Wharfedale Owners Thread

Hello Wharfedale owners!
This is my first post on audiokarma. I was so excited to join your community and show off with a pair of Dovadale I've picked up on ebay recently. Unfortunately previous owner wasn't honest with me or he was just unaware of the whole thing. They are not Dovedales! One cabinet is W2 other is Dovedale. Woofers are not the same. Looks like someone had two or three sets and decided to put it together as one pair using available components. I will get a refund via PayPal/eBay easily as what I got is far away from description so I'm not worried about the money. I was wondering if anyone of you guys is actually interested in parts, maybe you're after a specific speaker or whole cabinet? Please let me know asap before I start a case with eBay. Hope this post is not inappropriate but fell free to delete if it is.
 
Here is a quote from the resident expert.
Wanted to straighten out this old thread that never got answered. By the way, I'm terribly-sorry for my absence over the last year. Been dealing with some things.

To start off, the W*0 series models were created to satisfy the US/North American customers, who they felt wanted a bit more bass than what the UK/European models could offer. The first model in that series was the 2-way, ported W60, introduced in 1960 and named as such to commemorate the year. It uses a tweeter that is a variation of the Super 5 used in the W2, plus a 12.5" alnico woofer in a cabinet that is roughly the size of the Large Advent. The W60 later became a 3-way and went through various driver changes along the way, but the original was a 2-way with alnico drivers (I believe they started using ceramic magnets in that original 2-way in 1964, as that was the case for other W*0 models as well... It became a 3-way with the introduction of the W60C, which I believe was also the first Wharfedale model to use that later fried-egg-looking tweeter... The early W60D model used an identical-looking tweeter for a short time before replacing with that W*0D MKII tweeter that looks more-dome-like, but the W60C had a ported cab, so that's the easiest way to tell... But the original W60 used a cone-type tweeter, and for the first 3 years, used alnico magnets).

The 2-way, ported W2 has British/European origins, although it WAS also made available in the US/Canada through it's New York and Canadian distributors. It was part of the W* series (introduced in 1959 if I remember correctly), which also included the W3 and W4. The Airedale could be called a part of this series, although it didn't come out until 1961 if I remember it right (The Airedale was created to satisfy customers who wanted the sound of the huge 9ft Corner Speaker model without the gigantic cabinet-size).

The W2 has a SMALLER cabinet than that early W60. That's the biggest difference between the two. The original W2 uses the alnico version of the Super 5 tweeter. The original W60 used a variation of that Super 5 (You will see 2-way W60's with alnico or ceramic tweeters, depending on when they were made... I don't know if the W2 ever used ceramic drivers, but the original had alnico ones). As far as I know, the W2 uses the same amount of cabinet displacement as the Dovedale (1965) and Dovedale 3 (introduced around late 1968 or early 1969) models, which were basically an update/continuation of that original W2 from 1959. I don't think the W2 and W60 used identical woofers. They were both 12.5", but my bet is that the W60's woofer was tweaked a bit in some way. But the W60 had a bigger cab than the Dovedale-sized W2.

I hope this helps straighten things out for those looking for an explanation of the differences between the two models. They look similar, but if you saw them together, the difference would be obvious. Plus, the original W2 had that red ribboning around the perimeter of the grill. I don't think the Dovedale and Dovedale 3 (as in 3-way) had that look to the grill, but the Dovedale from '65 was ported, I believe, while the Dovedale 3 used a sealed cab. I believe the Dovedale from '65 used at least one alnico driver, but think it was a mix of one alnico and one ceramic driver. There is an old brochure of that Dovedale ('65) floating around online which has the driver info, so poke around a bit, and you should find it. I know I posted it in at least one thread.
 
Heres a hybrid dale. The 8 inch drivers are English and a Foster ribbon for the top end. the dual bass are front ported and the mid is rear ported. Custom cabs with plenty of bracing and damping. 19mm MDF & 2pac.They really don't need much drive to sing. 93dB, 8 ohm
Dales.JPG
 
Does anyone know where Gang-Twanger is? I sent a couple of posts before I realized his last was in 2016.
 
Ok, regular intro. Long time lurker just starting to post. Im learning as I go. Im also beginning to trust my ears. I'm also beginning to understand some of the sound vernacular.

Here is my story in regard to British sound equipment. I'll give the short story. Three years ago I'm given a pair of B&W DM 3000 speakers. I love them but they don't jive with the analog end of my system. I let them go. A few weeks ago I find a set of almost matching speakers. Similar 5 cu.ft. cabs each containing a Wharfedale alnico Super 12. One is a super 12/fs/al and the other an earlier super 12/cs/al. I'm impressed by the sound of a "full range" driver. I started doing research on using these in an open baffle configuration. Then last week I find a pair of minty, 1963 W70's. OMG! I love the two full range drivers run parallel, I believe, with the addition of a tweeter! I also found that the 70s do sound better turned on their side. In my case this aligned the tweeted with my ears. The 70s are not bass heavy but that works great for my apartment. They display everything I want out of a speaker even at lower levels. I'll leave my speakers that like to be played loud at my commercial building downtown. No nieghbors to annoy there.
 

