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Rise and fall of speaker companies...
- Thread starter Nuvintage
- Start date
Kef is still going strong but some of their recent designs I've not liked the sound of (others I have but their budget line sounds terrible IMHO). I'd like to hear their new small reference monitor, the LS50. Looks to be a nice speaker and isn't outrageously priced. Well, not if you look at it from the perspective of the current market.
Gang-Twanger
Resident Wharfedaliophool
Since I'm sort of becoming the resident Wharfedale obsessophile here on AK, why change?
Wharfedale produced some truly-world-class speakers when founder Gilbert Briggs ("The Father Of Hi-Fi") was at the helm. He also wrote 21 books geared towards the layman hi-fi enthusiast, and these books are still influential today. Briggs worked/collaborated alongside a veritable who's who of hi-fi pioneers including Raymond Cooke, who would go on to form KEF, Harold Leak (I think he worked in the plumbing business
), and his close friend/colleague and Quad-founder Peter Walker (Briggs and Walker organized the popular "live vs recorded" demonstrations held in places like Carnegie Hall in NYC and the Royal Festival Hall in London). Briggs started Wharfedale in 1932 (with no formal relevant training) after the Depression ended his 27-year career in the textile industry, and he designed those speakers himself for well-over twenty years, which is amazing for someone with no experience in the field.
In 1958, when Gilbert Briggs was 68 years old, Wharfedale was sold to a British entertainment conglomerate known as the Rank Organization (with Briggs remaining on board to run the day to day operations until his retirement in 1965), and this led to a period a of rapid development/expansion of the Wharfedale brand, where they produced their most-well-known models and also pioneered such innovations as the roll-surround. The Wharfedale brand under Rank's ownership remained a strong competitor in the loudspeaker industry (despite a fire in the mid '80's that destroyed the factory, and despite the supposedly-god-awful CRS line they produced) until the early '90's when Rank sold the company to the Verity Group (who also happened to own Quad and Leak at the time). Verity sold the brand to IAG (International Audio Group) in the late '90's, and they still own the company today.
The Wharfedale of 2012, sadly, has little more in common with the Wharfedale of old other than the name (Such is the case with many other audio brands today, thus the thread title). The brand is still quite-popular and the company quite-successful, but today's Wharfedales are made in China instead of Britain, and while they do produce some really-nice speakers these days, I prefer the old classics. Here's a few of my favorites...
The Airedales...
The original, ported, early '60's W70's (Introduced in the early '60's as part of the original, ported, alnico-loaded W** series... Easily one of the best-looking models they ever made (I think these look better with the legs, but they made W70's without them as well).
And the best-sounding Wharfedales I've ever heard, the TOTL W90's (Also from the Briggs-era W** series of the early '60's... Listening to some Jimi on them now... "Are You Experienced"... Jimi sounds frigging-amazing with these speakers... It's like every bit of GOOD detail and dynamics is there, but none of the bad... They're ultra-smooth on top, but they don't SOUND rolled-off... Not to me... I personally-feel a lot of speakers today are much-too-bright/overly-present... Detailed to a fault).
The 3-way W60E model with the famous purple dome-tweeter (from the W**E series introduced in 1971)
And I couldn't find a picture, but here's a great video of another Wharfie model I want to get my hands on... The W30 (This is actually a damn-good representation of the classic Wharfedale mids and highs, not to mention their perfect timbre):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R75sr4c7CGM
And here's my W90's:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49yUX-f-S1g
Wharfedale produced some truly-world-class speakers when founder Gilbert Briggs ("The Father Of Hi-Fi") was at the helm. He also wrote 21 books geared towards the layman hi-fi enthusiast, and these books are still influential today. Briggs worked/collaborated alongside a veritable who's who of hi-fi pioneers including Raymond Cooke, who would go on to form KEF, Harold Leak (I think he worked in the plumbing business
), and his close friend/colleague and Quad-founder Peter Walker (Briggs and Walker organized the popular "live vs recorded" demonstrations held in places like Carnegie Hall in NYC and the Royal Festival Hall in London). Briggs started Wharfedale in 1932 (with no formal relevant training) after the Depression ended his 27-year career in the textile industry, and he designed those speakers himself for well-over twenty years, which is amazing for someone with no experience in the field. In 1958, when Gilbert Briggs was 68 years old, Wharfedale was sold to a British entertainment conglomerate known as the Rank Organization (with Briggs remaining on board to run the day to day operations until his retirement in 1965), and this led to a period a of rapid development/expansion of the Wharfedale brand, where they produced their most-well-known models and also pioneered such innovations as the roll-surround. The Wharfedale brand under Rank's ownership remained a strong competitor in the loudspeaker industry (despite a fire in the mid '80's that destroyed the factory, and despite the supposedly-god-awful CRS line they produced) until the early '90's when Rank sold the company to the Verity Group (who also happened to own Quad and Leak at the time). Verity sold the brand to IAG (International Audio Group) in the late '90's, and they still own the company today.
