WHARFEDALE DS-2 Bluetooth Active Speaker Black (Pair)

WHARFEDALE Blutooth Active Speaker 2x15 Watt

DS-2 stereo Bluetooth speaker system delivers hi-fi sound in miniaturised form – perfect to place on a desk, table or shelf

Based on the now-discontinued DS-1, a similarly diminutive pair of Bluetooth speakers widely acknowledged as the best available under £200 – "petite little desktop speakers that sound fantastic for the money,” said What Hi-Fi? whilst presenting them with an Award in 2015.

In contrast to most Bluetooth speakers, the DS-2 is a pair of proper two-way hi-fi speakers shrunk to desktop size, standing just 190mm high, 120mm wide and 140mm deep.

The mid/bass driver’s cone is fashioned from woven polypropylene, chosen for its ideal combination of lightness, strength and low coloration. Both drive units are protected by specially designed metal grilles, while a rear-firing port augments low-frequency performance to provide bass that’s surprisingly deep and punchy for the speakers’ size.
Inside the master speaker nestles new-generation, high-performance digital amplification outputting 2x15W continuous and 2x30W peak. This drives the treble and mid/bass units via a high-quality crossover network containing select audio-grade.
Bluetooth provides simple wireless pairing with smartphones, tablets, PCs and Macs, complete with support for the sonically superior aptX codec. Flexibility is further enhanced by a 3.5mm analogue stereo input and supplied cable.

The M-1 has been engineered with the same design attributes and ethos as B&Wʼs larger ranges. Perhaps the most striking thing about the M-1 is the weight and strength of its curved aluminium cabinet. This is combined with a strong, glass-loaded ABS front baffle. Together they provide an excellent cabinet: the curved aluminium is stiff and the ABS offers excellent and appropriate damping characteristics.

The M-1ʼs drive units were developed by Bowers & Wilkins specifically for the design. The metal dome tweeter benefits from refinements developed for the new B&W 800 Series and includes Nautilus™ tube loading and neodymium magnets. The glass fibre bass/midrange coneʼs ability to absorb standing waves has been further enhanced by the inclusion of five strategically placed resin filled slots that further minimise distortion.

The result of this detailed cabinet and drive unit engineering has allowed B&Wʼs engineers to borrow another feature from the new 800 Series and utilise the simplest of electronic equalisation in the M-1ʼs crossover. Each of the drive units is fed by only a single, carefully selected component. This approach to crossover design, although painstaking as it relies on optimising all of the physical components in a design, is crucial in achieving its aim of neither adding to nor subtracting from the original signal.

The M-1 is available in three colour options - black, white and silver, each with chromium plated stem and table base.

At home on a stand, wall or bookshelf, the versatile 685 S2 is ideal for stereo and home theatre uses in most rooms. And performance is enhanced with the addition of a Decoupled Double Dome tweeter.

The Decoupled Double Dome tweeter found in the 685 S2, and the rest of the new 600 Series, is technology taken straight from our award-winning CM10 speaker. A dual-layer design combines a thin aluminium dome for lightness and a thicker aluminium ring for rigidity - the result is absolutely stunning, with far greater clarity in the audible spectrum.

The tweeter is also decoupled from the main cabinet, kept physically separate in its own cavity with a ring of gel cushioning it from vibrations. This improves imaging and dispersion for a more natural, spacious treble.

As well as a decoupled, double dome aluminium tweeter, the two-way 685 S2 features a full-range 6.5-inch driver constructed from woven Kevlar and using Anti-Resonance Plug dustcaps, as seen in high-end Bowers & Wilkins speakers. The result is stunning audio quality from a highly versatile smaller speaker.

Itʼs widely understood that the sound of surround TVs cannot compete with the excitement of a properly designed and equalised home theatre system. But great sound comes at the expense of living space…until now. The wall-hugging RX-FX surround speaker reconciles the problem by providing a convincing, enveloping timbre-consistent surround sound that places you on the edge of your seat and at the heart of the action. Discreet enough to be flush-mounted on side or rear walls, the RX-FX design will blend with the system and your décor so completely youʼll wonder why you ever thought of compromise. Itʼs also immensely flexible sonically, offering direct or diffuse sound effects at the flick of a switch.

System Format: 2 Way
Frequency Response: 60Hz - 35kHz
Sensitivity (1W@1M): 89dB
Nominal Impedance: 6 Ohms
Maximum SPL (dBA): 111.8
Power Handling (RMS): 80W
Recommended Amplifier Requirements (RMS): 10-80W
Bass Alignment: Sealed Cabinet
Tweeter Crossover Frequency: 2.1kHz
Drive Unit Complement: 1 x 6" RST® Bass/Mid driver.
2 x 1" (25mm) C-CAM® gold dome tweeters
Product External Dimensions:
(H x W x D) 250 x 300 x 120 mm
(9 13/16 x 11 13/16 x 4 3/4 inch)
Individual Weight: 4.69 Kg (10.38 lb)

User's Manual

Available in colors

Small is beautiful. The 686 S2 is the most compact speaker in the series, but don't underestimate its power and precision. That's thanks to a new Decoupled Double Dome tweeter and improved design.

An ideal bookshelf or wall-mounted speaker, the 686 S2 is designed to fit into any space and still sound perfect. Its main driver is a 5-inch bass/midrange unit which benefits from a new 25mm voice coil which makes for a higher sensitivity speaker with bass more suited for placement near a wall.

Bass performance is vital but can often suffer in smaller speakers. Not in the 686 S2, however. That's because a front-firing Flowport, dimpled like a golf ball around the aperture for smoothly regulated airflow, delivers superior bass response without the risk of rattle. Its placement ensures the speaker cabinet is slimmer than predecessors and can be wall mounted without affecting performance.

Like the rest of the range, and despite its smaller size, the 686 S2 also features a Decoupled Double Dome aluminium tweeter for superior high-frequency response. The 686 S2 even features a built-in bracket for easy wall mounting, although this small, versatile and precise speaker sounds great anywhere.

16V DC on product -
2x f25mm (1.0 in) tweeter -
Amplifier power output 4x18W
Depth 100mm free standing
Description Fully active 2.0 Multimedia speaker system
Drive units 2x f75mm (3.0 in) woofers
Finish Enclosure: ABS with spun aluminium top plate
Frequency range 38Hz and 22kHz
Grilles: Black cloth -
Height 170mm free standing
Inputs 3.5mm mini jack analogue
Mini USB B 2.0 for PC connection: Streaming & software upgrades -
Net weight 0.85kg per speaker
Outputs 3.5mm mini jack Headphone output
Power input voltage 100V - 240V ac 50/60Hz on external power supply
Rated power consumption 12W (primary consumption)
Standby power consumption Width 100mm