In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers . Klipsch Heritage Forte IV is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the Dovedale is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Klipsch Forte IV and Wharfedale Dovedale first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Klipsch Forte IV Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" horn-loaded Tweeter
- 1.75" Midrange
- 12" Fibercomposite Woofer
- 38-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 99 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 100watts
- Weight:32.73kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 909.0" x 16-5/8" x 13"( 909.0 x 423.0 x 331.0mm )
Wharfedale Dovedale Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" soft dome Tweeter
- 5" Midrange
- 10" black woven Kevlar cone Woofer
- 5" Midrange
- 36-20K HZ Frequency Response
- 89 DB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6.5ohms
- Power Range:25-250watts
- Weight:26.20kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 660.0" x 14.6" x 16.4"( 660 x 370 x 417mm )
Forte IV and Dovedale are members of Wharfedale's Heritage series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Klipsch Heritage Series History
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Klipsch Forte IV and Wharfedale Dovedale compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both Forte IV and Dovedale are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Klipsch Forte IV |
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
|
Forte IV features a 1" titanium-diaphragm compression horn-loaded Tweeter , a 1.75" Midrange and 1 x 12" Fibercomposite 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
Forte IV has a frequency range of 38-20k 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 Forte IV's min frequency of 38Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Forte IV 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. Forte IV sensitivity is rated at 99 dB and the Dovedale's is rated at 89 DB. This 10 dB difference makes the Klipsch Forte IV 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. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Forte IV can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Forte IV has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS , 150 watts less than the Dovedale.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Forte IV features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Dovedale has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale Dovedale's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Forte IV and Dovedale have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 Forte IV's and Wharfedale Dovedale's external dimensions. Klipsch Forte IV has external dimensions of 909.0 x 423.0 x 331.0mm ( 35-3/4 x 16-5/8 x 13inch) whereas Wharfedale Dovedale has external dimensions of 660 x 370 x 417mm ( 23.6 x 14.6 x 16.4 inch) .
Wharfedale Dovedale is 53mm narrower and 249mm shorter than Klipsch Forte IV but it is also 86mm deeper.
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 Forte IV is approximately 1400.1cm2 / 217.0inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale Dovedale is approximately 1542.9cm2 / 239.1inch2. The Forte IV requires 9% less surface area than the Dovedale which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Klipsch Forte IV?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Forte IV:
2 Floorstanding loudspeakers2 Grilles8 Self-adhesive rubber feetOwners ManualCongratulations letterKlipsch brochure
Sensitivity 
Nominal Impedance 
Woofer Size 
Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring 
Passive Radiator 
Base Surface Area 
Price per pair* 
Max Input Power 
Height