By Felix Lillie
Oranges vs Oranges:
After unpacking the speakers (They come with a comprehensive booklet and spikes.)
I moved my Mission M73's not an easy task the cabinets have been filed with sand.
Hooked them up to my Teac BX 300 amp and Yamaha CDX396 CD player.
Put them in the same position as the Missions, and gave it a spin.
Right out of the box they exhibited a clear transparent mid range and sweet clear sparkling detailed tops.
Things I feel the Missions are lacking.
These two speakers are similar in size and both are two way floor standers are constructed to the same standards.
Both are budget speakers.
Whafedale's are a sealed cabinet design with a passive radiator.
Missions are rear ported.
Listening:
I was somewhat puzzled by the lack of bass response they exhibited. (more on that later and the cure)
The Missions are bass monsters can get very aggressive and annoying. Hence all the sand it tightened them up a lot.
Am Somewhat limited in the positioning of the speakers on this system. Everything is crammed under the stairs in my lounge; tile floor. Not ideal at all. Have to pull the Missions out into the room a bit when I listen otherwise they boom like hell.
Something not working here so I carted them up stairs and put them out into the room well clear of the boundaries; about the same position I have the Vandersteen 2CE Signatures.
Hooked them up Audio Research SP16 Pre Amplifier, Modified Jolida JD 100 Cd Player
Opera Consonance Cyber 800 valve Monoblocks.
Sat down and had a listen: This is still not working still lacking in bass response.
Gave it some thought and had a closer look at them.
Sealed enclosure no port front or back although there is a small plastic plug bunging up a 3cm hole near the bottom of the back of the cabinet.
Did not pull it out as these speakers have a 165mm ABR Auxiliary Bass Radiator, (Passive Radiator) as well as the 165mm bass mid range driver.
Conclusion and instant cure:
In the corner you go guys that will fix you.
Rearranged the room tripping over things and cursing. Where to put things down? Finally got them tucked in the corner, everything out of the way. Sat down with a clear view directly in front of them.
Now we are getting somewhere:
These speakers do have real Bass not that mid range bump that stand mounts have. They go down there.
Played some Annie Lennox "Collection" some Bass heavy tracks on this CD.
Nice now we are rocking. Popped in Abby Road the new remastered CD
Medley (Golden Slumbers) has some whacking drum bits nearly jumped out of the couch. Clear tight whack great stuff.
Played it again. Loud and I mean loud lets see if we can upset these speakers get them to distort boom misbehave go for it.
They took it in their stride no hint of protest at all (78w per channel of pure good clean honest valve amplification real mussel).
Played it some more and thought here is a speaker that delivers sound quality way way above its asking price. How many times I wished for speakers I could put in the corners of the room that would not cloud over and throw a driver wobble and boom.
Bass was giving me a tingle in the bottom sitting on the couch. Very impressive sound stage.
A party came to mind bung them in a corner crank it up all the way and dance your ass of.
Was late for supper and the animals got fed late I was enjoying it so much.
Getting a grip on the sound:
This morning after all the neighbours had left for work I moved them to the smaller room and hooked them up to the Cambridge Audio Sonata AR30 receiver. Using an Enzer DVD player through a QED digit DAC and a Pioneer PL15 turntable with Sumiko Oyster cartridge. Using a Technics SUV 15 integrated amp as a phono stage. So much wrong here but it works very well.
Placed them 8cm from the back wall and 50cm from the side walls
Put on Roxy Music Avalon LP lots of things going on on this LP sound wise.
Delightful warm musical detailed across the audio band no quibble here have heard worse on some so called high end stuff.
The room is small oddly shaped top of an A frame bay window mixture of dry and brick wall vaulted sloping celling above the speakers very sound friendly.
Played Tracy Chapman Talking About a Revolution and "Whisper" jumped out at me never heard it so clear on my usual speakers on this set up.
Playing some more and comparison to the Diamond 10.1's:
Decided to hook them up to a 10w valve amp this amp excels in the mid range and has clean sweet tops and with the right speakers amazing bass control far from loose.
Played some female vocals Joni Mitchell, Dusty Springfield, k.d. Lang, Carly Simon, Kate Bush, Sinead O'Conner, Lisa Stansfield.
No hint of hissing sibilants very impressed how well they revealed the intakes of breath.
Boz Scaggs "Fade Into Light" had me immersed in the music and Patty Smith "Twelve" had me rocking.
