kensington
New member
Hi folks,
I've had more time to spend with the Wharfedales, and honestly, the more I use them the more I like them. I put some new Behringer Truths (B2031A's) up against them for two days, six hours a day. The Truths were only the second set of reference monitors I ever worked with, besides the Wharfys, so keep that in mind. I ran all types of music thru both and these are some of my impressions......according to MY room and ears.
The Wharfedales had less detail on the high/mids and highs, more detail on the mids, low/mids and bass. Vocals seem placed properly in the "depth of field". Not too close, not too distant. More balanced, warmer sound than Truths. ( I know I said "clinical" when I first heard them, but this was before I heard the Truths). The Wharfedales seem to represent the reverbs (Kurzweil Rumor) better......clearer, bigger vocals up the middle. The 'verbs seem to blend better with source signal and just sound better, to me, on the Wharfedales. I chose the Wharfys, particularly for my music, because of the vocal presence exhibited. My music is mainly acoustic with vocals playing the primary roll. The Behringers seem to scoop out the mids (and middle) resulting in whatever is panned middle....and has a generous amount of mids....to be pushed somewhat back in the mix. There's a feeling of distance, on any vocals or "middle-material" on any cd I tried. The Wharfedales don't do this.
The Truths may be more "open" sounding, but I think it's at the exspense of a truly balanced stereo/freq. image. The Wharfedales make my vocals (and the rest) stand where I know they stand on other systems I've played them on. I know how my recordings were recorded and how they sound. There is a song I have (cd) where the vocal is totally middy, to the point of total annoyance. This is the way it was put on the cd.. It sounds this way on any commercial system or player I've used. I played this over the Truths and the vocal actually sounds good! The mids have been reduced, smoothed over....whatever. What sounded like a finger poking you in the side became listenable. This REMAINS very annoying on the Wharfedales.
I did play Phil Kaeghey's (msp?) "Acoustic Sketches" cd. This is an acoustic guitar instrumental album. I thought his guitar sounded somewhat bigger and cleaner on the Truths.....he is washing his guitar across the stereo-field in major ways. The Wharffy's sounded great on this too.....all the finger-squeaks and little flubs......just not as open sounding, not as crispy.....not as much "aliveness". To me the bass freq's are more in control and controllable..
.....just sound better, more solid on the Wharfedales, even with a 6.5 verses an 8.75.
The Behringer Truths had more detail on the upper/mids and highs. Less detail on the low/mids and bass. With reverb in play, a lot of stuff seemed to get a little muddy in the bottom half. As stated above, vocals seem to set a bit back....behind whatever's panned L/R. There's a definite clarity to elements with a lot of highs or high/mids. Cymbals zing, higher piano notes tinkle....yeah, tinkle crystal-clear (Wharfys close)....drums, as a whole, sound great on the TRuths. (who's an asshole?).....that tambourine tucked in the little left corner, it's right there, clear as a...........tambourine. (It's not as crispy on the Wharfedales, but it's there.) This is great, but it means nothing to me if I don't like my vocal and the rest of the frequency spectrum enough. Also as stated above, my reverbs seemed more true on the Wharffys.....bigger and warmer like I know they are on my Kurzweil Rumor. My TC MoneXL 'verbs sounded crisper, as they do....so it's not a question of the Wharfedales being too warm....just truer.
I read reviews and opinions on the Behringers and a lot of the praise has come from dance and electronic style musicians. And, I admit, this kind of music plays the Truths pretty damn sweet. For me I need something that embraces traditional vocal and instrumental sounds in an HONEST and somewhat pleasing manner. When I put on Leonard Cohen, I want to hear that incredible voice set (close) to where he meant it to be in the mix......not over-shadowed by the L/R peripherals, not stuck on the back-rim of the basket like a quirky lay-up...not spread like icing on top of a substantial rythmn cake (the vocal IS the cake...or at least half of it)....not....oh, I could go on and on. Suffice it to say, so far it's the Wharfedales for me. I only wish they made an 8 inch woofer model.
This was not an easy decision for my ears. There were pros and cons on each set. I feel the Wharfedales have more important pros for my needs.
Whew!...this post otta keep me good for a few months.
These are the ramblings of a relative newbie to the reference monitor world....but a professional musician of 30 plus years experience.....so maybe take it with a grain of salt....or pepper....or, hell...Tobasco sauce. all the best, Kenton the Wharfeys sound gooood and honest....the Boyscouts of monitors.
