Price Paid:  $100.00 from JSG Audio Video

Summary:
I use this speaker for the surround channels in my 5.1 setup, and also as the rear channels for 5 channel stereo listening. The room is 17' x 26' with a 8' ceiling. If the room were any larger, I would definitely like a larger more powerful speaker. To put it plainly though, considering the monetary cost of this speaker and how much it is used, it may be the best value in my setup.

It does a great job for such a small speaker. I have experimented with the placement of the speaker several times, and at the direction of the dealer, found this to work the best:

Place the speakers two to three feet above the listening position in the rear corners of the room. Face one pair of the drivers in toward the opposite speaker across the back of the room, and one pair of drivers toward the front of the room. In some respects, this eliminates the need for the rarely used surround back channels by moving sound across the same directions, with fewer speakers.

Strengths:
These speakers are well balanced within their intended range. They handle midrange smoothly without over-emphasizing it. I first noticed this when listening to James Taylor's DVD "Pull Over" in 5 Channel Stereo, without the front channels powered. The guitar sounded quite nice with the warmth distributed evenly, and the treble was pretty clear. The vocals had the characteristic brightness and were very spacious.

Movies are probably the speaker's strongest application. Because of the bipole design, they disperse sound well, and use refelctions off of the walls to create a pretty open space behind the listener.

Weaknesses:
For the cost, there are none. It isn't a speaker that handles a huge amount of power, but it is not intended to be. Also, the treble is a little shy, but it is with most spekaers for this application and in this price range.

Price Paid:  $89.00 from BestBuy Plasma

Summary:
This may be the best audio bargain of the century. I'm in a small apartment, with no room for rear standmounts. So I decided to get some wall-mounted dipoles for my surround sound system.

I'm running B&W 805 Signatures up front, with a B&W HTM2 center and ASW 600 sub. My goal wasn't to try to match the build and/or sound quality of the 805 Sigs; after all, they're $3500 speakers and it's not fair to expect $89 Wharfedales to be in the same league. I just wanted something that would work well for the occasional action flick or surround sound concert DVD.

Would you believe that the Wharfedales sound great, and fit the system very well? In fact, the Wharfedales are the 2nd set of Dipoles I've tried. A set of Definitive BP1.2X are going back to the store tomorrow - they sound ok, but not as nice as the Wharfedales. And the Def Techs cost more than 3X as much.

The Wharfedales actually match up well with the 805 Sigs for tonal quality and sound balance - not that surprising, as both are British. The Wharfedales give up a little on the low end but have nice emphasis on the highs and mids, with excellent reproduction of female vocals just like the B&Ws.

Anyway, I can't believe I paid only $89 for them. I'm not sure why everyone isn't banging the drum for these things...probably people figure that for $89 they must stink. Rest assured, they definitely don't stink. And for $89, they're gems.

Strengths:
Nice job with female vocals, nice upper-end articulation. Great build quality, better in fact than the Def Tech BP1.2X I'm returning. Easy as pie to mount. I'm going to go check my credit card again...there's no way I only paid $89 for these. Gotta be a typo.

Weaknesses:
Not much bass extension, but that's an irrelevant point if you're putting them in a surround sound system and cutting off at 80hz. I'm actually cutting off at 60hz and they sound fine.

Similar Products Used:
Definitive Technology BP1.2X

Price Paid:  $68.00 from eCost

Summary:
These speakers great for surrounds, I just purchased them. I was dissapointed first about the size, but after I listened them, thay are great for the price. I have a JVC reciever and I turned it up pretty loud about 75 (it goes to 90) and the sound did not distort I was surprised. I have to listen little more about 30 hours so, because they need to break in.

Strengths:
pretty clear sound, doesn't distort

Weaknesses:
mids but need to break in so I don't know yet