In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers . Klipsch Heritage La Scala AL5 is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the Dovedale is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Klipsch La Scala AL5 and Wharfedale Dovedale first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Klipsch La Scala AL5 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" horn-loaded Tweeter
- 2" Midrange
- 15" fiber-composite cone with folded horn Woofer
- 51-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 105 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 100watts
- Weight:91.36kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1016.0" x 24-1/4" x 25-5/16"( 1016.0 x 616.0 x 643.0mm )
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 )
La Scala AL5 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 La Scala AL5 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 La Scala AL5 and Dovedale are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Klipsch La Scala AL5 |
Wharfedale Dovedale |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 2-inch |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 15-inch
|
1 x 10-inch
|
La Scala AL5 features a 1" polyimide diaphragm compression horn-loaded Tweeter , a 2" Midrange and 1 x 15" fiber-composite cone with folded horn 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
La Scala AL5 has a frequency range of 51-20k 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 La Scala AL5's min frequency of 51Hz.
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
La Scala AL5 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. La Scala AL5 sensitivity is rated at 105 dB and the Dovedale's is rated at 89 DB. This 16 dB difference makes the Klipsch La Scala AL5 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.
La Scala AL5 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas La Scala AL5 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
La Scala AL5 features Binding 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
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 La Scala AL5's and Wharfedale Dovedale's external dimensions. Klipsch La Scala AL5 has external dimensions of 1016.0 x 616.0 x 643.0mm ( 40 x 24-1/4 x 25-5/16inch) whereas Wharfedale Dovedale has external dimensions of 660 x 370 x 417mm ( 23.6 x 14.6 x 16.4 inch) .
Klipsch La Scala AL5 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 246mm wider, 356mm taller and 226mm deeper than Wharfedale Dovedale.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Klipsch La Scala AL5 and Wharfedale Dovedale in scale.
Comparison image of Klipsch La Scala AL5 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 La Scala AL5 is approximately 3960.9cm2 / 613.9inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale Dovedale is approximately 1542.9cm2 / 239.1inch2. The La Scala AL5 requires 157% more surface area than the Dovedale which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Klipsch La Scala AL5?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of La Scala AL5:
2 Loudspeaker cabinets2 Subwoofer cabinets2 Grilles4 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)Owners ManualCongratulations letterKlipsch brochure
Sensitivity 
Nominal Impedance 
Woofer Size 
Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring 
Max Input Power 
Height 
Base Surface Area 
Price per pair*