Help Identifying Wharfedale Speakers
- Thread starter drew502
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cubby01
aka Buck
AFAIK, they aren't 'clones'. The Radio People were the Asian distributor for Wharfedale speakers into Asia. Many with that back label were bought by GIs and shipped to the states. EDIT: Possibly they were contracted with Wharfedale to build cabs in Asia so the drivers and crossovers could be sent and assembled there. I've seen that speculated as well.
Last edited:
kfa888
Addicted Member
Yes, the idea was it is much cheaper to ship drivers than complete speakers. The "Radio People" of Japan built nice cabs to spec and loaded them with the right Wharfedale drivers and ended up with nice product. Not 100% warfedale but real good none the less.
drew502
Member
Thanks for all replies!
Ok, so other than the cabinets, would they be "100%" Wharfedale? Also, anyone know if these would be more akin to W70's or W90's?
Ok, so other than the cabinets, would they be "100%" Wharfedale? Also, anyone know if these would be more akin to W70's or W90's?
Ghonk
GREG
This might help some.
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=439501
http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=439501
Listening to W70 stack now. The Pacific version over the Atlantic.
Do not be so fast to change your binding posts. I think they are called XLRs. Think guitar amp connections. Ask at Guitar Center. Easy to use.
The different version (mine anyway) came with different badges.
Do not be so fast to change your binding posts. I think they are called XLRs. Think guitar amp connections. Ask at Guitar Center. Easy to use.
The different version (mine anyway) came with different badges.
drew502
Member
Thanks Ghonk; that is helpful! :thmbsp:
mitchalee
Active Member
It's a puzzlement!
OK.
Heres' the THING.
I have some Wharfedale speakers from the middle of the 20th Century. OK.
But one pair is a mystery. I THINK they are model W70. But W70 had screw terminals. These have banana jacks. W70 are usually 10 Lbs. heavier than these. W70 can be 4-way, 3-way, 2-way with an 8" passive radiator; but NOT 3-way acoustic suspension with stunningly deep, controlled rock and roll bass, can they? Really? At least, I've never heard of that. And W70s have both a mid and treble volume control. Well, these have no controls at all. Just banana plugs. And the Wharfedale amplifier connections are on the back toward the top of the cabinets. These are set low near the bottom. And the W70s are not noted for handing a lot of power. These can.
So are these W70s or not?
I think they are. Now you might say, "They have been modified."
NO. NOT SO. I was the first person to remove the grills. I can tell. The screws on the back have not been turned since the factory. I can tell. They are even rusted in place. The banana jacks are original. I can tell. They are from the 1960s or 70s. Old style. And they are set in little metallic Naugahyde-ish recessed rectangular holes with rounded edges in the unmistakable Wharfedale manner.
So this is how they came from the factory. But what factory? Did Wharfedale have a North American facility making odd-ball less expensive units? I mean the cabinets look fully Wharfedale. Fully.
But, here's the other thing. They have a lot in common with the Sterling Cathedral Series Westminster model. A lot. Same lighter weight. Same banana jacks. Similar odd pressed scrap wood backs. I mean, some of these are not just similarities; they are identical. But, of course, the drivers are completely different size, style, etc. Wharfedale drivers are something special! Not that the Westminster does no sound nice.
Anyway, it's a puzzlement!
I believe, though it is in the main a matter of faith, that I own 6 pairs of Wharfedale loudspeakers. Let's give it a shot:
1. Linton 2, a small two-way acoustic suspension design. Lower volume and power, less bass, but quire musical in an AR or KLH sort of way
2. W60c, a very heavy solid build, sand in the back wall, 12 inch woofer, 5 inch mid-tweeter, one of the sweetest speakers I have ever enjoyed, nearly perfect midrange
3. W60e, a nice 3-way rock speaker to compete favorably with JBL, Pioneer, Sansui, et al. Not much magic, but real kick ass power and definition
4. W70 in generic cedar utility cabinet, very solid build, sand in back wall, bass reflex design with tons of powerful bass and mid and high clarity. All-in-all, a superior speaker at a bargain price
5. W70c, Acoustic suspension with 12 inch woofer and 5 inch mid-tweeter and 8 inch passive upper bass radiator. Very refined sound. Great for classical and combo jazz. Sweet!
