They look like they sound nice. Congrats on gettin' another pair singing again.
Wharfedale Owners Thread
- Thread starter tyeeslayer
- Start date
klipschorn
Klipschorn
Beautiful condition. As for the caps, unless it makes you feel better to replace them, I wouldn't be concerned about it. If it works, don't fix it. The original caps are most likely rated for a much higher voltage than the speakers can handle. Unless they show signs of leaking, they are ok. I'm not certain if the innards of those caps use a paper dielectric. If you know or find out that that is the case, then perhaps replacement may be in order. Again, if it makes you feel better to replace them and if you can find identical components, go for it.
Keep in mind that most manufacturers use capacitors of 10% and even 20% tolerance. This means that the actual capacitance of the cap can be +/- 20% of the value stamped on the case. I say this because if you notice a tonal difference after replacing the caps, don't attribute that difference to previously bad or better newer caps. For instance, if an original cap is 12 uF and happens to be +10%, then the actual capacitance is 13.2 uF. Now, if you replace it with a similar cap that happens to be -10%, that capacitance is then 10.8 uF. The 2.4uF difference will surely produce a tonal difference.
I must admit though, that capacitors rated +/- 10% usually fall within' a more realistic +/- 3%. Tolerances as low as 5% and even 1% are available from audio parts suppliers, if you don't mind paying boutique prices for them.
I may be sticking my neck out by saying that there is a tremendous amount of hype in the sale of audio components. Paul Klipsch, back in the early 70's gave me a metal pin. It was round and about 2 inches in diameter, yellow with black gothic letters printed thereon. One word. As he pinned it on my lapel, he said, "90% of what any audio dealer tells you is right here." The word on the pin was BULLSHIT.
Enjoy your W70's.
Robert
Keep in mind that most manufacturers use capacitors of 10% and even 20% tolerance. This means that the actual capacitance of the cap can be +/- 20% of the value stamped on the case. I say this because if you notice a tonal difference after replacing the caps, don't attribute that difference to previously bad or better newer caps. For instance, if an original cap is 12 uF and happens to be +10%, then the actual capacitance is 13.2 uF. Now, if you replace it with a similar cap that happens to be -10%, that capacitance is then 10.8 uF. The 2.4uF difference will surely produce a tonal difference.
I must admit though, that capacitors rated +/- 10% usually fall within' a more realistic +/- 3%. Tolerances as low as 5% and even 1% are available from audio parts suppliers, if you don't mind paying boutique prices for them.
I may be sticking my neck out by saying that there is a tremendous amount of hype in the sale of audio components. Paul Klipsch, back in the early 70's gave me a metal pin. It was round and about 2 inches in diameter, yellow with black gothic letters printed thereon. One word. As he pinned it on my lapel, he said, "90% of what any audio dealer tells you is right here." The word on the pin was BULLSHIT.
Enjoy your W70's.
Robert
Great Story. Thanks for sharing that. You were lucky to have met him.
rxonmymind
Super Member
Mer71
Nice pair of Wharfedales. Still looking for my first vintage set.
Nice pair of Wharfedales. Still looking for my first vintage set.
klipschorn
Klipschorn
Thank You, Mr. Badger. If you wish, the whole story is here, http://www.ln271828.net/exponent.htm There's two pages, the link to the second is in the BS pin.
I'm considering upgrading my quad setup with some Diamond 10.2s. While I know you are all fans of Wharfedales, has anyone compared the Diamond 10.2s to Polk TSi200s and Monitor 40s? I mean, I can A/B speakers pretty easily with a Niles speaker selector switch but am wondering if anyone has listened to both and can say that moving to Wharfedale Diamond 10.2s is a definite step up.
Thanks.
Thanks.
klipschorn
Klipschorn
Please don't interpret the following as a criticism; it's intended as sound advice. (pun intended)
Don't be influenced by what others think about how a speaker sounds or, for that matter, how a certain food tastes. They're your speakers and those curly things on each side of your head are YOUR ears. If you prefer the sound of one over another, does it really matter what anyone else thinks?
Please don't interpret the following as a criticism; it's intended as sound advice. (pun intended)
Don't be influenced by what others think about how a speaker sounds or, for that matter, how a certain food tastes. They're your speakers and those curly things on each side of your head are YOUR ears. If you prefer the sound of one over another, does it really matter what anyone else thinks?
This is good advice Klipschorn.
But it is important to note that some speakers are clearly better than other speakers.
Certainly better is a vague term and while better speakers are better in different ways, identifying what makes one speaker superior to others is an education for us all.
Of course you are correct and preference of one flavour of better over another is subjective and in many cases better or worse is neither better or worse.
Just different.