Even the 85 year old Mother down stars said they sounded good and what was that I was playing.
Compared to the 10.1's:
The 10.1's have more obvious detail and being stand mounts that is a typical trait.
The CR2-30's more bass and a warmer overall sound an easier listen.
They do not embarrass them selves at all in comparison in some ways I prefer them.
The same sound signature was the same overall and each had the limitations and characteristics of their design parameters as always you pays your money and takes your pick. Want it all in one package then be prepared to pay mega bucks.
Summing up:
These speakers are the bottom of the Wharfedale range budget speakers.
They are not B&W 800 series or Monitor Audio Platinum's. They are not made of the same stuff.
The construction of the Wharfedales is nothing special well made yes for what they are. Nice bi wire posts, plastic imitation leather textured front baffle plastic driver surrounds vinyl laminated cabinets sacrifices have been made to keep the cost down.
Does this matter in respect of the sound quality no not one little bit no bling here just honest to good sound for a bargain price.
Not pretty with the grills on not bad without but we are talking performance not looks here.
Very impressed with these speakers Chuck them in a corner they like it there. Would make excellent rears no need to hang speakers on the wall or be bothered with stands tuck them away at the back in the corners ideal.
At R695,00 (on the February Audioshop special, which is WELL below normal selling price) they are an absolute steal buy them, punch way way above this give away price. Starting out in this hobby buy them they respond well to upgrades in the audio chain some speakers do not.
They are an easy listen nothing annoys me about them except the slight glare they exhibited with the Solid State Amplification.
But here I am nit picking considering I was using an Enzer DVD player. And I like valves over solid state
They sound wonderful on the Small Valve Amp and are an easy drive and play loud enough and very sweetly despite being 86 db sensitive and show no signs of distress unless you crank it up full but that is to be expected.
I like them major bang for buck, sound very very good.
Don't miss out the bargain of a lifetime here.
Specs:
Nominal Impedance 6 Ohms
Recommended Amplifier Power 25-100 Watts
Frequency Response 50-20 kHz
Bass Mid Range unit 165mm
Two way design with sealed cabinet and 165mm (ABR) "Passive Radiator"
Treble unit 25mm textile
Dimensions H x W x D mm 832x217x236
Oranges vs Oranges:
After unpacking the speakers (They come with a comprehensive booklet and spikes.)
I moved my Mission M73's not an easy task the cabinets have been filed with sand.
Hooked them up to my Teac BX 300 amp and Yamaha CDX396 CD player.
Put them in the same position as the Missions, and gave it a spin.
Right out of the box they exhibited a clear transparent mid range and sweet clear sparkling detailed tops.
Things I feel the Missions are lacking.
These two speakers are similar in size and both are two way floor standers are constructed to the same standards.
Both are budget speakers.
Whafedale's are a sealed cabinet design with a passive radiator.
Missions are rear ported.
Listening:
I was somewhat puzzled by the lack of bass response they exhibited. (more on that later and the cure)
The Missions are bass monsters can get very aggressive and annoying. Hence all the sand it tightened them up a lot.
Am Somewhat limited in the positioning of the speakers on this system. Everything is crammed under the stairs in my lounge; tile floor. Not ideal at all. Have to pull the Missions out into the room a bit when I listen otherwise they boom like hell.
Something not working here so I carted them up stairs and put them out into the room well clear of the boundaries; about the same position I have the Vandersteen 2CE Signatures.
Hooked them up Audio Research SP16 Pre Amplifier, Modified Jolida JD 100 Cd Player
Opera Consonance Cyber 800 valve Monoblocks.
Sat down and had a listen: This is still not working still lacking in bass response.
Gave it some thought and had a closer look at them.
Sealed enclosure no port front or back although there is a small plastic plug bunging up a 3cm hole near the bottom of the back of the cabinet.
Did not pull it out as these speakers have a 165mm ABR Auxiliary Bass Radiator, (Passive Radiator) as well as the 165mm bass mid range driver.
Conclusion and instant cure:
In the corner you go guys that will fix you.
Rearranged the room tripping over things and cursing. Where to put things down? Finally got them tucked in the corner, everything out of the way. Sat down with a clear view directly in front of them.
Now we are getting somewhere:
These speakers do have real Bass not that mid range bump that stand mounts have. They go down there.
Played some Annie Lennox "Collection" some Bass heavy tracks on this CD.
