Wharfedale 9.5 Speakers - Actual User's Review

[S.P.KRISHNA]

I have paired it currently with Onkyo TX-SR307 but will shortly be disconnecting this AVR and buying a stereo amp. This is because I would be shifting the 5.1 Onkyo AVR to a different room.

Do let me know of some good stereo amp.

Sir,
9.5s are very good towers at the entry level . How did you audition the Klipchs and 9.5s i.e whether on same amp or each on different amps. Klipchs have Horn Tweeters . Hence highs are very noticeable. Your Onkyo amp does not match to the true performance of the 9.5s . Selection of a sterio amp depends upon the music you listen in general. To get to the total power of the speakers select a amp of 100W P/C.

Regards

 

[abhi]

I demoed the Wharfedale 9.5 again yesterday and I still felt that the midrange is recessed, I felt as if the bass and treble were in front and the midrange is in the background. When I listened to Hotel California, I felt that Don Henley was singing in the background and not in the front. The speakers were quite new and not broken in. Overall a fantastic speaker for the money, not many speakers in this budget handle the highs and lows so well.

I am curious to know if the midrange reproduction improves after the break in period.

 

[Kittu]

I demoed the Wharfedale 9.5 again yesterday and I still felt that the midrange is recessed, I felt as if the bass and treble were in front and the midrange is in the background. When I listened to Hotel California, I felt that Don Henley was singing in the background and not in the front. The speakers were quite new and not broken in. Overall a fantastic speaker for the money, not many speakers in this budget handle the highs and lows so well.

I am curious to know if the midrange reproduction improves after the break in period.

Did u try 9.6 ? or 10.7 ?

 

[abhi]

Did u try 9.6 ? or 10.7 ?

10 series was not available, 9.6 was there at one dealer, but the sound was bad, probably a bad connection or something wrong with the speaker. I was not interested since it will be overkill for my listening space.

 

[bidan]

I demoed the Wharfedale 9.5 again yesterday and I still felt that the midrange is recessed, I felt as if the bass and treble were in front and the midrange is in the background. When I listened to Hotel California, I felt that Don Henley was singing in the background and not in the front. The speakers were quite new and not broken in. Overall a fantastic speaker for the money, not many speakers in this budget handle the highs and lows so well.

I am curious to know if the midrange reproduction improves after the break in period.

I have just received 9.5 yesterday and i agree with you. Mids are a bit laid back. However I feel these speakers are superb for night listening. I am an IT Software engineer and I find only time at night (10 - 11:30PM is my time for music). I'll let you know if it gets better after break in. I am Ok with the price that I got it foe 25K with cables :clapping:.

 

[abhi]

thanks, looking forward for your feedback

 

[bidan]

The New Years Party was good enough to break in my new Wharf 9.5 and the very next day i could figure out the difference. The Bass has improved and is much tighter now. However, the major difference is in the mid freq reproduction. Hotel California does not sound recessed in the vocals department. The Bass guitar used in Hotel California is much more prominent now (not the best still).

Before and After Review
Red Hot Chilly Peppers - I could have lied
===============================
The song that gives you the actual improvement after breakin was "I Could have lied - Red Hot Chilli Peppers". This song has a bass dominance with buleish kinda guitar play but on the lower notes. The Snare portion of the drum play is also quite prominent.

[[ Before Break -in ]]
The Bass was going all over the place (a humming sound that fills the room). Vocals were in the back ground. Drums Snare was dominating as was too bright. The track is a 128 kbps MP3 and I though that its probably because of recording issue.

[[ After Break - in for 25-30 hours at 9 to 12 O'Clock Position]]
Feels like playing from a CD. What a beauty. Bass is tighter. Vocals are pretty balanced now. Its unbelievable. I guess it will further improve. If you play Accoustic Guitar on the 4th and 5th Strings and slide, you get a scratchy sound which will sound good only if you have a good speakers. The guitar solo was sounding great.

Note ** let me tell you. I prefer a little laid back sound. For those who like brighter sound, I may not be doing justice to this review.
Thanks.

 

[shaiju_o_thomas]

Thanks for sharing the experience. I am leaning towards the Wharf 9.5 since the demo last month.

 

[fusioner]

I have just received 9.5 yesterday and i agree with you. Mids are a bit laid back. However I feel these speakers are superb for night listening. I am an IT Software engineer and I find only time at night (10 - 11:30PM is my time for music). I'll let you know if it gets better after break in. I am Ok with the price that I got it foe 25K with cables :clapping:.

from which shop you got the 9.5s?

 

[Imrahn]

@Shaiju: For vocals, the 10.5/6 is a clear winner as compared to the 9.5 IMHO...do audition if u haven't already.

 

[shaiju_o_thomas]

Thanks Imrahn. Haven't heard the 10 series yet. Will do a demo later this month (my building-wing repairs nearing completion).