The Wharfedale of 2012, sadly, has little more in common with the Wharfedale of old other than the name (Such is the case with many other audio brands today, thus the thread title). The brand is still quite-popular and the company quite-successful, but today's Wharfedales are made in China instead of Britain, and while they do produce some really-nice speakers these days, I prefer the old classics. Here's a few of my favorites...
The Airedales...
The original, ported, early '60's W70's (Introduced in the early '60's as part of the original, ported, alnico-loaded W** series... Easily one of the best-looking models they ever made (I think these look better with the legs, but they made W70's without them as well).
And the best-sounding Wharfedales I've ever heard, the TOTL W90's (Also from the Briggs-era W** series of the early '60's... Listening to some Jimi on them now... "Are You Experienced"... Jimi sounds frigging-amazing with these speakers... It's like every bit of GOOD detail and dynamics is there, but none of the bad... They're ultra-smooth on top, but they don't SOUND rolled-off... Not to me... I personally-feel a lot of speakers today are much-too-bright/overly-present... Detailed to a fault).
The 3-way W60E model with the famous purple dome-tweeter (from the W**E series introduced in 1971)
And I couldn't find a picture, but here's a great video of another Wharfie model I want to get my hands on... The W30 (This is actually a damn-good representation of the classic Wharfedale mids and highs, not to mention their perfect timbre):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R75sr4c7CGM
And here's my W90's:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49yUX-f-S1g
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dc270
Now Off the Reservation
I get so dissapointed in "main stream" audio these days, especially below $500 and then some. Thin boxes, tinny sounding drivers, bloated bass, etc. For my $500 a custom built design makes a lot more sence. You can buy PE knock down cabs, make a custom baffle two designs with great quality 10" & 1" drivers, incorperate a well thought out xovers and still be in the $500 range with nothing much to beat them with. One thing for sure, great driver technologycan be bought and with some imagination made into some fantastic speakers to rival, exceed and beat the mainstrean and even betond.
Even if DIY does not suit you there are still excellent viable older speaker designs still out there like Time Frames, certain Infinities, Klipsch, Polks, EV Interfaces, Small Altecs, JBL's, EPI's, Advents, CV's and a lot more. In todays cash strapped market there are huge speaker bargains everywhere. Throw some fresh caps, a re-foam and mayae refinish them and they make great music investments.
There are some esoteric brands out there if you are willing to look that sound quite fine, but locating show rooms, shipping costs and the initial outlay is tough for most to get hold of.
DC
Even if DIY does not suit you there are still excellent viable older speaker designs still out there like Time Frames, certain Infinities, Klipsch, Polks, EV Interfaces, Small Altecs, JBL's, EPI's, Advents, CV's and a lot more. In todays cash strapped market there are huge speaker bargains everywhere. Throw some fresh caps, a re-foam and mayae refinish them and they make great music investments.
There are some esoteric brands out there if you are willing to look that sound quite fine, but locating show rooms, shipping costs and the initial outlay is tough for most to get hold of.
DC
Kahoona
Super Member
IMHO there is a common trajectory that many companies wind up following, Audio and otherwise. First a person with a burning vision and the drive to make it real creates a product that is significantly better or different from most others and it is good. The person refines and develops the product and it catches on. This is better. With the funds from the sucess he makes it even better until the pinnacle of design evolution is reached and hopefully maintained. He is a artist and a master craftsman and strives for the best he can do and does not compromise by making cut rate stuff just for the money. It is the best!. He has a reputation to uphold. Those are the speakers that we love. Because of ......... or .......... he sells stock in the company, gives it to the kids, expires ect. ect. The board of directors sees that the mid sized company could be expanded if they just compromised a bit or changed that. The stockholders want money NOW not long run steady earnings. That reputation is worth a fortune stamped onto Chinese products that will sell millions. Eventually the company itself is worth more as an entity than the products are and it sells, sometimes repeatedly as its reputation declines. In the end the company tanks or declines to nothing.
It is the story of addiction to faster profits. It, like any addiction is usually terminal. Sometimes though someone (often a decedent of the founder or a devoted fan) develops that fire inside and starts over. These old names can return if they go back to their core values. From here they can go either way. Think Harley after AMX. Think Chrysler's miraculous return.
Some of the best never make it to burnout or have not yet. They seem to fly along just above the radar horizon surprising those who can tell the difference and unknown to the masses. I love my big NHT's. They are the only speakers since the KLH 5's that I won't sell or swap. There are others who have never compromised but then few ever hear of them but they are still out there. Triumph and tragedy, it's life. End of dissertation.
It is the story of addiction to faster profits. It, like any addiction is usually terminal. Sometimes though someone (often a decedent of the founder or a devoted fan) develops that fire inside and starts over. These old names can return if they go back to their core values. From here they can go either way. Think Harley after AMX. Think Chrysler's miraculous return.
