Tannoy Wharfedale build quality

[admin_exported]

I popped into my local Richer sounds in Cardiff yesterday to look at some speakers. I was up untill then looking for some Tannoy mercury or Wharfedale Diamond speakers.

I was quite shocked to see chips and gouges and cratches all over the speakers in there.... What I want to know is.... Is it just Richer sounds that have had some sort of earth quake or are the laminate cabinets on Tannoy and Wharedale speakers really bad quality and chip really easily?

The Denon speakers with my DM37 are beautiful with rounded edges on the laminate and I can not imagine mine ever getting chipped like that! I was happy with them till I heard it was cool to have a different make speaker with your DM37.

So if any of you can comment on the durability of the laminate Wharfedale on diamond and Tannoy mercyry speakers I would be very grateful. Thanks.

 

[Big Nads and Woofer]

I went to try these Wharfdale 10.1s off display with chips etc (at Cardiff) and the guy was going to bubble wrap them up for me. when I noticed that one of the binding posts was loose and actually hanging out the back by the wire. I decided the against them as I felt that the build quailty wasn't good enough....

 

[Anonymous]

I have a pair of wharfedale 10.6's and the finish on them is very good, they seem very well made and durable.

Speakers in richer sounds are probs like that because they get moved around all the time, as people want to audition them, i could be wrong but thats what i think.

 

[matthewpiano]

I often think Richer's demo/display stock looks worse for wear. I think their tiny stores, piled high with kit makes it far more likely for their display stock to look scruffy very quickly.

Having said that, I'm not totally sure about the finish quality on Wharfedales. I have a pair of 9.1 Diamonds tucked away that have extremely poor finish - the finish is thin and brittle and has split in several places despite very careful use and storage. This may well have improved on the 10.1s (the ones I've seen in hi-fi shops have all been absolutely fine).

 

[Anonymous]

I'v had 9.1's a couple of years and they are still mint condition.

No build quality issues at all for me.

 

[8009514]

Build quality was one of the factors that led me to select the the MA BR1s when looking for speakers to go with my Denon. I felt they had the edge. Very little to seperate the performance of the Wharfedale/Tannoy/MA speakers from what I heard of them, so as shortlist got whittled down then build quality and looks came more into play. Never regretted my choice.

Rich

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks to you all for taking the time to reply. I think I'll take a trip to a bigger shop further afield and hopefully run my hands over some that are not damaged to see how good the seams are ect...

I will also like to see the MAs as Richer sounds didn't have any of those.

 

[xtsili]

I have the diamonds 10.7 and I can say the build is impecable.

 

[chebby]

My speakers are almost 13 years old and - despite not having real wood veneer - have a flawless finish. I have seen quite a few similar speakers on ebay and a lot look really bashed around with bits missing.

It all depends on how they are looked after. (I suspect mine spent most of their 13 years in their box. (Which is also mint!)

Make sure to get a set in their sealed box when you buy, and inspect them in the shop after you have paid for them but before you leave.

You'll be fine.

 

[8009514]

thatsitivehadenough:
Thanks to you all for taking the time to reply. I think I'll take a trip to a bigger shop further afield and hopefully run my hands over some that are not damaged to see how good the seams are ect...

I will also like to see the MAs as Richer sounds didn't have any of those.

I notice that you are in Cardiff. If you want to shop further afield as far as Bristol we are fortunate here that Richer and Sevenoaks are only about 50 yards apart. Sevenoaks have the MA speakers and both outlets have the Denon, albeit the DM38 model (nigh on identical to your 37). The Richer shop is pretty big.

Rich

 

[Anonymous]

Yes I think Bristol is probably the closest city for me to travel to and thanks for the info it will be very handy having 2 shops close together like that. I will get doen there in the next couple of days.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes good idea. If I inspect the speakers in the shop before taking them home any thing that happens afterwards is all down to me.

 

[Andrew Everard]

And of course if you can wait until the end of the month, you should be able to hear and examine lots of different speakers at the Bristol Sound & Vision show

 

[Anonymous]

Wow thanks. Do I need tickets?

 

[scene]

I've looked at a few "ex-demo" items at three, no four different RS stores and didn't purchase from any of them, as they looked pretty mistreated - dents, scratches, scuff marks. The items were blu-ray players (Pioneers), with very good build quality. I think demo kit at RS has a hard life, and given the damage done to steel-cased electronics, I think the chances of wood or veneer speakers escaping unscathed pretty low, no matter how well they were built.

 

[Andrew Everard]

thatsitivehadenough:Wow thanks. Do I need tickets?

Ticket details on the show's own website

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Andrew I did look around the site but couldn't find that
page. So tickets on the day is more or less just pay on the way in.
See you there.
And thanks Scene, Yes it seems that a lot of you have had the same experience regarding the display items getting a hard life at Richer sounds. Poor little speakers..ha!

 

[Andrew Everard]

Yes, it's purely tickets on the day: the page I linked to just has the prices, etc.

 

[Anonymous]

thatsitivehadenough:
The Denon speakers with my DM37 are beautiful with rounded edges on the laminate and I can not imagine mine ever getting chipped like that! I was happy with them till I heard it was cool to have a different make speaker with your DM37.

I don't mean to be rude, but this strikes me as odd. If you 1) are satisfied with the sound of the Denon speakers and 2) feel that their quality is better than the other makes you mention, then why change them? If having 'the right' speakers is your priority that's up to you, but I think most of the forumites will agree that sound and build quality are at least worth your serious consideration. Again: please do as you like, but this might be something to think about.

Jack

 

[Anonymous]

You are quite right. I am only really doing it for A) I want something that looks a bit more impressive and B) The HiFi was a surprise Christmas present and my wife didn't know about buying different speakers with it. She saw me reading about them on the web and got me one. I only really want to change them because they recommended it in a What HiFi review. I know that's kind of sad! I have just had £100 in cards for my birthday and was going to use that for the new ones.

 

[Anonymous]

I'd never say it was sad. If you're happy, I'm happy. I just wanted to give you something to consider. Happy speaker hunting!

 

[Blackdawn]

I'd probably keep the £100 and either save for much better speakers or spend it on music. Getting speakers a little bit better than what you have is probably not worth it. Or you could try second hand route for speakers.