Key Features
The Triton 3 uses a genuinely three-way driver complement rather than the two-and-a-half-way arrangements common on many bookshelf designs: a long-throw 20cm bass driver with a paper cone and rubber surround, an acoustically sealed 13cm midrange driver, and a 2.5cm tweeter with a lightweight cellulosic-acetate-butyrate cone and an added phase plug. The cabinet employs a seven-element crossover network, a relatively sophisticated arrangement for a speaker of this era and price point, intended to give each driver a cleanly defined slice of the audio spectrum.
Being a sealed acoustic suspension design rather than a ported or reflex enclosure, the Triton 3 favours accuracy and control over outright bass extension, and tends to be more forgiving of placement close to a rear wall than a ported alternative would be. The cabinets sit at a useful size for stand-mounting or shelf placement, offering a fuller, more mature presentation than smaller two-way designs from the same period thanks to the dedicated midrange driver.
Technical Specifications
(Source: HiFi Engine, thevintageknob.org, radiomuseum.org)
- Type: 3-way, 3-driver bookshelf loudspeaker, acoustic suspension (sealed) enclosure
- Bass driver: 200mm (8″) paper cone
- Midrange driver: 130mm (5″) cone, sealed chamber
- Tweeter: 25mm (1″) dome, CAB cone with phase plug
- Frequency Response: 55Hz–20kHz (±3dB)
- Crossover Frequencies: 750Hz and 5kHz
- Power Handling: 25W
- Nominal Impedance: 6Ω
- Enclosure Volume: 24 litres
- Dimensions: 555 x 248 x 228mm
- Weight: 9.5kg (each)
- Year of Production: c. 1971
- Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Please note that some published sources give slightly different power handling and impedance figures (for example, 20W/8Ω on an earlier data sheet versus 25W/6Ω elsewhere); the figures above are those most consistently corroborated across our reference sources and should be treated as broadly indicative for a speaker of this age.
Why Buy From Us
With over 40 years of experience in the Hi-Fi industry, we are well placed to assess and test equipment of this type. Every item we list is fully inspected and tested before sale — this pair was checked by Andrew in our workshop.
When you buy from us you can expect:
- Full inspection and testing prior to listing — not simply a visual check
- A 3-month guarantee on every item we sell
- Transparent descriptions with no omissions
- Professional packaging to ensure safe delivery
- After-sales support available by phone or email should you have any questions
Summary
This is a genuinely well-preserved pair of Wharfedale Triton 3 loudspeakers, a classic three-way British design from the early 1970s, presented in great condition for their age. Their sealed-box design and dedicated midrange driver give a more mature and detailed sound than typical two-way bookshelf speakers from the period. This is a matched pair listed as a single lot. Please feel free to get in touch with any questions prior to purchase.