Some of the best never make it to burnout or have not yet. They seem to fly along just above the radar horizon surprising those who can tell the difference and unknown to the masses. I love my big NHT's. They are the only speakers since the KLH 5's that I won't sell or swap. There are others who have never compromised but then few ever hear of them but they are still out there. Triumph and tragedy, it's life. End of dissertation.
jazzmans
Super Member
Infinity, as we knew it is dead, it is owned by Harmon International, same parent company as JBL.
AFAICG, they only bought Infinity to get into car audio, and pretty quickly dropped all the good lines and tech.... Infinity's now are low end JBL...
That's my opinion, anyway.
jaz
AFAICG, they only bought Infinity to get into car audio, and pretty quickly dropped all the good lines and tech.... Infinity's now are low end JBL...
That's my opinion, anyway.
jaz
JohnMichael
Super Member
I sold audio in the early 80's and JBL was one of the speaker lines at the shop. I bought my brother a pair of L19's. The quality was still very good in those days. I lost interest in JBL as the products changed and seem to have cheapened.
Recently I saw the Studio 5 series with their vertical horn loaded tweeters and I had to hear a pair. I bought the Studio 530 stand mount model. What a great speaker for the price. I think JBL is making some good entry level speakers again.
Recently I saw the Studio 5 series with their vertical horn loaded tweeters and I had to hear a pair. I bought the Studio 530 stand mount model. What a great speaker for the price. I think JBL is making some good entry level speakers again.
Mcintosh mainly known for their fame with amps and audio gear from what I recall, first started right around 1970 with the ML -1, then ML-2, and the ML-4. I think the early ones were made by United Speaker Systems which was the same company that Fisher used to make their speakers ran by Bill Hecht. That Hecht guy could also be included as the father of audio when it comes to speakers, as he seemed to be making speakers for quite a few different companies.
I would say every year from that point Mcintosh made better models and sounding speakers up to this day. Yes they have some lower end models but not really what one thinks of as lower end, as even their bottom of the line up speakers are probably better than a lot of other brands good speakers. I have heard some pretty good speakers made by Mcintosh, but I would say their later models are much better sounding than there early ones.
I would say every year from that point Mcintosh made better models and sounding speakers up to this day. Yes they have some lower end models but not really what one thinks of as lower end, as even their bottom of the line up speakers are probably better than a lot of other brands good speakers. I have heard some pretty good speakers made by Mcintosh, but I would say their later models are much better sounding than there early ones.
dc270
Now Off the Reservation
Well said Kahoona, this senarior is played out in the corperate realms on regular occasions. It simply is the lure of money, then more money, then compromise them more compromise. Compromise is a slippery slope, while it can be used to garner a name of stature and greatness, it can also be that of a lot less and belittle the name.
I cannot help but think if my name were on the product or greatly assocatiated with it I would have and want the best reputation as well. Once it looses to the bean counters and board room I would dissolve myself from it- as many have probably done and perhaps even then not enough........a name had wonderful honot at one time, perhaps it can once again.
DC
I cannot help but think if my name were on the product or greatly assocatiated with it I would have and want the best reputation as well. Once it looses to the bean counters and board room I would dissolve myself from it- as many have probably done and perhaps even then not enough........a name had wonderful honot at one time, perhaps it can once again.
DC
peterfranks
Super Member
I have vintage stereo gear so I buy vintage speakers - seems to work out really well.
Nuvintage
Active Member
I looked forward to speaker brochures, ads and catalogs from JBL, Klipsch,ar, Infinity and Polk. In the 90's things went south for most of them and I looked elsewhere. The good thing is that yes, those speakers are still around and I can buy them, and make them sound even better than new. I don't need to worry about the gimmick du jour or the latest snob approved models. As was posted elsewhere, good speakers are good speakers. I just hated to see something so desirable dwindle away.
cubdog
banging through drywall
I have owned a lot of Polk speakers. The best being a late 90s offering the RT 10. That whole RT line was outstanding. I have also owned a few Klipsch included RF7IIs which I liked better than the Cornwalls they replaced. Better yet are my current speaker the Epic CF3 from 1994. Every speaker company has hits and misses.
cubdog
cubdog
What do you mean, "snob"? Are you implying that those who like new speakers are snobs? Or what?
RamblinE
(╯°□°)╯彡┻━┻
Just seems like a lot of this is appearance driven. Like the postings of the Polk speakers. It was like, look at this GLORIOUS SDA model compared to this lowly Best Buy model.
I dunno. I don't get it. The Klipsch comparison.. Khorns and Lescala's vs. their HT geared speakers...
Just seems a bit too much like judging a book by it's cover.
I dunno. I don't get it. The Klipsch comparison.. Khorns and Lescala's vs. their HT geared speakers...
Just seems a bit too much like judging a book by it's cover.
Gang-Twanger
Resident Wharfedaliophool
Yeah, that later version did not have anywhere near as much "thrust"...