Interesting what some think and have to say about Wharfedale and it's offerings.
Most I'd imagine, do not know that Wharfedale is under a new restructing program you might say. All production of their speaker lines such as Valdus, Modus, Pacific, (not the Pacific Evolution), Diamonds, Emeralds and others, has STOPPED.
But you say, I still see speakers being sold?
The speakers seen selling at/threw internet stores, Ebay, and a few still even now and then at Ubid, are all world wide warehouse inventory/stock being cleared out.
The Diamond line will still be produced once the supposed new designs have been finished. The other lines mentioned are still being discussed, but odds are they are gone forever. The Evoluton line will still be produced and a new R&D'ed top of the line speaker called Opus-line,(sp) are currently in production.
No mention of release dates.
Wharf has never quit designing & building their own drivers in house. That is at least one thing that has not changed sence their beginings as I know it...They invented allot of interesting driver composites.
My understanding after many conversations with Jeff *****, head of Wharf's USA division, is allot of things are changing at & with Wharfedale. They may also be in the process of possibly being purchased again, but Jeff would not and could not confirm anything I asked in regards to this.
Seems their looking to get back to designing and building, in the UK "(specific R&D'ed lines)" that are yet to come. This is not to say all speaker will be built their, NO this is definitly not the case. Over the water savings (China-mainly), drives many to go that way once manufacturing. Many big name speaker companies are doing it, and have been for some time.
To the posters original question:
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I do not know what you paid for your Emerald-93's, but I own a number of Wharfedale speaks. This, including the 93-MKII & MKIV, both in a real Oak veneer.
Even at their "suggested MSRP" they certainly are not a bad speaker. As everyone knows or should know, speakers are extremely subjective. Involve the source gear playing and driving in front of the speakers, and it gets even more suggestive.
Not even considering price, I belive the whole Emerald line to be an above "average" speaker line. No, not for everyone by any means. They have a laid back highend-but detailed, excellent clairity in the midrange and for it's size, produces copious amounts of conroled bass extension. Soundstage is good, imaging is fantastic when set up properly. These definitely need to be away from wall and also desire very clean power and lots of it. Build quaility is good & finish quaility is excellent, given their selling price. If their internal bracing on the 93's where full sized MDF %/8's min instead of the 1/4" used, they would sound even better with a little less coloring.
Mine do not have this minor problem as I fixed this..!
At the $100.00 per pair in real Oak I chucked out, Id put them againts any bookshelf up to 3x their price and feel comfortable doing it.
What they do do, they do pretty darn good! Also feel I got 3, maybe 4 times the speaker out of them, for what I chucked out in $$$
Will everyone like them, NO-obviously! They do in general have a more laid back/softer sound/presentation and many would find that/call that/them lifeless, dull, un-dynamic, lacking, you name it....Those that like a bright/er speaker would want something different for sure.
Hopefully, Wharf's restructing and changes that are in the works, will even bring better speaks, lie the days of old. Hopefully they will continue to still be affordable...
Cheers
G-007
