Hello and GoodDay to Everyone, Sorry I did not get to rebuttal to a few replies to my post about the Wharfedale Jade 3 stand mount speaker. well, I am now back in the States from traveling to Londan England to visit a good friend and his lovely family. During my stay in my privet time, I decided to go deeper into towns of London and investigate the HI END HIFI Brick and mortar stores and venues to see what was available. Well, quit a bit if you we're looking for Ultra HI END or just HI END HIFI. So, I stumbled into North London and visited a store called Audio Gold 306-310 Park Road London. At this store they sell New and Vintage HIFI Equipment. Wel, just so happen an event was being held in one of the showrooms on Synergy and why it is so Very Important to have it if you are looking to get the Absolute Best Quality of Sound from a HIFI System. It was mainly aimed at Separates Power Amplifiers and Preamps to understand how to match up Impedance to Speakers, and also the importance of Speaker Setup. Thay demonstrated that even with the best sounding speakers if setup is not properly done the Quality of sound will not be OPTIMAL. In room # 1 was the Amplifier Preamp Synergy Room where they demonstrated what is needed for Synergy to be achieved between the to. I cannot go into detail of that because it would take up too much time to explain all of the information in this post. In room # 2 was a setup for Vintage Hi Fi with the Wharfedale Jade 3 stand mount speakers and many other speakers similar to them as demonstration for Synergy to amplifiers and setup techniques. They explained that room size and dimensions must be at play for a speaker to perform at its Optimum Performance with the Appropriate Power Amplification and Room Sound Acoustics to achieve the Highest Performance. After listening to the The Jade 3s I was totally beyond impressed with what I heard that day from this speaker. Keep in mind that the Wharfedale Jade 3 speakers are SEALED SPEAKERS that are preferred by most audiophiles for critical listening. The best size room for this speaker and most like it is 12 to 13 wide by 18 to 22 long. Never setup this speaker on the long wall in any setup. This speaker and the others that were like it in the demonstration room prefer to be closer to the corner tilted in and pointed towards the center seating position of the listener. This speaker must be on a 24-inch-high stand to position it at the listener's face and ear height Level. Amplification must be a quality high powered amp that will be able to go down to 4 ohms but better yet one that will put out power a wattage ratings of 150 to 300 watts per channel, it sounds like allot but that is exactly the type of power this speaker needs to show its true performance. I just so happen to have several types of High power and Quality Vintage power amplifier and one I will be using for this speaker is the SAE a501 power amplifier that was just a week ago fully re capped and restored to factory specs that will push out over 350 watts per channel down to 4 ohms. I got a little ahead of myself by saying that I already have in mind to pair these speakers with an amplifier that I already have. Well, to clarify why I jumped ahead in my writings is because I actually purchased the pair of Wharfedale Jade 3 speakers that were being used for demonstration in room #2. After hearing what I heard in that room that I have similar dimensions of in my test sound room, I just had to purchase them. They are the piano black finish that comes with the correct and the original 24-inch stands that you can buy separately. they had a for sale after the event sign on the stands at the event. So, I walked over to the demonstrator after this event was over and we had a great conversation concerning the speakers and the correct vintage amplification that will bring it to its highest performance. So, I mentioned to him two amplifiers that I could use to power the speakers. I mentioned to him my vintage Krell Kav 250a that sounds great but has not been recapped or restored and my SAE a501 that also sounds Super Great that has been re caped and restored. So, he suggested that I use the SAE a 501. The posted for-sale sign after the event price for the speakers was for 558.19 UK pounds that is $760 US. I was able to negotiate the price down to $550 US without the stands. I went without the stands only because I have several 24-inch stands that would be more than appropriate to support this medium-large speaker. I had a bit of trouble having them shipped with me back on the flight, but everything worked out and I made it home yesterday on time to have dinner with my wife. So, that was why the post was written about the Wharfedale Jade 3 speakers and why are they not easy to find like so many other speakers.
Note: I was told that for one of the reasons is that most people prefer ported speakers than the sealed speaker variety. That also most audiophiles preferred sealed speakers over ported speakers. And that some of today's so-called audiophiles prefer pointed over sealed which can get a little muddy if not powered correctly. But we all know that if powered correctly ported speaker sound very good in many LARGE full-size rooms.
A bit about my audiophile journey, I am from Brooklyn New York, and I moved to 30 East 95 street between Park and 5th Ave Manhattan NY right when the great stereo HI FI CRAZE hit New York in the 70s. My first audiophile gear perches was the pioneer 701 Reel to Reel and the matching cassette deck with handles at the age of 16. I still have that equipment to this day with many more and much more hi-fi equipment from that era and time and to this ERA of this day.
Understand that after 50 years in this hobby and being that I started at 16 and I am now 65 I understand and know all of the traits and tricks of the trade of how to acquire great high-performance sound in a system with precision quality sound. In all of these years I have managed to preserve my hearing and because I am critical about my hearing and what I hear I have tests performed yearly to make sure I'm listening and hearing things as they should be heard. I have no signs of damage or loss of hearing.
TREEPMEYER, to answer you're explaining and understanding of this speaker in your space and in your room, I just have to say one word... Get THAT COUCH FROM IN BETWEEN YOUR SPEAKERS AND PULL THEM AWAY FROM THAT WALL... And a Whole New world of Sound will open up for your Ears!
ALSO LIKE I SAID BEFOR THIS HIFI HORBY IS VERY SUBJECTIVE.
Mainly because we all hear differently but somewhat the same. And also, because everyone wants to be called or call themselves an AUDIOPHILE without actually ever hearing the music as it should sound.
SO, YES! SUBJECTIVE BUT WE ALL LOVE THE MUSIC!!!!!.
Like my man RONBOCO said KEEP ON LISTINING.
ENJOYE THE SUPER BOWL...
PEACE! TO ALL.
PEACE!