Anybody else own Wharfedale Denton 80th Anniversary speakers?

Good question. And very difficult to find.

 

You know what? I haven't the foggiest. I know Music Direct was immensely helpful when FedEx LOST the first pair of Dentons I ordered. Shipped another pair pronto after it was apparent FedEx was floundering. They have a 60-day exchange policy, I think.

Maybe call MD's 800 number with warranty Q? They're pretty good, in my experience.

 

These speakers have a 5 year warranty from Wharfedale.

 

I am tempted to spring for a pair as well. Most of my bookshelf speakers are at least 15 year old - PSB Image 2B and KLH's. I damaged one of the Soliloquy 5.0's due to a remote control malfunction that ended up blasting my 250 watts/ch Conrad Johnson full-power into it. One of the speakers now sounds "static"ky. Perhaps the crossover was damaged? The Wharfedale Dentons will be for my study but I am also in transition, i.e. still undecided as to what kind of power amp I will get, tube vs. class A SS or anything in between. I certainly do not need another high-powered amp and will keep it under 150 watts/ch.

The Dentons look to be an inexpensive way to get some English sound ...

 

Just got mine unpacked. Pretty. One of the tweeters got loose and unglued. The build quality of the tweeter is extremely poor. I suppose I could glue it back together, but I am not impressed.

 

This is exactly the problem I have with electronics made in you-know-where. There is no sense of quality control and it is all hit and miss unlike the Japanese-made electronics ...

 

I'll probably just Superglue the thing back together.

 

You will need some glue with industrial strength. I am appalled by such lousy assembly quality ...

 

I will post a pic.

 

?? From Music Direct? Send 'em back for a new set!

 

Sending them back is a major pain in the ass for me. I got no car. But I'll call them Monday.

 

I live in the burbs but returning defective product to the etailer is a royal pain nonetheless. You will need to get an authorization and possibly paying for the return shipping, which the etailer should re-imburse you. But then, the etailer has to pay for re-shipping a replacement.

It appears that factory in China did not even test/inspect the speakers after they were assembled or the unglued tweeters should have been detected. Wharfedale today is actually a Chinese company with 0% British ownership that just happens to have some design engineers working out of the UK.

 

Sorry to hear this. It’s the first I’ve heard of this but I do have to wonder why these speakers are being sold off so cheaply. I did contact MD about using a pair with a Marantz receiver and they told me to expect a very warm sound, perhaps too warm if I liked clarity, suggesting that a pair of Focals also on sale might be better (this is for a small room secondary system). I don’t anticipate them giving you any problems on returns, they are easy to work with, but as you say, if you have no easy way to drive them to a drop off location, you can ask for a pick-up direct from your door -- the catch is you have to be there to sign off.

 

Well, I already own a pair of Focals and know their build quality. I rarely have buyers remorse but for an asking price of $1k, these things are a joke. They are for $500 for that matter. But the boxes are nice.

 

This is the first time I read about any defects after going thru the 41 page thread over at audiokarma.org:

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=623013

I was very tempted to get a pair but I have decided to stick with my NHT SuperOnes.

 

Yes, I read that thread too but my impression was that there were a few boosters there who kept the discussion going and seemed to be pushing the Dentons as giant-killers. Not saying they are not, but Jack's experience gives me sufficient pause to pass on these for now.

 

IIRC, all the Focals are still assembled in France.

 

Same here. Sounds like MD is liquidating the inventory ...

 

Steady on, I think Jack has had a rare bad q.c. experience with his Denton order. Both my Denton's (and the 10.2s I had) seem(ed) immaculate in build quality. Here's hoping MD makes it right for Jack.

 

This. Yes sending them back is a pain but that is what happens when don't buy from a B&M dealer. As for build quality there is plenty of US and European built garbage so I wouldn't go down that road. I can think of a certain US turntable manufacturer who Music Direct said one of their models usually imploded upon shipping.

 

Well, I would post a pic but alas, can't figure out how. Anyway, I have avoided buying garbage. Until now.

 

I hear you and know the feeling. I think I should save the money to eventually get the real deal, a pair of genuinely British-made Harbeths or Stirlings, even if they will cost 10 times as much.

 

I'm sitting here with a genuinely British designed and Chinese built pair of KEF LS50's which are every bit the build quality of the Harbeth P3ESR (I know I owned them) or Spendors (I presently own them). Garbage is garbage and quality is quality regardless of where the product is built.

 

Agree! My 30 year old Tandberg power amp, Harman Kardon preamp, Carver tuner and 20+ year old KLH speakers continue to work great and offer me hours of great music every week.

 

I found the build quality on these speakers to be first rate. As for the sound they are certainly on the warm side and still manage good detail to my old ears. I love these speakers as previously reported and think they are worth every penny even at original list but are a large bargain at half of list price. Why the MD fire sale? Don't know but perhaps the vintage look doesn't appeal to some and of course the photos really don't do them justice-much better looking "in person" with a rich wood finish-not the red color shown. For me these speakers sound wonderful with Quicksilver tube components. Real keepers.