Type subsidiary Website wharfedale.co.uk Founded 1932 | Industry electronics Founder Gilbert Briggs Parent organization International Audio Group | |
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Products audio visual equipment (currently) Headquarters Huntingdon, United Kingdom | ||
Wharfedale is the name of a prominent audio equipment manufacturer in the United Kingdom best known for loudspeakers. It is currently part of the International Audio Group.
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Wharfedale also used to manufacture televisions, DVD players, set-top boxes and Hi-Fi players. Since 2008, they have only manufactured and sold audio equipment.
History
Wharfedale Wireless Works was founded in 1932 by Gilbert Briggs, and became one of Britain's leading manufacturers of audiophile equipment, particularly loudspeakers. In addition to winning awards by groups such as the Bradford Radio Society, in mass public testing at Carnegie Hall Wharfedale speakers proved indistinguishable from live music. Innovations introduced by Wharfedale under Briggs included such basics as the two-way loudspeaker and the ceramic magnet. In the 1950s and 1960s, Wharfedale became famous for its technique of eliminating cabinet resonances by using a double cabinet, with the space between the inner and outer shells filled with sand. Purchasers of the loudspeaker systems would receive the appropriate quantity of sand which had been shipped from Wharfedale in England. (Wharfedale in Yorkshire is the site of numerous sand quarries). Briggs sold the company in 1958, and it has been through several owners since then.
Licensing of Wharfedale name
Up until 2008, the brand name was licensed to Argos for the manufacture of electronics products. All Wharfedale-branded speakers were still made by the original firm.
Manufacturing
The manufacturing site was located in Idle, a district of Bradford, West Yorkshire.