-facing port is better matched to the low air pressure in the room by distributing the air?ow through a series of slot ports in the plinth. This porting reduces unwanted turbulence from the port and improves the e?ciency of the bass re?ex system – another now design staple of the Wharfedale brand.

AURA Crossover

The crossover is at the heart of every loudspeaker, weaving the overall performance into a ‘sum-of-all-parts’. Wharfedale were one of the ?rst domestic speaker manufacturers to utilise a crossover to divide the frequency band between drive units that were each optimised for bass, midrange and treble.

With 90 years of learning, not to mention the bene?t of having one of the world’s most respected crossover architects leading the development, in the form of Peter Comeau, IAG’s Director of Acoustic Design, the sophisticated crossover networks are ?ne-tuned over hundreds of hours of listening tests to ensure a seamless blend between the drive units.

As with all Wharfedale series, only the highest grade, acoustically transparent components are used throughout the crossover network, ensuring all the musical detail is heard.

AURA Cabinet

AURA cabinets are, in many ways, a work of art. Available in Black, White and a feature-grained Walnut natural wood veneer, each cabinet is then lacquered and polished to present a beautiful piece of furniture you will be proud to have in your home, akin to that of the signi?cantly higher priced ELYSIAN series. The smooth curves of the cabinet are more than just eye-catching. They help to disperse the acoustic output of the drive units smoothly into the room without undesirable re?ections from otherwise sharp edges.

Underneath the polished lacquers lie cabinet walls built from multiple layers of di?ering woods, designed to reduce panel resonance below audibility. This multi-layer construction, PROS (Panel Resonance Optimisation System), has a further bene?t – it inhibits the leakage of unwanted sound energy from inside the cabinet, which would otherwise interfere with the forward output of the drive units.

AURA in Application

The Wharfedale AURA series comes in the form of AURA 1 and 2 stand-mount options. Each is o?ered with optional but suitably striking, custom-engineered stands. Like the speakers they present, the AURA stands use the ?nest materials, such as dark chrome trims matching and exemplifying the attention to detail and sheer quality of the build on o?er.

Floorstanding options of AURA 3 and 4 are accompanied by centre channels in AURA C and the more compact AURA CS for pulsating, thoroughly entertaining home theatre con?gurations.

Based on the recent award-winning history of Wharfedale Diamond 12, EVO4 and the industry-revered ELYSIAN series, Wharfedale AURA con?dently ventures into a new territory and segment.