The brand new Wharfedale Dovedale loudspeakers remind me some of my favorite BBC speaker designs, those big-box affairs such as the Spendor SP100s, which I owned for many years, the Harbeth 40s, which I’ve loved for many years, and the Graham Audio LS5/8, which I’d like to listen to for the next few years. Wharfedale has created quite a bit of excitement over their Heritage Series over the last few years, starting with the Linton and Denton speakers. But with the three-way Dovedale, it looks like Wharfedale is revisiting their own special place in audio history.
Words and Photos by Marc Phillips
While the Wharfedale Dovedale looks similar to those other BBC designs, it is actually a new version of the Dovedale that came out in 1965, which was an update of the original W2. They’re not trying to trick anyone, which is why this new Wharfedale sounds like such an accomplished, mature design. The system was populated with MoFi Distribution stablemates–a MasterSound Compact 845 integrated amplifier ($10,495), a HiFi Rose RS-250 streamer ($2,499) and a very desirable Feickert Blackbird with the linear power supply ($9,395), and EMT 912HI tonearm ($7,095) and a My Sonic Lab Ultra Eminent cartridge ($6,995), all fed through a MoFi MasterPhono phono stage ($4,999).
The Wharfedale Dovedale sounds just as fun as its baby brothers, the Linton and the Denton, but there’s more refinement in the sound as you dig underneath the layers. That same sense of excitement is there, the dynamics that distinguish the big Wharfedale from its BBC-designed brethren–this is a rock and roll speaker, but it’s also the first speaker that made me enjoy Billie Eilish enough to sit and listen for a spell.
I’ll save the best news for last. While speakers like the SP100s and the 40.3 XDs and the LS5/8s are pushing steadily toward a $20,000 MSRP, a pair of the Wharfedale Dovedale speakers are just $6,999 per pair–with stands. I predict this will be another wildly successful product from one of the oldest speaker manufacturers in the world.
If you would like to hear even more coverage from AXPONA 2023, check out our recap report and highlights from our audiophile-oriented show The Occasional Podcast. You can stream the episode direct from the embed below, or from your favorite podcast platform including iTunes, Android, Google, Deezer, Spotify, iHeartRadio and more.
Also don’t forget to check out our collaboration to commemorate the event with our solid bronze record weight available only for a limited run. This 800 grams of solid bronze features the PTA roundel on the top with also acts as a 45 adapter. You can purchase direct from the PTA Approved Store here on the site.
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