I've had more time to spend with the Wharfedales, and honestly, the more I use them the more I like them. I put some new Behringer Truths (B2031A's) up against them for two days, six hours a day. The Truths were only the second set of reference monitors I ever worked with, besides the Wharfys, so keep that in mind. I ran all types of music thru both and these are some of my impressions......according to MY room and ears.
The Wharfedales had less detail on the high/mids and highs, more detail on the mids, low/mids and bass. Vocals seem placed properly in the "depth of field". Not too close, not too distant. More balanced, warmer sound than Truths. ( I know I said "clinical" when I first heard them, but this was before I heard the Truths). The Wharfedales seem to represent the reverbs (Kurzweil Rumor) better......clearer, bigger vocals up the middle. The 'verbs seem to blend better with source signal and just sound better, to me, on the Wharfedales. I chose the Wharfys, particularly for my music, because of the vocal presence exhibited. My music is mainly acoustic with vocals playing the primary roll. The Behringers seem to scoop out the mids (and middle) resulting in whatever is panned middle....and has a generous amount of mids....to be pushed somewhat back in the mix. There's a feeling of distance, on any vocals or "middle-material" on any cd I tried. The Wharfedales don't do this.
The Truths may be more "open" sounding, but I think it's at the exspense of a truly balanced stereo/freq. image. The Wharfedales make my vocals (and the rest) stand where I know they stand on other systems I've played them on. I know how my recordings were recorded and how they sound. There is a song I have (cd) where the vocal is totally middy, to the point of total annoyance. This is the way it was put on the cd.. It sounds this way on any commercial system or player I've used. I played this over the Truths and the vocal actually sounds good! The mids have been reduced, smoothed over....whatever. What sounded like a finger poking you in the side became listenable. This REMAINS very annoying on the Wharfedales.
I did play Phil Kaeghey's (msp?) "Acoustic Sketches" cd. This is an acoustic guitar instrumental album. I thought his guitar sounded somewhat bigger and cleaner on the Truths.....he is washing his guitar across the stereo-field in major ways. The Wharffy's sounded great on this too.....all the finger-squeaks and little flubs......just not as open sounding, not as crispy.....not as much "aliveness". To me the bass freq's are more in control and controllable..
.....just sound better, more solid on the Wharfedales, even with a 6.5 verses an 8.75.
The Behringer Truths had more detail on the upper/mids and highs. Less detail on the low/mids and bass. With reverb in play, a lot of stuff seemed to get a little muddy in the bottom half. As stated above, vocals seem to set a bit back....behind whatever's panned L/R. There's a definite clarity to elements with a lot of highs or high/mids. Cymbals zing, higher piano notes tinkle....yeah, tinkle crystal-clear (Wharfys close)....drums, as a whole, sound great on the TRuths. (who's an asshole?).....that tambourine tucked in the little left corner, it's right there, clear as a...........tambourine. (It's not as crispy on the Wharfedales, but it's there.) This is great, but it means nothing to me if I don't like my vocal and the rest of the frequency spectrum enough. Also as stated above, my reverbs seemed more true on the Wharffys.....bigger and warmer like I know they are on my Kurzweil Rumor. My TC MoneXL 'verbs sounded crisper, as they do....so it's not a question of the Wharfedales being too warm....just truer.
I read reviews and opinions on the Behringers and a lot of the praise has come from dance and electronic style musicians. And, I admit, this kind of music plays the Truths pretty damn sweet. For me I need something that embraces traditional vocal and instrumental sounds in an HONEST and somewhat pleasing manner. When I put on Leonard Cohen, I want to hear that incredible voice set (close) to where he meant it to be in the mix......not over-shadowed by the L/R peripherals, not stuck on the back-rim of the basket like a quirky lay-up...not spread like icing on top of a substantial rythmn cake (the vocal IS the cake...or at least half of it)....not....oh, I could go on and on. Suffice it to say, so far it's the Wharfedales for me. I only wish they made an 8 inch woofer model.
This was not an easy decision for my ears. There were pros and cons on each set. I feel the Wharfedales have more important pros for my needs.
Whew!...this post otta keep me good for a few months.
These are the ramblings of a relative newbie to the reference monitor world....but a professional musician of 30 plus years experience.....so maybe take it with a grain of salt....or pepper....or, hell...Tobasco sauce. all the best, Kenton the Wharfeys sound gooood and honest....the Boyscouts of monitors.
