wheelema
Boner-obo
For a while there Wharfdale monitors were the shizzle. What happened?
Muzzaman
New member
Dunno, anyone know if the Diamond 10's are any good?
SouthSIDE Glen
independentrecording.net
Might as well ask WTF happend to the San Francisco 49ers. Just like words like "shizzle", their salad days have passed.
Wharfedale has gone through so many changes in ownership, corporate direction and personnel that you can't even call then the same company they once were. The brand remains, but it's just not the same. It's not an unusual thing, it happens all the time; especially to legacy brand names that have been around forever.
It's definitely not uncommon amongst loudspeaker companies. Look at who else has changed in the past 30 years: Utah has disappeared off the radar screen. Infinity has turned into a cheap joke of what it once was. Advent has gone from being famous for their high-quality walnut-grained two-ways to the go-to company for patio speakers disguised as rocks. Even Bose is more famous now for their clock radios and pocket-sized speakers than for their 901s, which used to be their signature product.
Then there are the brand names that have completely gone by the wayside, but the names and logos have been bought and resurrected by completely unrelated PacRim companies. One trip to Sam's Club to see all those products with familiar old names on them like Magnavox, RCA, Sylvania and even Westinghouse that have about as much relation to the original brands as I do to Kim Dae Jong.
G.
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SafeandSound
New member
I was always aware of Wharfedale as a decent hi fi speaker manufacturer but never really heard that they
produced good quality studio monitors.
produced good quality studio monitors.
S
stevieb
Just another guy, really.
Well said, Glen. Well said!
Treeline
New member
SouthSIDE Glen
independentrecording.net
T
TimOBrien
New member
Have you ever heard the term "flavor of the month"???
Also remember that a lot of equipment hype is done by PR departments
(not saying it happened in this case but it IS a common practice...)
Also remember that a lot of equipment hype is done by PR departments
(not saying it happened in this case but it IS a common practice...)
SafeandSound
New member
I do recall them having made a very well received bookshelf sized speaker called the "Diamond" back in the late 80's.
Massive Master
www.massivemastering.com
I used Diamonds (8.2's) for some time a while back -- There were a few places that considered them a fine "small reference" (and they were...). Got a call from one of Wharfedale's designers asking if I'd be interested in trying out their new "Pro" line --- That's where I figured they'd jumped the shark.
It'd be one thing to have an ad which would've said "We couldn't help but notice that our speakers are finding their way into more and more professional audio facilities..." but instead, they had to hit a ridiculously low price point and slap "STUDIO MONITOR" on the side like so many others already had. They didn't need to make a new speaker based on an existing speaker - The existing speaker was great. They just needed to tell the right people (in this case, home and professional studios) about those speakers. The "Diamond Pro" line sounded "okay" against the Diamonds and IMO, eventually watered down the brand to anyone who would've otherwise given them a shot.
It'd be one thing to have an ad which would've said "We couldn't help but notice that our speakers are finding their way into more and more professional audio facilities..." but instead, they had to hit a ridiculously low price point and slap "STUDIO MONITOR" on the side like so many others already had. They didn't need to make a new speaker based on an existing speaker - The existing speaker was great. They just needed to tell the right people (in this case, home and professional studios) about those speakers. The "Diamond Pro" line sounded "okay" against the Diamonds and IMO, eventually watered down the brand to anyone who would've otherwise given them a shot.
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