Wharfedale W60E (c. 1970–1972)

What little survives in the period press describes a speaker aimed at natural, uncolored sound rather than dramatic effect.

The W60E came out around 1970. It used a new 5-inch midrange driver in an isolated, non-reflecting cylindrical chamber, with a high-compliance suspension and a four-layer voice coil for greater power handling. The tweeter was a 1-inch mylar dome. The available reviews don't record the woofer details.

High Fidelity (June 1972, p.37) measured the W60E's frequency response as quite linear within ±3.5 dB, with very wide-angle dispersion. High Fidelity (October 1972, p.83) reported that response was still clearly audible at 90° off-axis. The same review noted the speaker handled up to 100 watts before buzzing began. High Fidelity (June 1972, p.37) said it reproduced smaller instrumental combinations "with exceptional definition and without a hint of the bigger-than-life quality that many speakers introduce." Earlier, Audio (December 1970, p.5) pointed to the redesigned midrange and tweeter as the key improvements over the previous W60. High Fidelity (October 1972, p.83) concluded that the W60E "adds no coloration, no intonation, nothing that isn't in the music."

Beyond those reviews, documentation is thin. No original specifications sheet, owner's manual, or production figures are known to survive in common circulation.