Art
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K-horn & Art... thanks for those comments, and I get what each/both of you are saying. I really want to know how big of a jump in audio quality I might get moving up (or is it sideways?) from Polks to KEF/Wharfedale/Klipsch/etc. Might I not even be able to tell the difference? Maybe I'll just have to take advantage of Amazon and order some pairs, hook them all up to my speaker selector and conduct an audition (might be called a "shootout" in audio forums). Return them when the audition is over... maybe keeping the "winner." Thanks again.
klipschorn
Klipschorn
Thank You, Art for your reply. I seemed to have left out that which you brought to my attention, essentially the quality of the materials used in a design. Take, for instance in simple terms, the Wharfedale W15FS and the later W15 RS. The main difference between the two was the annulus, the cone surround. In the FS, it was foam (foam surround) and the RS was a half roll surround which was made of a fine weave of fine thread and most likely untreated, as resins and such of that era will harden in time. While the two were identical with exception of the surround, the later RS would last for decades while the foam surround would rot after 5 to 7 years. Therefore, the RS would be undoubtedly, the better speaker.
Robert
klipschorn
Klipschorn
Art, if you can return speakers after auditioning them at home, all the better, especially if you don't mind the shipping cost, which is small compared tom the speaker cost. Over the decades, I've wondered why so many audiophiles would spend hours in a dealers' show room with possibly little to no consideration of how different they (the speakers) might sound at home. First of all, most dealer show rooms are considerably larger than most rooms unless the customer is wealthy and had a huge house. I've also seen rooms with canted walls; the floor plan resembles a trapezoid in which opposite walls are NOT parallel. If done right, this can work wonders on the sound. Then there's the possibility of hidden equalizers which, with some creative switching, one can switch in different equalizers for each speaker. In more modern times with digital equalizers, only one equalizer would be needed.
Over the decades, I've ended many an argument on room effects by asking my opponent to listen to their speakers in the bathroom and tell me they sound the same as in the living room, for if they do, they had better see an otolaryngologist. (ear doctor).
Robert
Any reason to replace it?
klipschorn
Klipschorn
As Drugolf said, it's a good one. Those older metal can capacitors are probably the oil filled type and if so, will essentially last forever as long as their voltage rating isn't exceeded for long periods. That cap probably has a 50 vac rating. If that voltage level were sent to an 8 ohm speaker of that vintage, it wouldn't last very long. If rated at 50v, that's 312 watts in to 8 ohms. Back when the W70 was introduced, amplifiers with that level of power were few and far between and grossly expensive.
In short, don't worry about that capacitor. I have much older "bathtub" variety metal can capacitors that are still good, capacitance and voltage wise and are well over 50 years old.
Cscarlet41
Active Member
I've been following all things Whafedale in this thread and on the forum in general for quite a while now as I try to decide what to replace my current B&O gear with as I'm looking for the warm smooth sound of British Audio. I already have a pair of Denton 2XP's and they are great 'little' speakers so I knew it was going to be a bigger pair of Wharfedales - but which ones. After listening to various videos on YouTube and reading comments from owners, I decided I wanted the Dovedale 3's.
After a 120 mile round trip this evening I now have a fine pair of Dovedale 3's in a walnut finish. I've hooked them up to a small Sony Cd player as that's all I have available this evening and all I can say is WOW. These really do sound as warm and smooth as I had hoped.
I'm picking up a Sansui 661 stereo receiver later in the week, as I've heard lots of people on AK say how Sansui and Wharfedale go very well together and hearing the Sansui on YouTube videos it's one sweet receiver.
Once I get my Garrard Lab 80 serviced and working properly I think my search for a great little HiFi system will be over for quite a while and I shall enjoy working my way through my vinyl again.
After a 120 mile round trip this evening I now have a fine pair of Dovedale 3's in a walnut finish. I've hooked them up to a small Sony Cd player as that's all I have available this evening and all I can say is WOW. These really do sound as warm and smooth as I had hoped.
I'm picking up a Sansui 661 stereo receiver later in the week, as I've heard lots of people on AK say how Sansui and Wharfedale go very well together and hearing the Sansui on YouTube videos it's one sweet receiver.
Once I get my Garrard Lab 80 serviced and working properly I think my search for a great little HiFi system will be over for quite a while and I shall enjoy working my way through my vinyl again.
Attachments
Congratulations! I had a pair of Dovedale 3s! I loved them! You may find the bextreme rubber is a little stiff and therefore not as much bass as you would expect. Let them play for a while to loosen up. I was tempted to use some Dot 3 brake fluid but lost my nerve. I eventually sold them because although I loved the mids and treble, the bass never went down as low as I wanted.
Cscarlet41
Active Member
Well I've finally picked up my Sansui 661 receiver and got it hooked up to the Dovedale 3s today. The Wharfedale/Sansui combination really does make for a wonderful sound - as many of you already know. Have to say I'm now very happy with my little vintage hifi setup. Obviously this now means I'll have more money left over to buy more vinyl
