Wharfedale WH-2 Center Speaker

This review is of the WH-2 center channel speaker only; the WH-2 series from Wharfedale includes a surround (rear) speaker, and a center channel speaker.

Features:

Drivers: 100mm bass (2), 28mm dome tweeter (1)
Power handling: 120 W
Nominal Impedance: 4-8 ohms
Sensitivity (1W at 1 meter): 89dB
Frequency Response: 80Hz to 20kHz
Size in mm (H x W x D): 125 x 420 x 150
Finishes: Usually available in black and beech, but others may be available depending on dealer stock.

Polypropylene cones and hand-wound voice coils are used to make the main drive units, which are then assembled in a MDF wood enclosure. The tweeter is ferrofluid cooled.

Performance:

I purchased this compact center channel with the intention of sending it back. That is, I was pretty certain that $60 just could not buy a reasonably sounding speaker. I was willing to give it a chance because reviews of the WH-2 surrounds have been pretty good, and a center channel speaker is not high on my finance priority list at the moment (believe me, I wish it was). Perhaps more importantly, I'm working with limited space in my entertainment center and I didn't want to locate the speaker on top of my television. Unfortunately, I'm a bit of a speaker connoisseur. I've listened to some of the best stuff out there and I have a pair of PSB speakers as my mains. To be honest, my first choice was the PSB Alpha CLR, which has outstanding sound quality for its size. However, it also costs four times more than the Wharfedale WH-2. So, I gambled. The gamble seems to have paid off.

Make no mistake - the WH-2 is good, but it can't compete with the PSB center channels, nor anything from the likes of B&W, Paradigm, and similar manufacturers. It can, however, compete with even slightly larger center channels from lesser brands such as AR, Infinity, Polk, and Bose. The WH-2's highs are fairly crisp, but not so bright that they give me a headache. The mid-range (especially voice) is well-reproduced, although a little flat compared to the PSB Alpha. Bass is reasonably tight and controlled. With a cutoff of 80Hz, you'll want to make sure that you have at least a small subwoofer to pull through from at least 30Hz to 80Hz. Still, I was surprised at the presence of this little box. The manufacturer claims a sensitivity of 89dB (one watt at one meter), which is respectable and believable. I had to switch off the mains and just listen to the WH-2 because I couldn't believe that such small drivers in such a small cabinet could hang on through any given "Tomb Raider" action scene. Again, keep in mind the size of this speaker – don't go comparing it to a center with 6-inch drivers and expect it to keep up.

A couple minor complaints. The finish on the drivers' surface is nice, but it seems to have been somewhat inconsistently applied during the manufacturing process. I only noticed this when looking very closely at the drivers, and I'm not sure how much it impacts sound quality. Secondly, I found an access string of glue on one of the drivers when I pulled the speaker out of the box, and this probably came from around the center of one of the main drivers, where you can see a ring of glue if you look closely. Not a big deal, the string hadn't adhered to anything, and I guess I better shut-up for $60.

Cabinet and related hardware:

So the sound quality is decent, which means the cabinet and hardware must be what keeps the price down right? Not really. The cabinet is well-finished and with a very solid feel. Even the simulated wood grain surface surrounding the driver openings (behind the screen) is attractive. The oversized gold binding posts on the back are larger and of much higher quality than I expected, making them very easy to use. They accept 14 gauge wire with no problems, it looks like 12 gauge would work as well (although this is more wire than this speaker needs). The plastic cup that surrounds the posts and even the screws that hold it in place remind me of hardware found on speakers costing three times as much.

The removable screen looks sharp from the outside with "Wharfedale" written in silver-colored script font in the lower center. The inside of the screen is less impressive – again some access glue on the interior edges, and no grille underneath the cloth to protect the larger drivers (the tweeter is protected by its own grille attached to the cabinet). Given the intended placement and size of this speaker, this may not be a big deal. The included adhesive rubber pads are of substantial size and quality and do nice job of isolating the speaker while also protecting the finish.

Cabinet shielding seems to be very good - I've had no interference with my television or any other components, even though everything is pretty close together in a tight space.

Conclusions:

For its size, there are only a few center channels that provide noticeably better sound quality. For its size and price considered together, I have yet to find anything comparable. If you're on a budget and have a small space (funny how these two often go together), the WH-2 is an excellent choice.