Nice now we are rocking. Popped in Abby Road the new remastered CD
Medley (Golden Slumbers) has some whacking drum bits nearly jumped out of the couch. Clear tight whack great stuff.
Played it again. Loud and I mean loud lets see if we can upset these speakers get them to distort boom misbehave go for it.
They took it in their stride no hint of protest at all (78w per channel of pure good clean honest valve amplification real mussel).
Played it some more and thought here is a speaker that delivers sound quality way way above its asking price. How many times I wished for speakers I could put in the corners of the room that would not cloud over and throw a driver wobble and boom.
Bass was giving me a tingle in the bottom sitting on the couch. Very impressive sound stage.
A party came to mind bung them in a corner crank it up all the way and dance your ass of.
Was late for supper and the animals got fed late I was enjoying it so much.
Getting a grip on the sound:
This morning after all the neighbours had left for work I moved them to the smaller room and hooked them up to the Cambridge Audio Sonata AR30 receiver. Using an Enzer DVD player through a QED digit DAC and a Pioneer PL15 turntable with Sumiko Oyster cartridge. Using a Technics SUV 15 integrated amp as a phono stage. So much wrong here but it works very well.
Placed them 8cm from the back wall and 50cm from the side walls
Put on Roxy Music Avalon LP lots of things going on on this LP sound wise.
Delightful warm musical detailed across the audio band no quibble here have heard worse on some so called high end stuff.
The room is small oddly shaped top of an A frame bay window mixture of dry and brick wall vaulted sloping celling above the speakers very sound friendly.
Played Tracy Chapman Talking About a Revolution and "Whisper" jumped out at me never heard it so clear on my usual speakers on this set up.
Playing some more and comparison to the Diamond 10.1's:
Decided to hook them up to a 10w valve amp this amp excels in the mid range and has clean sweet tops and with the right speakers amazing bass control far from loose.
Played some female vocals Joni Mitchell, Dusty Springfield, k.d. Lang, Carly Simon, Kate Bush, Sinead O'Conner, Lisa Stansfield.
No hint of hissing sibilants very impressed how well they revealed the intakes of breath.
Boz Scaggs "Fade Into Light" had me immersed in the music and Patty Smith "Twelve" had me rocking.
Even the 85 year old Mother down stars said they sounded good and what was that I was playing.
Compared to the 10.1's:
The 10.1's have more obvious detail and being stand mounts that is a typical trait.
The CR2-30's more bass and a warmer overall sound an easier listen.
They do not embarrass them selves at all in comparison in some ways I prefer them.
The same sound signature was the same overall and each had the limitations and characteristics of their design parameters as always you pays your money and takes your pick. Want it all in one package then be prepared to pay mega bucks.
Summing up:
These speakers are the bottom of the Wharfedale range budget speakers.
They are not B&W 800 series or Monitor Audio Platinum's. They are not made of the same stuff.
The construction of the Wharfedales is nothing special well made yes for what they are. Nice bi wire posts, plastic imitation leather textured front baffle plastic driver surrounds vinyl laminated cabinets sacrifices have been made to keep the cost down.
Does this matter in respect of the sound quality no not one little bit no bling here just honest to good sound for a bargain price.
Not pretty with the grills on not bad without but we are talking performance not looks here.
Very impressed with these speakers Chuck them in a corner they like it there. Would make excellent rears no need to hang speakers on the wall or be bothered with stands tuck them away at the back in the corners ideal.
At R695,00 (on the February Audioshop special, which is WELL below normal selling price) they are an absolute steal buy them, punch way way above this give away price. Starting out in this hobby buy them they respond well to upgrades in the audio chain some speakers do not.
They are an easy listen nothing annoys me about them except the slight glare they exhibited with the Solid State Amplification.
But here I am nit picking considering I was using an Enzer DVD player. And I like valves over solid state
They sound wonderful on the Small Valve Amp and are an easy drive and play loud enough and very sweetly despite being 86 db sensitive and show no signs of distress unless you crank it up full but that is to be expected.
I like them major bang for buck, sound very very good.
Don't miss out the bargain of a lifetime here.
Specs:
Nominal Impedance 6 Ohms
Recommended Amplifier Power 25-100 Watts
Frequency Response 50-20 kHz
Bass Mid Range unit 165mm
Two way design with sealed cabinet and 165mm (ABR) "Passive Radiator"
Treble unit 25mm textile
Dimensions H x W x D mm 832x217x236
