Wharfedale E70, any good?

[Andris]

Sorry guys, i'm not really clued up on vintage speakers so was wondering if anyone would be able to shed some light on Wharfedale E70. Would appreciate some background on these speakers and also what would be a reasonable value of these now-a-days?

Thanks,
Andris

[icehockeyboy]

A quick Google will bring forth opinions, from " best in the world" to " a bit forward"

Your ears should tell you. :) (assuming you can have a listen first?)

[Andris]

A quick Google will bring forth opinions, from " best in the world" to " a bit forward"

Your ears should tell you. :) (assuming you can have a listen first?)

That's a negative! :(

[jostber]

A discussion on the speakers at diyaudio.com here:

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/multi-way/1037-has-anyone-heard-old-wharfdale-e70-made-back-80s.html

[YNWaN]

I remember them - but not very fondly.

I've just had a look at the DIYaudio link - blimey, there is some rose tinted, romantic, bollocks being posted there. They didn't have cast chassis (but they did have a turned aluminium trim ring on the bass drivers, just for looks). The build quality was OK, but certainly not exceptional in any way. Basically, they were pretty efficient speakers that suffered from rather lightweight chipboard cabinets and leaned towards boom and tizz.

[StanleyB]

They were not designed for the classical music fans. But rock, pop, reggae, house, jungle, D&B won't sound disappointing. I love the look of them and have had a set or two on long term loan from one of my previous employers. Highly efficient drivers. Friendly and understanding neighbours preferred. Don't know about current prices, but I would quite happily pay up to £250 for a pair in good condition if I was offered a set and needed any more speakers.

I have a friend who has had a pair since the early 80's and after I fixed him up with a Sony V-FET amp he has not been willing to part with them for love nor money.

[The Grand Wazoo]

There is a thread on AoS that discusses this range - do a search.
You won't need much power - the E in the name is a clue to that!

[DSJR]

If you want bass from a given box and driver, you have to reduce sensitivity. if you want efficiency, you lose bass, if you want both, you need BIG boxes.. The "E" series were an attempt at efficiency-first, so you get not very much bass, a screaming mid and rather agressive treble. Suitably matched, these can be enormous fun, but get 'em wrongly matched or set up, and you'll get hearing damage ;)

[StanleyB]

The treble and mid has adjustable gain so that you can match the bass output indirectly to your needs.

But talking about bass and efficiency; you can't beat the Cerwin Vega AT80, and I doubt anyone ever did. Still my favourite party animal speaker of all time, which I had to get rid of due to complaints from the wife and the neighbours. At about the size of a small fridge it was not easy to hide. But I digress..

[DSJR]

The treble and mid has adjustable gain so that you can match the bass output indirectly to your needs.

But talking about bass and efficiency; you can't beat the Cerwin Vega AT80, and I doubt anyone ever did. Still my favourite party animal speaker of all time, which I had to get rid of due to complaints from the wife and the neighbours. At about the size of a small fridge it was not easy to hide. But I digress..

HiFi Dave and I know exactly where you're coming from with these :ner: :eyebrows: :D


:gig:

[Andris]

Don't know about current prices, but I would quite happily pay up to £250 for a pair in good condition if I was offered a set and needed any more speakers.

A pair on eBay right now in apparently mint condition £500 :scratch:.

[StanleyB]

Prices must have crept up in the last three years. I bid on a pair for a friend in 2008, and it went for about £150 then. Average prices were £125 to £200. At £500 you can get far better.

If you have the space you might as well put a bid on the Cerwin Vega AT-100 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cerwin-Vega-AT-100-AT-15-loudspeakers-pair-speakers-/350485650113?pt=UK_AudioVideoElectronics_HomeAudio HiFi_HiFiSpeakers&hash=item519a929ac1). Not as practical as the AT80, but the absolute last word in sound induced suicide. I have seen them shatter a double glazed windows after being driven by a Yamaha PM-2400 power amp.

[Andris]

Prices must have crept up in the last three years. I bid on a pair for a friend in 2008, and it went for about £150 then. Average prices were £125 to £200. At £500 you can get far better.


That's what i thought, £500 sounds too steep.


