[Ocellia]

A bit late (I'm only on here intermittently!) but, like William007, I also use my Wharfedales regularly.
(So, yes, Will, write a review! It'll save me doing it!! (-:   )
I've had mine since 1973-ish.
For 20 years I'd just stored them away, forgotten almost. But the revival of planar phones reminded me to dig them out.
I was amazed at just how good they are. Made me sell my A-T WTH 1000s and stick with them!
They DO need a good amp. So no iPod use!
My Matrix Head amp hasn't enough power. But they were made to run from (DIN plugs!!) speaker outlets in amps, so I've adapted a flying lead to run from my Hafler DH200 amp's  speaker output and they are my regular nighttime listening.
Someone posted that they sound similar to Audez'e but I've never had a chance to compare.
Certainly the sound is detailed and has good bass.
A lovely seamless aura.
Smeggy's comment that they were cheap isn't true. £15 in 1973 was a weeks wages! But the white plastic makes them appear so to our modern eye?
 
The pad surrounds of course corroded away but the base material is cloth so that works.
They surround the ear.
I love them and fear the day they snap or something.
Then, maybe I'd get Smeggy to Thunderpants the panel bits?

 

[William007]

Yeah they require 25 watt and are 150 ohm it's funny when i plug them in my ipod it's sooo silent and there is all kinds of blackrubber coming off but they do sound sooo good! I think that my asgard can drive these

 

[Ocellia]

I forgot to add that they seem to get a good price on eBay! Even a ratty set recently fetched @ £70 ($120?) and a better set went for £120 ($160). But they ARE 40 years old, so rather rare!

 

[William007]

Mines are from 1975 do you have the same problems with your earpads that they give of a black 'glue'? And they are getting yellow but they still work fine i replaced the cheap 1/4 plug by a 1/8 neutrik for now i will be re cabeling these

 

[William007]

Okay so after some time, i'd have to say these are the BEST headphones i ever heard. Review will be coming when i can compare these to something like the hd600/he400 but in my opinion the sr80i's can't touch these

 

[Ocellia]

The 'black glue' is plastic, decaying. The original pads were some kind of plastic /fabric. 
I sold a pair (Fool!!) to Indonesia. The guy there got the black stuff off with white spirit-I think. Underneath the black stuff it's fabric which saves you having to make up new covers!
 
Agree about quality. They seem to have a very 'real' quality about the sound. 3D somehow.

 

[William007]

It all got of there but i can't belive these were £19 in 1973

 

[Ocellia]

Quote:

It all got of there

but i can't belive these were £19 in 1973

Yes, but in 1973 I was earning about £20 a week, so...... a week's earnings for headphones?
Immediately after came huge inflation, circa 1975, so my tax bill weekly at the end of the year was the same as my Gross weekly wages at the beginning, I recall!

 

[vid]

Quote:

It all got of there

but i can't belive these were £19 in 1973

 
The Yamaha HP-50S ortho: free with your Yamaha electronic organ. Not sure how much the organs cost, though.

 

[dBel84]

I have to agree that these headphones have a certain quality about them that is timeless
 
Mine may have measured a little strangely, but they sound fantastic. I would not compare them to the modern orthodynamics which surpass them by a wide margin on technicalities and overall frequency response. But that does not make the wharfedale isodynamics any less enjoyable. 
 
mine have been modified and the aging stock enclosures are out to pasture. 
 

 
..dB

 

[William007]

I have to agree that these headphones have a certain quality about them that is timeless

Mine may have measured a little strangely, but they sound fantastic. I would not compare them to the modern orthodynamics which surpass them by a wide margin on technicalities and overall frequency response. But that does not make the wharfedale isodynamics any less enjoyable. 

mine have been modified and the aging stock enclosures are out to pasture. 



..dB

Did you close the wharfedale's?

 

[dBel84]

yep , deep ported cups  - I did not lose that wonderful spacious sound in case you were wondering..dB

 

[William007]

yep , deep ported cups  - I did not lose that wonderful spacious sound in case you were wondering..dB

Did you do the mod yourself?

 

[dBel84]

Yes , from the above link 
 
Zebrawood Wharfedale

dBel84 - Original Wharfedale isodynamic. Driver relocated into zebrawood cups - on a whim. It sounded like it had potential for a closed phone (the majority of my listening). Driver is damped with thick, dense felt (initial Smeggyfelt), cup is lined with Moorebrook cashmere (nothing but the best for the vintage planars). This has become my most used headphone, it has a fairly narrow soundfield but quite a presence. Bass is deep; mids are not as forward as many of the vintage orthos; and highs are a little rolled off. Might sound like I am describing a nasty bass booming headphone but hopefully you will agree that it is a tremendously balanced headphone.
 
..dB

 

[William007]

Could you do that for me