In this review, we will be comparing L100 Classic MKII and Dovedale, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from JBL and Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL L100 Classic MKII and Wharfedale Dovedale first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | JBL L100 Classic MKII | Wharfedale Dovedale |
|---|
| Brand | JBL
United States · founded 1946 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" soft dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 12" Pulp | 10" black woven Kevlar cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40-40k Hz | 36-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 89 DB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 6.5 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-200 watts | 25-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 28.60kg / 62.9lbs | 26.20kg / 57.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 25.0" x 15.3" x 14.6"
636.5 x 389.6 x 371.5mm | 26.0" x 14.6" x 16.4"
660 x 370 x 417mm |
|---|
What size room are the JBL L100 Classic MKII and Wharfedale Dovedale speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
JBL L100 Classic MKII |
Wharfedale Dovedale |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both L100 Classic MKII and Dovedale are 3-way speakers.
JBL L100 Classic MKIIWharfedale Dovedale
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
JBL L100 Classic MKII |
Wharfedale Dovedale |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 12-inch
|
1 x 10-inch
|
L100 Classic MKII features a 1" Titanium Dome Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 1 x 12" Pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 3500Hz. On the other hand, the Dovedale features a 1" soft dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 1 x 10" black woven Kevlar cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 560Hz and 2900Hz.
Frequency Response
L100 Classic MKII has a frequency range of 40-40k Hz whereas Dovedale has a frequency range of 36-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 36Hz, the Dovedale can go slightly deeper then the L100 Classic MKII's min frequency of 40Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
L100 Classic MKII is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Dovedale which has a nominal impedance of 6.5 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the L100 Classic MKII can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. L100 Classic MKII sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Dovedale's is rated at 89 DB. This 1 dB difference makes the JBL L100 Classic MKII a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale Dovedale, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Dovedale can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas L100 Classic MKII has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Dovedale.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both L100 Classic MKII and Dovedale features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
JBL L100 Classic MKII's Five-way gold-plated binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Wharfedale Dovedale's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
L100 Classic MKII has a front firing port whereas Dovedale has a rear firing ports. JBL L100 Classic MKII's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Wharfedale Dovedale with its rear-firing port.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare JBL L100 Classic MKII's and Wharfedale Dovedale's external dimensions. JBL L100 Classic MKII has external dimensions of 636.5 x 389.6 x 371.5mm (25.0 x 15.3 x 14.6inch) whereas Wharfedale Dovedale has external dimensions of 660 x 370 x 417mm (23.6 x 14.6 x 16.4 inch).
JBL L100 Classic MKII is 23.5mm shorter and 45.5mm less deeper than Wharfedale Dovedale but it is also 19.6mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of JBL L100 Classic MKII and Wharfedale Dovedale in scale.
Comparison image of JBL L100 Classic MKII and Wharfedale Dovedale Size and External Dimensions
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the JBL L100 Classic MKII is approximately 1447.4cm2 / 224.3inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale Dovedale is approximately 1542.9cm2 / 239.1inch2. The L100 Classic MKII requires 6% less surface area than the Dovedale which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The JBL L100 Classic MKII weighs 28.60kg / 62.9lbs and the Wharfedale Dovedale weighs 26.20kg / 57.6lbs. This makes the L100 Classic MKII 9% heavier than the Dovedale.
Here is a comparison of how L100 Classic MKII and Dovedale's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of JBL L100 Classic MKII?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of L100 Classic MKII:
- Bookshelf loudspeaker
- Grille
- Owner's Manual
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Height |
636mm
vs
660mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1447cm2
vs
1542cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
4800USD
vs
5000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Nominal Impedance |
6.5 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
36 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
JBL L100 Classic MKII |
Wharfedale Dovedale |
| Brand |
JBL |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-200 watts |
25-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
89 DB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
6.5 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
40-40k Hz |
36-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Pulp |
black woven Kevlar cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
soft dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
450Hz and 3500Hz |
560Hz and 2900Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
636.5mm (25.1") |
660.0mm (26") |
| Width |
389.6mm (15.3") |
370.0mm (14.6") |
| Depth |
371.5mm (14.6") |
417.0mm (16.4") |
| Weight |
28.60kg (62.9lbs) |
26.20kg (57.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Genuine walnut veneer |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
Walnut |
Walnut |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
18" |
n/a |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Wharfedale Dovedale digs deeper - 36Hz against 40Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | Wharfedale Dovedale is the easier load at 6.5 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | B | Wharfedale Dovedale takes more power (250W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | JBL L100 Classic MKII: bi-amping; Wharfedale Dovedale: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($4,800 vs $5,000 a pair). |
A JBL L100 Classic MKII B Wharfedale Dovedale
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Wharfedale Dovedale has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. Match it to your room: we rate JBL L100 Classic MKII the better fit for a small room, and Wharfedale Dovedale for a large room and a very large room. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Wharfedale Dovedale is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.