6. W70?, no tone controls, banana jacks at bottom back, (same place as the Sterling Westminster) and, maybe, sand filled back wall (but less sand), acoustic. suspension. I take the lack of tone controls as a good thing! The sound is full, stable. solid, perhaps a little thick in the very high end. But the most predictably able to handle most genres with a well, rounded competent flexibility of any of the W70 designs. Also I thing a hair smaller and lighter than most W70 designs
It's a puzzlement.
OK.
Heres' the THING.
I have some Wharfedale speakers from the middle of the 20th Century. OK.
But one pair is a mystery. I THINK they are model W70. But W70 had screw terminals. These have banana jacks. W70 are usually 10 Lbs. heavier than these. W70 can be 4-way, 3-way, 2-way with an 8" passive radiator; but NOT 3-way acoustic suspension with stunningly deep, controlled rock and roll bass, can they? Really? At least, I've never heard of that. And W70s have both a mid and treble volume control. Well, these have no controls at all. Just banana plugs. And the Wharfedale amplifier connections are on the back toward the top of the cabinets. These are set low near the bottom. And the W70s are not noted for handing a lot of power. These can.
So are these W70s or not?
I think they are. Now you might say, "They have been modified."
NO. NOT SO. I was the first person to remove the grills. I can tell. The screws on the back have not been turned since the factory. I can tell. They are even rusted in place. The banana jacks are original. I can tell. They are from the 1960s or 70s. Old style. And they are set in little metallic Naugahyde-ish recessed rectangular holes with rounded edges in the unmistakable Wharfedale manner.
So this is how they came from the factory. But what factory? Did Wharfedale have a North American facility making odd-ball less expensive units? I mean the cabinets look fully Wharfedale. Fully.
But, here's the other thing. They have a lot in common with the Sterling Cathedral Series Westminster model. A lot. Same lighter weight. Same banana jacks. Similar odd pressed scrap wood backs. I mean, some of these are not just similarities; they are identical. But, of course, the drivers are completely different size, style, etc. Wharfedale drivers are something special! Not that the Westminster does no sound nice.
Anyway, it's a puzzlement!
I believe, though it is in the main a matter of faith, that I own 6 pairs of Wharfedale loudspeakers. Let's give it a shot:
1. Linton 2, a small two-way acoustic suspension design. Lower volume and power, less bass, but quire musical in an AR or KLH sort of way
2. W60c, a very heavy solid build, sand in the back wall, 12 inch woofer, 5 inch mid-tweeter, one of the sweetest speakers I have ever enjoyed, nearly perfect midrange
3. W60e, a nice 3-way rock speaker to compete favorably with JBL, Pioneer, Sansui, et al. Not much magic, but real kick ass power and definition
4. W70 in generic cedar utility cabinet, very solid build, sand in back wall, bass reflex design with tons of powerful bass and mid and high clarity. All-in-all, a superior speaker at a bargain price
5. W70c, Acoustic suspension with 12 inch woofer and 5 inch mid-tweeter and 8 inch passive upper bass radiator. Very refined sound. Great for classical and combo jazz. Sweet!
6. W70?, no tone controls, banana jacks at bottom back, (same place as the Sterling Westminster) and, maybe, sand filled back wall (but less sand), acoustic. suspension. I take the lack of tone controls as a good thing! The sound is full, stable. solid, perhaps a little thick in the very high end. But the most predictably able to handle most genres with a well, rounded competent flexibility of any of the W70 designs. Also I thing a hair smaller and lighter than most W70 designs
It's a puzzlement.
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