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Wharfedale Opus.. High end speakers
- Thread starter bazee
- Start date
soundsgreat
New Member
Hi,
Have heard the Opus2 2 with couple of electronics(Quad 99,909 Pre-Power,Custom made Tube pre with Power Amp etc) The sound is very very good and the price is also very very good too
!
The Finish is top notch and so is the conectivity with tri wiring option (I think so) !
The sound is very very neutral with smooth focused mids and highs with authoritative Bass ! Sound is very much in control in all the frequency range without sounding coloured or dull !
The Amp must be a Pre-Power combo to get these beasts (only in terms of performance) singing to their best !! Although a good Integrated may sound well but that has to be very very good !
Hope this helps,if you have any doubts please do ask !!
Regards.
Have heard the Opus2 2 with couple of electronics(Quad 99,909 Pre-Power,Custom made Tube pre with Power Amp etc) The sound is very very good and the price is also very very good too
!The Finish is top notch and so is the conectivity with tri wiring option (I think so) !
The sound is very very neutral with smooth focused mids and highs with authoritative Bass ! Sound is very much in control in all the frequency range without sounding coloured or dull !
The Amp must be a Pre-Power combo to get these beasts (only in terms of performance) singing to their best !! Although a good Integrated may sound well but that has to be very very good !
Hope this helps
,if you have any doubts please do ask !!Regards.
Hi SOundsgreat,
What you say is true.
Most high end speakers are 'flat and neutral'. And, boy, are they power hungry...!
So to match a opus you need a above 100k amp/combo...... so it does not end with buying the opus ( by the way , i am considering Opus 2 1)
your search starts for a monster amp.
So my second question to those who have heard the opus, what amp/combo will fit in 100k budget to run them,
regards
What you say is true.
Most high end speakers are 'flat and neutral'. And, boy, are they power hungry...!
So to match a opus you need a above 100k amp/combo...... so it does not end with buying the opus ( by the way , i am considering Opus 2 1)
your search starts for a monster amp.
So my second question to those who have heard the opus, what amp/combo will fit in 100k budget to run them,
regards
And regarding Wharfedale, at least the entry level WFs (like diamond series) the speakers are definately " colored". They have a sound of their own which they add to the amp. And those WFs are very FORGIVING , means they will mask a mediocore/entry level amps and cover its mistakes.
This is one of the reason lots of members on this forum like WF.
But in high end series, the opposite takes place. The spks are very honest, unforgiving with no colour.
regards
This is one of the reason lots of members on this forum like WF.
But in high end series, the opposite takes place. The spks are very honest, unforgiving with no colour.
regards
soundsgreat
New Member
Hi,
Actually its not as power hungry as other in the similar price range!! The sensitivity of 89dB is very decent as opposed to 86/87 average ! so what I meant is if you have an Amp with good current capability then you are good to go !
Ohh so you are opting for 2-1,The very same speakers have been reviewed in what-hifi with a 5 star rating,not that its something to go by (I personally don't care much bout these,but just in case you care).Also just a quick google for some reviews shows a all 5 star rating of them in all of them !!
In the same price range the other options include the range from Usher,but you have to settle for a stand mount in the same prize range as Opus2-1 !!
Coming to the Wharfedale lower end range, Well I have to say its perhaps your point of view (there's nothing wrong in that), But what I have noticed over the years (having heard all the series of Wharfedale) is that they are THE value for money products and have always fared very decent in terms of their sound reproduction !! Take Diamond 8.4 for Example,They sound soo good for the money that it becomes very hard to beat them ! at times when I've compared them with doubly prized speakers they've come on top with the sound !
Yes they may sound coloured when you compare it with x3 times or more priced products! but compare it with the run of mill speakers from almost all brands in the same price range (even as said double at times) you'll appreciate their sound !!
Regards.
Actually its not as power hungry as other in the similar price range
!! The sensitivity of 89dB is very decent as opposed to 86/87 average ! so what I meant is if you have an Amp with good current capability then you are good to go !Ohh so you are opting for 2-1,The very same speakers have been reviewed in what-hifi with a 5 star rating,not that its something to go by (I personally don't care much bout these,but just in case you care).Also just a quick google for some reviews shows a all 5 star rating of them in all of them !!
In the same price range the other options include the range from Usher,but you have to settle for a stand mount in the same prize range as Opus2-1 !!
Coming to the Wharfedale lower end range, Well I have to say its perhaps your point of view (there's nothing wrong in that), But what I have noticed over the years (having heard all the series of Wharfedale) is that they are THE value for money products and have always fared very decent in terms of their sound reproduction !! Take Diamond 8.4 for Example,They sound soo good for the money that it becomes very hard to beat them ! at times when I've compared them with doubly prized speakers they've come on top with the sound !
Yes they may sound coloured when you compare it with x3 times or more priced products
! but compare it with the run of mill speakers from almost all brands in the same price range (even as said double at times) you'll appreciate their sound !!Regards.
Hi soundsgreat
Dont misunderstand me.
I have Wharfedale 9.5s .