If you have the space you might as well put a bid on the Cerwin Vega AT-100 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cerwin-Vega-AT-100-AT-15-loudspeakers-pair-speakers-/350485650113?pt=UK_AudioVideoElectronics_HomeAudio HiFi_HiFiSpeakers&hash=item519a929ac1). Not as practical as the AT80, but the absolute last word in sound induced suicide. I have seen them shatter a double glazed windows after being driven by a Yamaha PM-2400 power amp.

No doubt they have the power but what about the sound quality?

[Beobloke]

No doubt they have the power but what about the sound quality?

Sound quality? Pah. All you need to know about AT-100s is that if you can listen to a pair without a big cheesy grin on your face then you have no soul!!

[StanleyB]

Nothing like a pair of Westministers or NS1000M, but comparable to the E70, AR90, etc. with a lot more and deeper bass definition. I have always argued that the more common single driver subwoofer does not do true justice to lower bass frequencies. It's after listening to the AT-80 and AT-100 and heard bass in stereo that I came to that conclusion.
JMJ sounds frightening on these.

[g0vii]

Hi, I have a pair of E70 and they have been excellent. I now live in a house where I can't use them in the way they are accustomed. Does anyone know what they might be worth?
Regards
George

[Marco]

Hi George,

Welcome to AoS :)

Before going any further, please pop into the Welcome area, and introduce yourself, as indeed you were directed to do, in the email confirmation you received, after registering.

Cheers! :cool:

Marco.

[pumpkineater23]

Hi, I have a pair of E70 and they have been excellent. I now live in a house where I can't use them in the way they are accustomed. Does anyone know what they might be worth?
Regards
George

I'm not sure what they're worth but I have had a similar problem with my Wharfedale Vanguards (which I believe are similar to E70s). Just too colossal for my flat. At present they are wrapped up in my brothers garden shed until I work out what to do with them.

[DSJR]

Wrapped up or not, exposure to an overdamp environment is a killer for speakers, the pole pieces get rusty and the coil rubs. I believe this is terminal for most drivers...

[Reffc]

A friend has a set of E70's and they are anything but bass shy. A Rega Brio drives them and the mids are pretty natural sounding, the treble not to shrieky at all but they have plenty of detail (they can be rolled off anyway using the controls on the front panel) and yes, they do Bass VERY well. Clean, taught and deep. I wonder how many people have actually listened to these? They're an outright bargain at the going rate of around £125 a pair as they are one of the last true good Wharfdales (diamonds being the later exception) and are very nicely made.

[pumpkineater23]

A friend has a set of E70's and they are anything but bass shy. A Rega Brio drives them and the mids are pretty natural sounding, the treble not to shrieky at all but they have plenty of detail (they can be rolled off anyway using the controls on the front panel) and yes, they do Bass VERY well. Clean, taught and deep. I wonder how many people have actually listened to these? They're an outright bargain at the going rate of around £125 a pair as they are one of the last true good Wharfdales (diamonds being the later exception) and are very nicely made.

Have you any idea how they differ from the Vanguards? People were always surprised at the great sound of mine.. are the E70s much better?

[Reffc]

Have you any idea how they differ from the Vanguards? People were always surprised at the great sound of mine.. are the E70s much better?

I've never heard the Vanguards Peter so couldn't comment, but at the time the 70's were manufactured I think that of all the E series, they were meant to be the best compromise. Most now may need the woofers re-foaming or sticking (at least the one's I've seen could have done with a little TLC) but once done, and the X-over caps replaced for fresh items, they sound surprisingly good. My friend who has these comes round every now and then to listen to whatever exotic loudspeakers I happen to have at the time (quite a few pass through my hands!) but still prefers his 70's for most music.

[Marco]

Hi Peter,

Sorry to butt in... Just a quickie - where in the UK are you? Could you please put the county or nearest large town/city where you live, in your profile?

Cheers! :cool:

Marco.

[Darren]

..... D&B won't sound disappointing.

D&B Stan? Drum and Bass or Dandelion and Burdock? :cool:

[pumpkineater23]

Sorry Marco, only just discovered your request. I have updated my profile to include my county. (I live in Brighton)