Wharfedale Saphire 89

G

griffinconst

Senior Audioholic
Where does this model fit in the pecking order? Is it above or below the EVO?
If you've heard them, please share. :)
 
ozmedia

ozmedia

Audioholic
Not too sure

Where does this model fit in the pecking order? Is it above or below the EVO?
If you've heard them, please share. :)
But alarm bells and red flags wave at the mere mention of Wharfedale, since the 1980's anyway. I say run screaming and pray to God that you don't trip on the way.
 
G

griffinconst

Senior Audioholic
I know they fell off at one point but evo's are well thought of and the Opus model is VERY highly regarded.
 
ozmedia

ozmedia

Audioholic
I know they fell off at one point but evo's are well thought of and the Opus model is VERY highly regarded.
Perhaps, speakers are a very personal thing afterall, what sounds great to one person may be horrible to another; I would personally seek out a better value for money. IMHO, for the price you are looking at, you could do much better, unles you buy used. Opus models seem to have ample blown midrange issues too.

I'd check around the reviews here in your price range, unless you are already sold and don't want to look any further.
 
G

griffinconst

Senior Audioholic
I'm lookin for best I can do for $500 for front pair. Would like floorstanders and used is fine.
Any suggestions?
What don't you like about Wharfedales?
 
A

abboudc

Audioholic Chief
You can get Mordaunt Short 908's for about $550/pair.
http://www.tsto.com or the 914's for a bit less.

Or if you're looking bookshelves, Usher S-520's or Ascend 170's
 
TjMV3

TjMV3

Full Audioholic
Perhaps, speakers are a very personal thing afterall, what sounds great to one person may be horrible to another; I would personally seek out a better value for money. IMHO, for the price you are looking at, you could do much better, unles you buy used. Opus models seem to have ample blown midrange issues too.

I'd check around the reviews here in your price range, unless you are already sold and don't want to look any further.
Have you ever owned any Wharfedale Opus Series speakers?

Have you ever auditioned or heard any Wharfedale Opus Series speakers in a properly set up system, with a good quality power amp/with a quality power supply?


I've had my Wharfedale Opus 2 for over four and a half years. The midrange driver has never blown, never failed .....never even distorted.

And I have and continue to play those babies .....A LOT!!

In fact, I've spoken with and known at least 15-20 Opus owners over the last 4-5 years and I don't recall anyone ever having a problem or blowing their midrange driver.

There was one guy a few years ago who posted and siad his midrange was blown, or damaged or something. But Wharfedale immediately sent him a replacement and he never stated any other problems, after that.

Hell back in 2006, I really screwed up and did this.....



" I wanted to put my Vincent SA-T1 Pre Amp back in my system, as I had been testing my BAT VK-3i Pre Amp to make sure it still works fine. The SA-T1 is the Pre Amp I normally use.

Well, while I was changing my Pre Amps out, is when I screwed up. I accidently hooked the Pre Amp Output [Record], instead of utilizing the standard Outputs. Without my glasses I didn't see things correctly

A friend of mine lent me his Ayre System Enhancement Disc ( Irrational, But Efficacious), so I could see if I notice any difference in my system.

I pressed my remote for the "Full Glide Tone" (Track seven) and went out side for a minute or two to do something. Well, roughly a minute later the wife comes running outside to tell me my system is making an incredibely loud, strange sound. I came back in and my woofers on my Wharfedale Opus 2 were pumping in and out like crazy. I couldn't find the remote for the CD Player and I didn't want to get any closer to the speakers, for fear of hurting my ears. After roughly another 30 seconds or two, I found the remote. I tried to turn the volume down but that didn't work. The volume does not work at all when outputting from the "Output Record". So I hit stop.


All together my speakers (my amp and pre amp ) was pumping this Glide Tone out at extremely high volumes, for roughly 2 to 2 and a half minutes. Being powered by my Butler TDB 2250.

Afterwards I realized what I had done with the outputs and corrected them. The Butler TDB 2250 was wide open and cranking at it's highest power for over two and a half minutes.

No damage to my drivers whatsoever. "

It's not my interest if you don't like the sound of the Wharfedale Opus Series speakers (or Evo Series, for that matter). To each his own.

But when you make a claim that the Opus Series has a midrange blow out problem; I have to wonder where that notion came from. Never have I heard of the midrange drivers having any kind of defects. Never.

And I have owned the Opus 2 model for soon to be 5 years.

Regarding Wharfedale.

Back in 2004/2005 the Opus Series was a monumental bargain. But Wharfedale/IAG got a little full of themselves and jacked up the price on the Opus series. Jacked them up through the roof. The price I got mine at was amazing, for this kind of quality build and design.
 
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G

griffinconst

Senior Audioholic
Hi TJ
I was wondering where you were on this one. I've never heard of mid problems with Opus' either.

To my original question, do you know anything about Saphires? Are they an older model before evo's or newer and where on the wharfedale food chain?

Thanks ahead if you have info.
 
TjMV3

TjMV3

Full Audioholic
Griffin,

I've never heard the Saphire speaker series. So I have no personal experience with them.

From talking to a few Saphire owners, I've heard they're nice sounding speakers, that lean to the warmer side of things. Easy to listen to speakers. That's what I have heard.

It's hard to figure out where they rank. But I would guess that they are just a rung or two below the Evolution line.

But again, that's pure speculation on my part. I don't really know for sure.


Still waiting for ozmedia to come back and enlighten me on his hands-on experience with the Opus Series and for him to inform me where exactly this midrange blow-out problem occcured. Who knows, maybe all these blown midranges occured some where in Europe...or Indonesia .......or the Middle East. Some place where this midrange blow-out problem was kept hush-hush.


maybe it was North Korea. You know how those people are about sharing their information:D
 
TjMV3

TjMV3

Full Audioholic
You would think that with the...." Opus models having ample blown midrange issues " ozmedia would be capable of providing a few examples of these alleged ample midrange blow outs.

Maybe he's just too busy selling RBH Speakers, to actually backup his own phony words.
 
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