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How'd I do? Just picked up a pair of Wharfdale W70s for $50.

I've run my W70Ds on a bunch of different amps and receivers over the past few years, Carver M1.0T, Denon PMA 757, Sony TA 2650, Sansui 881 Marantz 2250 and a few others I can't remember. They never really woke up till I got my Zenith 5G29, 4 watt single ended EL84 console pull done. The difference is night and day, with the tube amp they sound so smooth and sweet. The sound stage wide and deep and the Wharfedales really disappear. Tubes are a whole different rabbit hole to go down, but with old Wharfedales, it's well worth the effort. Oh, by the way the square cap is more than likely paper in oil so no need to recap.
 
So, got home tonight and got them hooked up. Each speaker actually did have a single rca plug. Took a closer look and realized someone had replaced the original plugs with some odd rigged rca plugs. Looks like some new terminal posts are in order. Anyway, got them hooked up and took a listen, and they sound really good. Not tear jerking good, but nice. I'll have to do some side by side listening with my Akai studio monitors to see how they compare.
 
A few things you need to try, get them off the ground so the tweeter is about ear level when sitting, make sure they are about six to eight feet apart, also angle them towards you.
 
C_Little said:
So, got home tonight and got them hooked up. Each speaker actually did have a single rca plug. Took a closer look and realized someone had replaced the original plugs with some odd rigged rca plugs. Looks like some new terminal posts are in order. Anyway, got them hooked up and took a listen, and they sound really good. Not tear jerking good, but nice. I'll have to do some side by side listening with my Akai studio monitors to see how they compare.
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I'd say to hold off determining just how they sound until you've heard them powered by a nice tube amp. :)
 
That was a steal! Beautiful, and with oil caps to boot!
What are your plans with the cabs?
 
GD70 said:
That was a steal! Beautiful, and with oil caps to boot!
What are your plans with the cabs?
Click to expand...
The cabs aren't bad, probably an 8 out of 10. I was planning on treating them to some danish oil, and trying to figure out some stands.
 
Depending on how long they sat and how many hours the college boy put on them, they may need to be played for quite a few hours to loosen up the surrounds. The first time I listened to mine I was very disappointed, muddy, dark, no detail, etc. Mine had electrolytic caps so I recapped with oil caps, that helped some. I put them face to face, wired them out of phase, threw a blanket over them and fed them FM for a week. That really woke them up but even then the more I played them the better they got.
 
There are a few great threads on the W series Wharfedales over in the British Audion section worth reading thru. Some are long and give great info on the entire line and particularly the upper numbers like w60, w70, and of course the venerable w90. Resident Wharfedale guru/lover Gang Twanger used to provide great info in relation to his W90's that he would just wax poetic about until he went MIA.

I have 2 pairs of W70 and one of mine is identical to the OP's Radio Peoples version with the awkward connection. My other pair cam with the original Wharfedale stands which ar really nice yet very simple and when added just look like little feet or legs that raide them up about 3.5".

I started the tube power dialogue above for good resaon as other have been qualifying. The reason I ended up with the w70's was I had some Dynaco tube gear and wanterd something that would nate well with it and many a members suggested the Wharfedales. Found the 2 sets within a couple days of each other and for various reasons couldn't pass them up.

Now I also have the W-35's. For what they are, those are almost more impressive. They have the fantastic upper and mid frequencies of teh the W70's but are not bothered by a big woofer. Add a separate subwoofer and wow.
 
So, I've been working on the Wharfedales, and they are now beautiful. I took some danish oil to them, and wow, the woodgrain is amazing. The pictures don't do them justice.

I also replaced the strange single rca plugs with some high quality posts. I also put them up on some legs to get them off the ground.

And last, but certainly not least I picked up a pair of Roberts 770x mono block tube amps. They are only 5 watts per amp, but wow, when I hooked them up, the Wharfedales really did open up, and the 5 watts will crank them as loud as I'd ever want. I've been listening to them for about a week, and they sound like they've opened up a bit more. That super 3 is sweet! I'm currently waiting on a preamp in the mail so I can give them the true test with my vinyl collection. I'll post again once I have given the vinyl a go.
 

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Very English I'd say. If I remember the walls of the enclosure could be sand filled. That was their trademark design years ago.
Be careful poking around for fear of sand falling out if so built.
 
Very well done and congrats! They really do make for a nice tube based system as an alternative to the more in your face modern power reliant gear.
 
Sorry to get to this late, but I thought I'd share my experience. I own a pair of these with that funny single rca connector. I bought them in the late sixties when I was stationed in South Korea. That little single connector is actually a Motorola radio connector. I bought mine with that on there, so I would assume that it's safe to say that it is original to the speakers. I believe wharfedale was not particularly consistent with their speaker connections as I've seen others that were different and yet probably original. For what it's worth, I'm sure your replacement connections are better, but for over forty years of intermittent service, the Motorola's have never given me any trouble. As have many in our hobby, I've owned and enjoyed many many various brands and models over my lifetime, but have never felt tempted to give up my w70's. They have a wonderful sound that is all their own.
 
Very nice! I have a pair of 1965 W60s that I love. Where did you get your posts from?
 
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