It is becos of them i was spoilt.
For such a low money, with such mediocore elcetronics and with no attention to other things like cable etc , it used to give such fantastic sound , that we dont bother about rest of setu.
Now if one upgrades to a high end speaker, one has to work hard to find a matching amp( obviously a costly one), matching cables etc.. so it is a uphill ( albit rewarding) task.
regards
Dont misunderstand me.
I have Wharfedale 9.5s .
It is becos of them i was spoilt.
For such a low money, with such mediocore elcetronics and with no attention to other things like cable etc , it used to give such fantastic sound , that we dont bother about rest of setu.
Now if one upgrades to a high end speaker, one has to work hard to find a matching amp( obviously a costly one), matching cables etc.. so it is a uphill ( albit rewarding) task.
regards
soundsgreat
New Member
Hi,
Absolutely and most certainly not ! no question of misunderstanding ! I just put forward my thoughts on the comment you posted ! so its cool no worries !
Yes I totally agree with you here,when you go up the food chain you have to give importance to each and every little things to extract the last ounce of performance that you can from the set-up and most of the time its real pain staking !! But Rewards equally good too !
So have you Auditioned it yet or what ???
Regards.
Absolutely and most certainly not
! no question of misunderstanding ! I just put forward my thoughts on the comment you posted ! so its cool no worries !Yes I totally agree with you here,when you go up the food chain
you have to give importance to each and every little things to extract the last ounce of performance that you can from the set-up and most of the time its real pain staking !! But Rewards equally good too !So have you Auditioned it yet or what ???
Regards.
I love the Opus series, searched for 8 months across the Colorado front range from Ft Collins to Colorado Springs a 160 mile trek through Denver and beyond listening to speakers and fell in love with the Opus, so much so that I have purchased the entire line. Opus 2-3 front / Opus 2-2 rear / Opus 2-1 side / Opus Tri Center. I had decided on the B & W Cm 9's and then stumbled upon the Opus, I never thought I would own Wharfedales but this series is impressive. Cymbals and vocals are so real and uncolored and bass is well defined. The only problem is there are few dealers in the country and they are going to stop sending the satin finish to the USA so the prices are about to sky rocket because the piano finish although beautiful is very expensive (almost double) so buy them before there gone. For Power needs?? They are a 6ohm speaker so you will get more out of your amp so 150 equates to about 180. I have an Adcom GFA7500 150 x 5 into 8 ohms approx 180 into 6 ohms 225 into 4 ohms and it is plenty of power for them.
Last edited:
longshanks
Well-Known Member
They are not power hungry but they like high current amps.
Wharfedale Opus series is just brilliant but needs to be paired carefully and if done so then it will sound better than speaker may be twice or thrice its price.
The speakers are made in england and the quality, finish is top notch.
Well,
What can I say?
Firstly, i've been the proud owner of a pair of of the Opus 2's for some 7 years now.
They needed a lot of running in from new, & straight out of the box, they where a bit flat & midband was a slightly 'cuppy' colouration.
But some 2 months of running in, the mid really opened up & the bass was much improved.
I first used them with a Musical Fidelity P-170 power amp, Tag pa-10 Pre-amp,
Meridian cd 200 & 606, transport/dac, Logic DM-101, turntable Syrinx & SME arms.
Secondly, they a massive improvement on old Mission speakers.
Even with this setup, they where open-transparent, superb midband.
But also great in all other areas, the bass is firm & solid with great definition.
Whilst the treble in incredibly smooth. The imaging is again superb & captivating.
Further, to this they responded well to various upgrades;
Krell pre & power amps, Avid deck, (although still got the Logic)Linn DS & Chord dac. Kimber speaker cables.
Since then I've added a matching opus centre for movies. (still on the lookout for the tri-surrounds)
I reckon there on par with equivalent B&W 804's which were around at the time of purchase.
I'm still very happy with them, They also look stunning & i've intention of moving them on.
What can I say?
Firstly, i've been the proud owner of a pair of of the Opus 2's for some 7 years now.
They needed a lot of running in from new, & straight out of the box, they where a bit flat & midband was a slightly 'cuppy' colouration.
But some 2 months of running in, the mid really opened up & the bass was much improved.
I first used them with a Musical Fidelity P-170 power amp, Tag pa-10 Pre-amp,
Meridian cd 200 & 606, transport/dac, Logic DM-101, turntable Syrinx & SME arms.
Secondly, they a massive improvement on old Mission speakers.
Even with this setup, they where open-transparent, superb midband.
But also great in all other areas, the bass is firm & solid with great definition.
Whilst the treble in incredibly smooth. The imaging is again superb & captivating.
Further, to this they responded well to various upgrades;
Krell pre & power amps, Avid deck, (although still got the Logic)Linn DS & Chord dac. Kimber speaker cables.
Since then I've added a matching opus centre for movies. (still on the lookout for the tri-surrounds)
I reckon there on par with equivalent B&W 804's which were around at the time of purchase.
I'm still very happy with them, They also look stunning & i've intention of moving them on.