Hello all,
My set up is rather basic (Sony TA-FE370), but I do enjoy music, mainly classical but also a bit of folk and some indie rock.
I'm here because I recently bought a used, but tidy, pair of (enormous) Wharfedale Glendale XP2 speakers thinking they'd be an upgrade for my Wharfedale Delta 30s that I've had from new. The problem is that they are quite obviously not any sort of upgrade. So I thought being handy with a soldering iron I could (if necessary) recap them. Inside I found a set of Elcaps (4.7uF, 2x10uF & 32uF). I tried (and not unexpectedly failed) to test them in situ using an inexpensive hand held meter. I've now generated a chirp file from Audacity and have downloaded a pink noise file and plan to test the Deltas and then the Glendales using Audacity. If I confirm that the Glendale crossovers are defective, I'm wondering which caps I should buy to replace the Elcaps, In my budget (plus shipping) I have the choice of elcaps (£22), MKT (£28),or MKP (£40). In each case I would substitute a 33uF for the 32uF, but I don't see that as a problem. There is room on the board and in the cabinet for larger Polyester or Polypropylene caps.
I'll record my experience here, and add to the existing XP2 thread as my crossover clearly differs from that in the Linton XP2.
Steve
My set up is rather basic (Sony TA-FE370), but I do enjoy music, mainly classical but also a bit of folk and some indie rock.
I'm here because I recently bought a used, but tidy, pair of (enormous) Wharfedale Glendale XP2 speakers thinking they'd be an upgrade for my Wharfedale Delta 30s that I've had from new. The problem is that they are quite obviously not any sort of upgrade. So I thought being handy with a soldering iron I could (if necessary) recap them. Inside I found a set of Elcaps (4.7uF, 2x10uF & 32uF). I tried (and not unexpectedly failed) to test them in situ using an inexpensive hand held meter. I've now generated a chirp file from Audacity and have downloaded a pink noise file and plan to test the Deltas and then the Glendales using Audacity. If I confirm that the Glendale crossovers are defective, I'm wondering which caps I should buy to replace the Elcaps, In my budget (plus shipping) I have the choice of elcaps (£22), MKT (£28),or MKP (£40). In each case I would substitute a 33uF for the 32uF, but I don't see that as a problem. There is room on the board and in the cabinet for larger Polyester or Polypropylene caps.
I'll record my experience here, and add to the existing XP2 thread as my crossover clearly differs from that in the Linton XP2.
Steve
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To remain true to the original voicing, I recommend you replace the unreliable ELCAP electrolytic capacitors with reliable Alcap electrolytic capacitors.
Check out the values available from Falcon Acoustics:
10 uF and 33 uF are available in the 100 V high power range: https://www.falconacoustics.co.uk/l...-electrolytic-capacitors-high-power-100v.html
4.7 uF is available in this 50 V low loss version: https://www.falconacoustics.co.uk/l...lectrolytic-capacitors-low-loss-50v-100v.html
Check out the values available from Falcon Acoustics:
10 uF and 33 uF are available in the 100 V high power range: https://www.falconacoustics.co.uk/l...-electrolytic-capacitors-high-power-100v.html
4.7 uF is available in this 50 V low loss version: https://www.falconacoustics.co.uk/l...lectrolytic-capacitors-low-loss-50v-100v.html
Delta 30 was once one of the 3 best small speakers you could buy.
About the only thing Glendale XP2 would have over it is more but wobblier bass.
If you do recap the xovers, make sure your replacements are physically bigger than the originals else there is no advantage.
About the only thing Glendale XP2 would have over it is more but wobblier bass.
If you do recap the xovers, make sure your replacements are physically bigger than the originals else there is no advantage.
the delta 30 has Celestion drivers. Long ago owned Celestion DL4 (the 80ies!)
Had the same bass.
The smaller caps I would replace with foils and use MKP. From the voicing it should not be a problem.
You get less grainy highs with at least changing the caps concerning the tweeter.
Had the same bass.
The smaller caps I would replace with foils and use MKP. From the voicing it should not be a problem.
You get less grainy highs with at least changing the caps concerning the tweeter.
They weren't expensive at the time and I've always really liked them. I was only going to move them downstairs from Living Room to Man Cave. I suppose I thought a good big 'un would beat a good little 'un, and I think it's time to think again.