Thevally, Kollam?

 

[Kevian]

thnx 4 da pix vasu!.....what colour is it called anyway?.will be pickin up my 9.5 tommorow morning!!!!!!!!!!

looks like wenge finish to me..

 

[abhi]

The New Years Party was good enough to break in my new Wharf 9.5 and the very next day i could figure out the difference. The Bass has improved and is much tighter now. However, the major difference is in the mid freq reproduction. Hotel California does not sound recessed in the vocals department. The Bass guitar used in Hotel California is much more prominent now (not the best still).

The recessed mids was my only concern with the 9.5, but your review renewed my interest in the 9.5, so the wharfedale now moves back up to the top of my list :clapping:

 

[bidan]

from which shop you got the 9.5s?

I am based out of Bangalore.
I auditioned at vector Systems on Brigade Road.

 

[abhi]

The New Years Party was good enough to break in my new Wharf 9.5 and the very next day i could figure out the difference. The Bass has improved and is much tighter now. However, the major difference is in the mid freq reproduction. Hotel California does not sound recessed in the vocals department. The Bass guitar used in Hotel California is much more prominent now (not the best still).

How dependant is it on placement, since its rear ported I take it has to be placed away from the rear walls, but the max I can spare is around a 1 foot. At vectors when i demoed the rear gap was less than a foot, but the bass was good and tight, but soundstaging was not impressive. What do you'll think ?

 

[bidan]

How dependant is it on placement, since its rear ported I take it has to be placed away from the rear walls, but the max I can spare is around a 1 foot. At vectors when i demoed the rear gap was less than a foot, but the bass was good and tight, but soundstaging was not impressive. What do you'll think ?

Here is my set up. As you can see, I have placed the speakers close to a foot (may be little more). No issues with the sound. The BASS reproduction of tabla needs some improvement though. I always feel that tabla sounds sweeter on bookshelves. However, keeping my fingers crossed hoping that things will improve as i hit close to 100 hrs of burn-in time. Sound Stage is good for the price that I comes for. At Vectors, the speakers are brand new with the same issues that I faced with my brand new pair.

 

[metalmickey]

no matter what!...i feel the 9.5's mids will be always be recessed!....i had mine paired with an norge 1000!!!!!!! and nad cdp and the output was decent but the mids?!!!nah!!!...even tried with marantz pm 6003 and it was still the same!.....so guess i will push em & end up with the 10 series(10.1 or 10.3!) as i read the mids are better there!...will be auditioning this weekend.

 

[Imrahn]

How dependant is it on placement, since its rear ported I take it has to be placed away from the rear walls, but the max I can spare is around a 1 foot. At vectors when i demoed the rear gap was less than a foot, but the bass was good and tight, but soundstaging was not impressive. What do you'll think ?

If i may say so,relatively speaking, the wharfedale 9.5/6 never had much to hold up in terms of (large?)soundstaging.Proper burn-in period and positioning tricks(toe-in + half foot from rear and couple foots from side walls ) really help these to sound their optimum. Its more of their punch and laid-back sound that u remember rather than dynamism or soundstage when u turn back and think about an audition with the speakers.As usual, all this is IMHO.

 

[bidan]

If i may say so,relatively speaking, the wharfedale 9.5/6 never had much to hold up in terms of (large?)soundstaging.Proper burn-in period and positioning tricks(toe-in + half foot from rear and couple foots from side walls ) really help these to sound their optimum. Its more of their punch and laid-back sound that u remember rather than dynamism or soundstage when u turn back and think about an audition with the speakers.As usual, all this is IMHO.

Wharfedale 9.5 is for the ones who like laid back warmish kind of sound. I have listened to Polks for more than 5 years now which are or the brighter side. I wanted a change. Wharfe 9.5 works for me. Trust you ears and make sure you audition some good brands so that you can differentiate. I auditioned the following before choosing 9.5:

1) Polk Tsi 300 --> too bright.. starts to get shaky at high volume.
2) Kef iQ50 --> ran out of my budget. I would have bought them.
3) MS Avaino 6 --> ran out of my budget. Great 2.5 way speakers costs 41K in Bangalore
4) B&W 685 --> Too Good but Expensive. Frankly, I have not reached the level to start to appreciate them.Very realistic sound. I listen to MP3 a lot. These speakers will expose the mp3 noise (my personal view) May be my next upgrade when I have more CDs in my collection.
5) Wharfedale 10.1 --> I was about to but it but lacks bass and I had already purchased an Amp without pre out.

 

[bidan]

Sorry dont remember it, but I think it is rosewood finish. There is another one in Black. Only 2 options were given to me.

Anyway hope you got yours, sorry missed to check the thread.

This one is called Wallnut finish.