In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers. Klipsch Capitol Heresy III is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the Dovedale is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Klipsch Heresy III and Wharfedale Dovedale first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Klipsch Heresy III | Wharfedale Dovedale |
|---|
| Brand | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Tractrix horn | 1" soft dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 1.75" | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 12" Fiber-composite | 10" black woven Kevlar cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 58-20k Hz | 36-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 99 dB | 89 DB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6.5 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 100 watts | 25-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 20.00kg / 44lbs | 26.20kg / 57.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 23-7/8" x 15-1/2" x 13-7/16"
607.0 x 394.0 x 342.0mm | 26.0" x 14.6" x 16.4"
660 x 370 x 417mm |
|---|
Heresy III and Dovedale are members of Wharfedale's Heritage series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Klipsch Heritage Series
History
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Heresy III and Dovedale are 3-way speakers.
Klipsch Heresy IIIWharfedale 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 |
Klipsch Heresy III |
Wharfedale Dovedale |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 1.75-inch |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 12-inch
|
1 x 10-inch
|
Heresy III features a 1" titanium-diaphragm compression Tractrix horn Tweeter, a 1.75" Midrange and 1 x 12" Fiber-composite Woofer. 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
Heresy III has a frequency range of 58-20k Hz whereas Dovedale has a frequency range of 36-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 36Hz, the Dovedale can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Heresy III's min frequency of 58Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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
Heresy III is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Dovedale which has a nominal impedance of 6.5 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Heresy III sensitivity is rated at 99 dB and the Dovedale's is rated at 89 DB. This 10 dB difference makes the Klipsch Heresy III a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale Dovedale, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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 Heresy III has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 150 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 Heresy III and Dovedale features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Wharfedale Dovedale's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 Klipsch Heresy III's and Wharfedale Dovedale's external dimensions. Klipsch Heresy III has external dimensions of 607.0 x 394.0 x 342.0mm (23-7/8 x 15-1/2 x 13-7/16inch) whereas Wharfedale Dovedale has external dimensions of 660 x 370 x 417mm (23.6 x 14.6 x 16.4 inch).
Klipsch Heresy III is 53mm shorter and 75mm less deeper than Wharfedale Dovedale but it is also 24mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Klipsch Heresy III and Wharfedale Dovedale in scale.
Comparison image of Klipsch Heresy III 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 Klipsch Heresy III is approximately 1347.5cm2 / 208.9inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale Dovedale is approximately 1542.9cm2 / 239.1inch2. The Heresy III requires 13% less surface area than the Dovedale which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Klipsch Heresy III?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Heresy III:
- Floor-standing loudspeaker
- Detachable grille (installed)
- Base riser (installed)
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Owners Manual
- Congratulations letter
- Klipsch brochure