Thank you Galu, My instinct in most things is to maintain originality, but then I'll come across a YT video telling me to change them for MKT/MKP/Something unfeasibly exotic/expensive!
There's a bit of a glut of speakers out there with loads of offers being made to me on Ebay by sellers. If the potential upside on the Glendales isn't that great considering the size - should I look for something made by Wharfedale that's both better and smaller?
No. I designed the Delta 30 and have worked for both Wharfedale & Celestion so I should know 😊
I wish I still had a pair. My most successful design. It, and cosmetic variants, were the 2nd best selling speaker in Europe for at least 7 yrs.
The Delta 30 bass unit is rather unique and has a long & involved but definitely Wharfedale history.
Make sure they were hand carved from Unobtainium and solid BS by Yorkshire virgins. Alas, Wharfedale is now just a label for foreign muck 😢
I hope Peter Comeau isn't tuning in!
"The new 90th Anniversary Dovedale is the first Wharfedale loudspeaker to be manufactured in IAG's new, 9000 square foot UK production facility in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. It was designed by IAG Acoustic Director Peter Comeau."
Yes it was more refined. This opinion is based solely on some 20 yrs of DBLTs by Wharfedale R&D. We didn't look at the $$$ or ju ju in the speaker but just the design constraints ... which in this case was the small size.
In that period, the other two speakers with roughly equal DBLT scores cost 130 GBP (a smaller Celestion with an Al dome treble IIRC) and $1,200 GBP. Delta 30 was the cheapest @ 80 GBP. It was the cheapest speaker we could make good and also a good profit.
There were other small audiophile speakers we tested but they failed miserably in DBLTs
wow you really did double blind listening tests. This is rarely done in companies manufacturing loudspeakers or is it a standard?
It's REALLY expensive to do DBLTs properly. It ties up the whole R&D Dept. for at least half a day. I believe we were the only people who did it on a regular basis.
I could write a book on this subject so I'll just shut up now. 😲
We'd love to hear about it... 🙂
The Celestion with the aluminium dome tweeter was maybe the DL6 Mk2.
The Celestion with the aluminium dome tweeter was maybe the DL6 Mk2.
I think it was the Celestion 3 but it's been more than 30+ yrs.
One important finding was that in DBLTs at the highest level, often price, size or ju ju has little correlation to good sound.
The Celestion 3 outperformed the SL6 & 6000 in DBLTs. I won't go into why ... but I know and respect the designers of all 3 personally.
One important finding was that in DBLTs at the highest level, often price, size or ju ju has little correlation to good sound.
The Celestion 3 outperformed the SL6 & 6000 in DBLTs. I won't go into why ... but I know and respect the designers of all 3 personally.
Huntingdon isn't in Yorkshire, God's own county. So this counts as foreign muck though it's not quite South of Watford 😊I hope Peter Comeau isn't tuning in!
"The new 90th Anniversary Dovedale is the first Wharfedale loudspeaker to be manufactured in IAG's new, 9000 square foot UK production facility in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. It was designed by IAG Acoustic Director Peter Comeau."
It's nice to see that "Hand Made In Yorkshire" is proudly stated on the label!
I read that the Glendale XP2 speaker was released 1977/78, but I can't get an exact release date for the Delta 30.
I'd be interested in knowing where the Delta 30 is placed in the Wharfedale speaker genealogy.
I read that the Glendale XP2 speaker was released 1977/78, but I can't get an exact release date for the Delta 30.
I'd be interested in knowing where the Delta 30 is placed in the Wharfedale speaker genealogy.
It was introduced late (early?) 80s and various cosmetic variants were made till the Yorkshire factory was closed late 90s.
In the 70s, there was line up which went Chevin, Denton, Linton, Glendale, Dovedale, Airedale. The names were used for several ranges with sorta similar size & speaker complements from the 60s culminating in the XP2s.
The bass unit in Delta 30 was based on the original Denton.
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Wharfedales were always very good sounding to me.
I used a similar crossover configuration to fix the midrange in my HPM900 speakers which are now audio nirvana.
The HPM900s are also made of unobtainium as well !!
I used a similar crossover configuration to fix the midrange in my HPM900 speakers which are now audio nirvana.
The HPM900s are also made of unobtainium as well !!
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