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Ok, regular intro. Long time lurker just starting to post. Im learning as I go. Im also beginning to trust my ears. I'm also beginning to understand some of the sound vernacular.

Here is my story in regard to British sound equipment. I'll give the short story. Three years ago I'm given a pair of B&W DM 3000 speakers. I love them but they don't jive with the analog end of my system. I let them go. A few weeks ago I find a set of almost matching speakers. Similar 5 cu.ft. cabs each containing a Wharfedale alnico Super 12. One is a super 12/fs/al and the other an earlier super 12/cs/al. I'm impressed by the sound of a "full range" driver. I started doing research on using these in an open baffle configuration. Then last week I find a pair of minty, 1963 W70's. OMG! I love the two full range drivers run parallel, I believe, with the addition of a tweeter! I also found that the 70s do sound better turned on their side. In my case this aligned the tweeted with my ears. The 70s are not bass heavy but that works great for my apartment. They display everything I want out of a speaker even at lower levels. I'll leave my speakers that like to be played loud at my commercial building downtown. No nieghbors to annoy there.

Welcome and congrats!
 
Dot Heton. I had a pair of those. Really liked them. The wife said they were too big for the living room. So another owner got them. I have a dedicated sound area now.
 
Dot Heton. I had a pair of those. Really liked them. The wife said they were too big for the living room. So another owner got them. I have a dedicated sound area now.

I can’t have mine in the living room either. I keep mine in the basement. I can really turn them up and not bother anyone but I like the comfort of my living room better and spend more time there.
 
I'm finding my W70s are more like headphones than loudspeakers. The sweet spot in the room I'm listening seems to be a 4.5'x4.5x4.5 triangle. It would be hard for two to appreciate these speakers unless they were rather intimate....
Hehehe I've just discovered my new seduction technique! I love this stuff!
 
A pair of W70d have come up on that auction site. They are in Pennsylvania. Not mine but if you are yearning for a pair, these look nice. The cabinets look a lot like my rosedales, which are 3 ways. The w70d are 4 ways. These cabinets are real wife pleasers, if that helps.
Sand filled backs , which come out with screws, so you can replace the caps if need be (likely) .
Dust these babies off and give them a waxing and recap them. Instant Karma.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-WH...358418?hash=item5900135d52:g:VY8AAOSwH5pZ5OUR
 
New user here. had the diamond 220's for about 2 years and a half. Loved the speakers and my only real complaint was in the low end. went all in on the 250's, somewhat regretful, but happy with them now. At first the 220's had a bigger sound stage and more clear treble. after breaking the speakers in everything kind of tightened up. As the 250's take up more room than i thought in my living room, i may look to downsize to some decent bookshelf speakers. Any recommendations for under 2k? will be powered by a rega Brio.
 
I haven't seen this thread before! Not long ago I picked up a very nice pair of W90's. Port one side, vents the other. They are up next for a recap. However, the Lpads were very corroded and after cleaning are still scatchy with dead spots. Are there any replacements for these other than what I find from parts express? I come up with nothing.
Thanks
 
I haven't seen this thread before! Not long ago I picked up a very nice pair of W90's. Port one side, vents the other. They are up next for a recap. However, the Lpads were very corroded and after cleaning are still scatchy with dead spots. Are there any replacements for these other than what I find from parts express? I come up with nothing.
Thanks

Congrats on the W90's! I found a pair not long ago but the cabinets were toast....I would have needed a degree in carpentry to get them back right. Have you Deoxit it and really worked them good?
 
Congrats on the W90's! I found a pair not long ago but the cabinets were toast....I would have needed a degree in carpentry to get them back right. Have you Deoxit it and really worked them good?
Yes. Two are shot. The other two are iffy. Its weird, since the cabinets, drivers and grills are almost like new. They came from an estate sale where the owner bought them new. But that white corrosion is all over the speaker magnets and really got into the Lpads. I've seen several threads out there on the interwebs where the dual pots from Partexpress will work, but those are 8ohm. The originals are 50 ohm. Even fixed resistor values that would work well would be welcome info. Along with how to wire them.
 
Yes. Two are shot. The other two are iffy. Its weird, since the cabinets, drivers and grills are almost like new. They came from an estate sale where the owner bought them new. But that white corrosion is all over the speaker magnets and really got into the Lpads. I've seen several threads out there on the interwebs where the dual pots from Partexpress will work, but those are 8ohm. The originals are 50 ohm. Even fixed resistor values that would work well would be welcome info. Along with how to wire them.

Other than finding some on flea bay or finding some hangar queen W90's....I've got nothing. Sorry brother!
 
Other than finding some on flea bay or finding some hangar queen W90's....I've got nothing. Sorry brother!
Yup. I'm thinking of disassembling them and see if I can clean them better. It wouldn't be the first time I've had to do that. Most of the time it works out well unless the wiper is toast.
 
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