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1950's / 60's speaker, possibly British. Anyone know what it is?

Hello. I think the loudspeaker is a Wharfedale Dalesman. If you type this into your search there is plenty of info and pictures of them. They were designed back in the sixties and use a 12" bass unit and 4" mid/tweeter, both paper cones. If it is this speaker, I actually repaired a pair 2 years ago. They have a very big sound as a stereo pair, lovely bass and slightly reticent top end. They probably would have been sold as single speakers originally, mono systems ? The customer who brought them in listened only to church organ music and did not like the 'bright' sound of modern designs. The magnets on the drive units are fitted by bolts and I was able to move the magnet back into place on the tweeter of one speaker, thus fixing the 'buzzing noise' of the misplaced coil. These were state of the art in their day.
 
Wharfdales were the real thing in those days - but how did he find modern speakers "bright" if he only listened to church organ music?
 
Barrymagrec said:
Wharfedales were the real thing in those days - but how did he find modern speakers 'bright' if he only listened to church organ music?
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Ah, 'The Real Thing'. How many times have I heard that expression applied to audio equipment ? Mind you, some on this forum feel only British audio equipment is the real thing. Overheard at an audio show. "Now, look at this Quad amplifier. That's the real thing." I assume he meant an older model made in Huntingdon...
 
Thank's for the response, guys. No, I can't find any Dalesman being like the ones I'm looking for.

JohanR
 
RJohan said:
http://www9.vgregion.se/vastarvet/objekt.aspx?id=KLVM_28743
It comes from a collection left by an early Swedish audiophile. He was a school teacher and had everything from Thorens to Goodmans via Quad and McIntosh.
The speaker above i big and heavy, it says, and might have a label on the under side, but no one dares to move it!

So, any clues?

JohanR
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Been trying to identify this speaker - its proving difficult! However, as an aside here's a very brief glimpse of the actual speaker in a video of Carl Munte (go to 2mins 24 secs)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDIqAZpgGrE&feature=related

Hope this is of interest
 
Could be Dalesford if not the Wharfedale.
Dalesford manufactured drivers (Rogers used then in the early days) but also some loudspeaker systems. A number were produced with a similar shape to those in the pic, such as the 'Dalesford D'.
 
I remember the Dalesfords, but I think they are from a much later date (1970's) and has foam grilles. The vid with Carl Munte is from around 1960.

Thanks for the interest you are showing on the subject.

JohanR
 
Johan, You don't exactly make it easy - for example do you know the number of speakers? I appreciate that there can sometimes be friction between Scandanavian partners but one of your best sources would be: http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/Wharfedale_cat.htm.
From the dimensions alone it is nearest to the Airedale speaker.But that was sold as a corner speaker with a different shaped cabinet.However, if you look at Google images for Wharfedale Airedale Speakers there is a tiny image of a pair sold by Emporiumshed as Airedales, wrapped in a similar cloth and looking similarly shaped. At that time cabinet shapes and dimensions were sometimes variable according to the owner's needs. Finally,this thread shows the speaker units inside corner Airedales: http://soundt.18.forumer.com/a/wharfedale-airedales_post3539.html.
That's about all. Regards,
 
Given its vintage, might it have been a "bespoke" speaker built by a cabinet-maker using commercially available drivers? Much like today we build a fitted kitchen in which the various sinks, ovens, dishwasher, fridge slot in. No idea, of course, just a thought. In those days many speakers were just a box with a speaker inside, often open at the back, like old radiograms.
 
I don't read Swedish, but there is a mention of '1950'; is that a date, I wonder?

In 1965, I remember the Wharfedale W1,2 and 3 was around, with the biggish W3 their top-of-the-range. This one, if a Wharfedale, looks to be more a product of the mono fifties.

I have a vague memory of a Lockwood speaker emulating this, but I could be wrong.
 
I don't read Swedish, but there is a mention of '1950'; is that a date, I wonder?

In 1965, I remember the Wharfedale W1,2 and 3 was around, with the biggish W3 their top-of-the-range. This one, if a Wharfedale, looks to be more a product of the mono fifties.

I have a vague memory of a Lockwood speaker emulating this, but I could be wrong.
Click to expand...

It says that they think it's made in the 1950's. As nobody seems to know what it is, the date is very uncertain. The feature on YouTube with the Munte guy is from 1959, I think.

JohanR
 
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