Wharfedale Unit 3 kit speakers? - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

duncanlowe · 29th May 2023, 6:42 pm

I've a pair of speakers. Bought them second hand in the mid 80's.

Took them to Retrotech to sell, but no-one gave them a second look. Kind of not surprised in a way as they are finished in white Formica that is largely falling off. But I suspect they are not just run of the mill, given how heavy they are for the size.

Doing some digging, it seems that as I supected they are a kit. Wharfedale Unit 3. Got the pink 'fried egg' tweeters and the green felt surround on the woofers. Homemade, heavy, ply cases. Even the very odd screw terminals that don't seem up to the job, look to match what came with the kit.

So, what to do with them. Pull out the drivers and crossovers and sell? Or offer as complete given it seems they are homebuilt?

Radio Wrangler · 29th May 2023, 7:16 pm

It sounds like the cabinets are rather iffy, but those are good drive units. A friend made up a pair of those unit 3s and made a good furniture grade job of the cabinets. I think they are effectively the Dovedales (Dovedale 3?)

Nearly all the value will be in the drivers and crossovers.

I reckon they're worth either fixing the cosmetics or building into new cabinets and using. Might be a good idea to fit new capacitors in the crossovers.

David

jamesperrett · 30th May 2023, 12:00 am

I think it was the larger Unit 5 kits that were the equivalent of the Dovedales. I seem to remember Do It Yourself magazine in about 1970 had an article about building your own stereo system which featured the Unit 3 kits. According to my Henry's catalogue the Unit 3s used an 8" driver and an unspecified tweeter and cost £21.75 per pair.

Radio Wrangler · 30th May 2023, 4:02 am

Ah, thanks, James. I got the number wrong. John's speakers had the 12" bass driver and the pinky purple dome tweeter with the little diffuser biscuit.

The standard speakers in the lab at uni for learning to use the B&K gear were the Wharfedale Super 8 RSDD and the Goodmans Magister. There wasn't an acoustically dead room available, so it was for learning the way around the test gear rather than making useful measurements! I could have borrowed John's drivers and final speakers for some tests but without a controlled environment there was no point. The Super 8 driver did show that the Wharfedale 8 inch units were very well made and could withstand the abuse handed out by years of students armed with a B&K 70 Watt amplifier and swept tones.

mark_in_manc · 30th May 2023, 5:32 am

> swept tones

You've triggered a memory of supervising lab classes with unending upward sweeps - we had these modular Neutrik boxes with a built-in chart recorder which were excellent for classes. I suppose it beats an afternoon listening to MLSSA, just about.

The drive units described in the OP sound like those in my Dad's 'Super Linton' speakers. I thought they were brilliant - which they were, compared to the jumble-sale gear I had when I was a teenager.

RojDW48 · 31st May 2023, 6:16 pm

3010 bass drivers? I harvested a pair (from Dovedale 3s) to use in my Expert Acoustic Column omni speakers. Very capable drivers - much more-so in the Experts than the Dovedales.

duncanlowe · 31st May 2023, 9:02 pm

Here's a photo of one of them.

The cabinets are very well made. At least 15mm ply but could be thicker if rebates have been made. The white formica needs to go. If I was keeping them, I'd peel it off and re-veneer with a nice oak (as I did with some Mission speakers I use).

At some point, I'll offer them in the FS section as they are, and if no interest will remove the drive units. Thanks for the input.

29th May 2023, 6:42 pm	#1
duncanlowe Nonode Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Stafford, Staffs. UK. Posts: 2,532	Wharfedale Unit 3 kit speakers? I've a pair of speakers. Bought them second hand in the mid 80's. Took them to Retrotech to sell, but no-one gave them a second look. Kind of not surprised in a way as they are finished in white Formica that is largely falling off. But I suspect they are not just run of the mill, given how heavy they are for the size. Doing some digging, it seems that as I supected they are a kit. Wharfedale Unit 3. Got the pink 'fried egg' tweeters and the green felt surround on the woofers. Homemade, heavy, ply cases. Even the very odd screw terminals that don't seem up to the job, look to match what came with the kit. So, what to do with them. Pull out the drivers and crossovers and sell? Or offer as complete given it seems they are homebuilt?

29th May 2023, 7:16 pm	#2
Radio Wrangler Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Fife, Scotland, UK. Posts: 22,869	Re: Wharfedale Unit 3 kit speakers? It sounds like the cabinets are rather iffy, but those are good drive units. A friend made up a pair of those unit 3s and made a good furniture grade job of the cabinets. I think they are effectively the Dovedales (Dovedale 3?) Nearly all the value will be in the drivers and crossovers. I reckon they're worth either fixing the cosmetics or building into new cabinets and using. Might be a good idea to fit new capacitors in the crossovers. David __________________ Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done

30th May 2023, 12:00 am	#3
jamesperrett Octode Join Date: May 2007 Location: Liss, Hampshire, UK. Posts: 1,873	Re: Wharfedale Unit 3 kit speakers? I think it was the larger Unit 5 kits that were the equivalent of the Dovedales. I seem to remember Do It Yourself magazine in about 1970 had an article about building your own stereo system which featured the Unit 3 kits. According to my Henry's catalogue the Unit 3s used an 8" driver and an unspecified tweeter and cost £21.75 per pair.

30th May 2023, 4:02 am	#4
Radio Wrangler Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Fife, Scotland, UK. Posts: 22,869	Re: Wharfedale Unit 3 kit speakers? Ah, thanks, James. I got the number wrong. John's speakers had the 12" bass driver and the pinky purple dome tweeter with the little diffuser biscuit. The standard speakers in the lab at uni for learning to use the B&K gear were the Wharfedale Super 8 RSDD and the Goodmans Magister. There wasn't an acoustically dead room available, so it was for learning the way around the test gear rather than making useful measurements! I could have borrowed John's drivers and final speakers for some tests but without a controlled environment there was no point. The Super 8 driver did show that the Wharfedale 8 inch units were very well made and could withstand the abuse handed out by years of students armed with a B&K 70 Watt amplifier and swept tones. __________________ Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done

30th May 2023, 5:32 am	#5
mark_in_manc Octode Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Manchester, UK. Posts: 1,874	Re: Wharfedale Unit 3 kit speakers? > swept tones You've triggered a memory of supervising lab classes with unending upward sweeps - we had these modular Neutrik boxes with a built-in chart recorder which were excellent for classes. I suppose it beats an afternoon listening to MLSSA, just about. The drive units described in the OP sound like those in my Dad's 'Super Linton' speakers. I thought they were brilliant - which they were, compared to the jumble-sale gear I had when I was a teenager. __________________ "The best dBs, come in 3s" - Woody Brown

31st May 2023, 6:16 pm	#6
RojDW48 Nonode Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Bristol, UK. Posts: 2,074	Re: Wharfedale Unit 3 kit speakers? 3010 bass drivers? I harvested a pair (from Dovedale 3s) to use in my Expert Acoustic Column omni speakers. Very capable drivers - much more-so in the Experts than the Dovedales. __________________ '....don't go mistaking Paradise for that home across the road!' (Bob Dylan)

31st May 2023, 9:02 pm	#7
duncanlowe Nonode Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Stafford, Staffs. UK. Posts: 2,532	Re: Wharfedale Unit 3 kit speakers? Here's a photo of one of them. The cabinets are very well made. At least 15mm ply but could be thicker if rebates have been made. The white formica needs to go. If I was keeping them, I'd peel it off and re-veneer with a nice oak (as I did with some Mission speakers I use). At some point, I'll offer them in the FS section as they are, and if no interest will remove the drive units. Thanks for the input. Attached Thumbnails