Wharfedale, a renowned name in loudspeaker manufacturing, has announced the launch of its latest creation, the Aston speaker. This limited-edition model is designed and engineered in the UK, and it carries the ‘signature’ of Peter Comeau, one of Britain’s leading loudspeaker designers.
The Aston is a classic two-way ported speaker, unlike other Heritage Series models like the Linton, Super Linton, Super Denton, and Dovedale, which are three-way designs. The Aston features a newly designed treble driver and mid/bass driver, both made in-house by Wharfedale. This ensures optimal performance and consistency across every unit.
The mid/bass driver has a rigid die-cast chassis and a 15cm carbon fiber cone. Wharfedale tuned the driver with the cabinet and twin rear-firing reflex ports to produce clean bass extension below 50Hz. This is impressive for a speaker of Aston’s compact size. A gold-colored phase plug sits in the center of the diaphragm. This contributes to the speaker’s smooth, natural, and expressive performance in the mid and upper-mid frequencies.
The new treble unit takes design cues from the high-end Dovedale speaker. It combines a ceramic magnet motor system with a 25mm fabric dome. A damped rear chamber absorbs output from the back of the diaphragm, reducing the treble unit’s resonant frequency. This allows the Aston to reveal full treble detail and harmonics without impacting the smoothness of the high-frequency performance.
The speaker cabinet is crafted from a combination of woods to minimize resonance, and it is finished with real-wood veneers. Internal bracing and damping materials further enhance the cabinet’s acoustic properties.
Wharfedale has also designed a matching stand for the Aston, made from British steel with glass inserts. The stand provides stability, reduces floor interactions, and positions the speaker at the optimal height.
The Aston is a limited-edition product, with only 500 pairs being produced. It is available in walnut, mahogany, and black oak finishes.
A Legacy of Innovation
Wharfedale’s history dates back to 1932, and the company has been responsible for numerous innovations in loudspeaker technology. Peter Comeau has been at the helm of Wharfedale’s acoustic design for the past 16 years. His designs have won many awards for various brands, including Mission, QUAD, and Wharfedale.
The Aston is the latest addition to Wharfedale’s Heritage Series, which reimagines classic models with modern technology. This new speaker embodies the company’s commitment to high-quality sound reproduction and classic British design.
A Designer’s Vision
Peter Comeau, Wharfedale’s Director of Acoustic Design, expressed his vision for the Aston: “When I designed my first commercial pair of hi-fi speakers in the late 1970s, my goal was to make a compact speaker that delivered a wide bandwidth sound… By harnessing the latest developments in cabinet, driver, and crossover design… I’ve created a ‘signature’ speaker that entirely fulfills the brief I set myself for my first commercial design all those decades ago: a compact speaker with a wide-bandwidth sound.”
The Wharfedale Aston is slated to be available in Europe from late February 2025 in a choice of walnut, mahogany, and black oak wood veneers. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price (RRP) is £1,999 per pair with the matching stand, or £1,699 without. The stand is also available separately at £499 per pair. Estimated US pricing for the Wharfedale Aston would be approximately $2,499 per pair with the stand, $2,124 without the stands, and $624 for the stands by themselves.
ASTON SPECIFICATIONS:
Speaker type: Two-way standmount
Enclosure type: Bass reflex (2x rear ports)
Treble driver: 25mm fabric dome
Mid/bass driver: 150mm carbon fibre cone
Sensitivity: (2.83V @ 1m) 86dB
Nominal impedance: 4Ω (minimum 3.9Ω)
Recommended amp power: 25-100W
Frequency response: (+/-3dB) 55Hz-20kHz
Bass extension: (-6dB) 44Hz
Speaker dimensions: (HxWxD) 340x200x255mm
Stand dimensions: (HxWxD) 560x265x255mm
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I’m an audio writer who started as a young audio salesman/consumer electronics professional back in the late 90s. That’s where I discovered the magic of 2-Channel sound. My hunger for great sound has led me on a delightful music quest that continues today.
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