Wharfedale Aston Speakers

Wharfedale Aston Speakers

Drawing on Peter Comeau’s 40-plus years of acoustic design experience this stand mount model delivers an absorbing, full-scale sound that belies the cabinet’s compact dimensions. As a signature model, Comeau was able to take his time with the Aston, free from the commercial deadlines of core product lines.

Not only designed and engineered in the UK, Aston is manufactured there, as a limited edition, made not for the masses but for the passionate, knowledgeable few. A mere 500 pairs have been manufactured. And when it’s gone, it’s gone!

A New Classic: Its wood-veneered cabinet has a vintage look, yet the standard of finish is distinctly contemporary – a tribute to the skilled craftsmanship required for the production of such a loudspeaker. Fusing established methodology with modern technology, Aston may be classic in style but it is truly up to date in terms of performance and technology. Every part of the speaker, from the cabinet to the grille, has been designed and chosen to exemplify the standards that help make Wharfedale Britain’s most famous loudspeakers.

Two-Way to Perfection: The Aston sees the implementation of a brand-new Carbon Fibre bass/midrange cone, a first in the Wharfedale Heritage series. Developed from the basis of a long history of award-winning transducer designs, the Aston bass/midrange driver is mounted in a rigid, cast chassis, The high-performance motor system minimises energy losses in the cone transfer mechanism and the cone itself is complemented by a new profiled phase plug, for a super smooth and natural-sounding upper mid-range.

A Perfect Blend: The electrical crossover between the drive units is of vital importance in a loudspeaker, as it not only divides the frequencies between bass/midrange and treble but also blends the outputs of the drivers into a seamless musical presentation. The Aston’s crossover components, including air-core inductor coils and high-specification polypropylene capacitors, have been chosen for their revealing and transparent character, seamlessly meshing the three drivers together.

The crossover slopes and the shape of the Aston’s power response have been refined by extensive listening tests with a wide variety of music to ensure the speaker is simply a conduit between the performers and the listener. As a result, this sophisticated stand mount speaker reveals an engaging and transparent quality of reproduction suited to all styles of music.

Listening Makes Perfect: The high frequency performance is handled by a new soft dome tweeter, designed in synergy with the bass/midrange driver. Via advanced computer modelling and thousands of ears of listening tests, the Aston crossover ties the tweeter and Carbon Fibre bass/midrange driver together for a superlative level of music reproduction.

Furniture grade in finish and construction, the Aston cabinet is formed from layers of differing woods. Via a series of complex tests, analysis and computer modelling, the multi-layer cabinet design complements the real-world performance of the featured transducers. With this resonance control and air pressure management – by way of dual rear ports – the Wharfedale Aston is capable of high sound pressure levels and clean bass extension down to below 50Hz, in-room.

Astonishing for a speaker of this size, Wharfedale Aston offers a broad, even dispersion without colouration and it presents an almost holographic representation of the recording which leaves you in no doubt that you are in the presence of a truly great loudspeaker system.

Styled like a legendary speaker of yesteryear, the Wharfedale Aston is finished in a rich, hand-matched, real-wood veneer with gold accents and a Wharfedale Heritage trim.

Making a Stand: The matching Aston stand is also made in England, from hardened high-carbon British Steel. Presenting the Aston loudspeaker with elegance and delicacy, the stand is custom engineered for the optimum listening experience. Matching the furniture-grade cabinets, the Aston stand is finished with a classy touch in the form of a luxurious glass insert, for arguably the most attractive loudspeaker and plinth combination.

Our Review

The Wharfedale Aston is one of those rare speakers that manages to be both a throwback and a breakthrough. Drawing on Peter Comeau’s decades of acoustic design experience, the Aston delivers a rich, full-bodied sound that feels far bigger than its compact, stand-mount form suggests. Everything about it oozes care and craftsmanship - from the beautifully hand-matched real-wood veneer to the precision-engineered Carbon Fibre drivers and crossover components chosen as much by ear as by spec sheet. Limited to just 500 pairs and built entirely in the UK, it’s a speaker for the dedicated listener - refined, revealing, and effortlessly musical. With its blend of vintage styling and cutting-edge tech, the Aston isn’t just a new model; it’s a modern classic in the making.

Main Features & Specifications

• Design: 2 Way Vented Box Stand Mount Loudspeakers
• Enclosure Type: Bass Reflex (dual rear ports)
• Treble Driver: 1” (25mm) Fabric Dome
• Mid/Bass Driver: 6” (150 mm) Black Carbon Fibre Cone
• Sensitivity (2.8V @ 1m): 86dB
• Recommended Amplifier Power: 25-100W
• Peak SPL: 95dB
• Nominal Impedance: 4Ω
• Minimum Impedance: 3.9Ω
• Frequency Response (+/-3dB): 55Hz-20kHz
• Bass Extension (-6dB): 44Hz
• Crossover Frequency: 2.3kHz
• Cabinet Volume: 10.8L
• Included Accessories: 560mm high Aston Stands
• Finish: Walnut
• Dimensions (WxHxD): 200 x 340 x 255mm
• Weight: 16 kg pair
• Manufacturer’s Warranty: 5 Years

Note: Features & Specifications Subject To Change Without Notice. E&OE