Klipsch OJAS kO-R2 vs Wharfedale Denton 85 Comparison

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Klipsch OJAS kO-R2

Passive Floor-standing | 39-20k Hz

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Wharfedale Denton 85

Passive Bookshelf | 45-20k Hz

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Klipsch OJAS kO-R2

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Wharfedale Denton 85

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Klipsch OJAS kO-R2

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Wharfedale Denton 85

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Klipsch OJAS kO-R2 vs Wharfedale Denton 85 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers. Klipsch OJAS kO-R2 is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the Denton 85 is a Bookshelf speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Klipsch OJAS kO-R2 and Wharfedale Denton 85 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key Specs	Klipsch OJAS kO-R2	Wharfedale Denton 85
Brand	Klipsch United States · founded 1946	Wharfedale United Kingdom · founded 1932
Design	2-way	2-way
Tweeter	Compression Horn	1" Soft-Dome
Woofer	15" Paper	6.5" Woven Kevlar
Frequency response	39-20k Hz	45-20k Hz
Sensitivity	97 dB	88 dB
Impedance	8 ohms	4 ohms
Power range	up to 300 watts	20-120 watts
Weight	54.65kg / 120.2lbs	9.00kg / 19.8lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)	45-1/2" x 25-3/8" x 22-1/4" 1156.0 x 645.0 x 565.0mm	13-7/16" x 9-7/16" x 11-15/16" 342.0 x 240.0 x 304.0mm

kO-R2 and Denton 85 are members of Wharfedale's Heritage series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

Klipsch Heritage Series History

Model	Body	Frequency	Sensitivity	Impedance	Woofer
Klipsch Cornwall IV	Floor-standing	34-20k Hz	102 dB	8Ω	1 x 15"
Klipsch La Scala AL6	Floor-standing	40-19k Hz	103 dB	8Ω	1 x 12"
Klipsch Forte IV	Floor-standing	38-20k Hz	99 dB	8Ω	1 x 12"
Klipsch Heresy IV	Floor-standing	48-20k Hz	99 dB	8Ω	1 x 12"
Klipsch Klipschorn AK7	Floor-standing	34-19k Hz	103 dB	8Ω	1 x 15"
Klipsch La Scala AL5	Floor-standing	51-20k Hz	105 dB	8Ω	1 x 15"
Klipsch Klipschorn AK6	Floor-standing	33-20k Hz	105 dB	8Ω	1 x 15"
Klipsch Heresy III	Floor-standing	58-20k Hz	99 dB	8Ω	1 x 12"
Klipsch Heritage Rebellion	Bookshelf	60-20k Hz	95 dB	8Ω	1 x 8"
Klipsch OJAS kO-R2	Floor-standing	39-20k Hz	97 dB	8Ω	1 x 15"

What size room are the Klipsch OJAS kO-R2 and Wharfedale Denton 85 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*	Klipsch OJAS kO-R2	Wharfedale Denton 85
Near-field	Are you nuts?	Poor
Small Room	Poor	Average
Mid-size Room	Average	Good
Large Room	Good	Average
Very Large Room	Good	Poor

(* 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.

**This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Drivers

Both kO-R2 and Denton 85 are 2-way speakers.

Klipsch OJAS kO-R2

Wharfedale Denton 85

TweeterWoofer

Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.

Driver	Klipsch OJAS kO-R2	Wharfedale Denton 85
Driver Setup	2-way	2-way
Tweeter	-inch	1-inch
Midrange	-	-
Woofer	1 x 15-inch	1 x 6.5-inch

kO-R2 features a " K-706 driver Compression Horn Tweeter and 1 x 15" Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 760Hz. On the other hand, the Denton 85 features a 1" woven textile Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3100Hz.

Frequency Response

kO-R2 has a frequency range of 39-20k Hz whereas Denton 85 has a frequency range of 45-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 39Hz, the kO-R2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Denton 85's min frequency of 45Hz.

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

kO-R2

Denton 85

Min

Average

Median

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

kO-R2 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Denton 85 which has a nominal impedance of 4 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 Denton 85 can provide this impedance level.

These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. kO-R2 sensitivity is rated at 97 dB and the Denton 85's is rated at 88 dB. This 9 dB difference makes the Klipsch OJAS kO-R2 a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale Denton 85, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Floor-standing Speakers

kO-R2

Denton 85

Min

Average

Median

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.

kO-R2 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas Denton 85 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 180 watts less than the kO-R2.

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.

Amplifier - change this

Distance

Playing as

Klipsch OJAS kO-R2

Wharfedale Denton 85

Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring

Denton 85 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. kO-R2 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

Wharfedale Denton 85's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

Cabinet Type and Port Position

kO-R2 has a front firing port whereas Denton 85 has a rear firing ports. Klipsch OJAS kO-R2's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Wharfedale Denton 85 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 Klipsch OJAS kO-R2's and Wharfedale Denton 85's external dimensions. Klipsch OJAS kO-R2 has external dimensions of 1156.0 x 645.0 x 565.0mm (45-1/2 x 25-3/8 x 22-1/4inch) whereas Wharfedale Denton 85 has external dimensions of 342.0 x 240.0 x 304.0mm (13-7/16 x 9-7/16 x 11-15/16inch).

Klipsch OJAS kO-R2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 405mm wider, 814mm taller and 261mm deeper than Wharfedale Denton 85.

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 OJAS kO-R2 is approximately 3644.3cm² / 564.9inch² and base area of the Wharfedale Denton 85 is approximately 729.6cm² / 113.1inch². The kO-R2 requires 399% more surface area than the Denton 85 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.

What's in the Box of Wharfedale Denton 85?

Here are the items that come with the Denton 85:

2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
2 Grilles
4 Jumper-bars (pre-installed)
8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
Pair of white cloth gloves
User Manual

Reasons to choose Klipsch OJAS kO-R2 over Wharfedale Denton 85

Max Input Power	300 watts vs 120 watts	Handle more power from your amplifier
Sensitivity	97 dB vs 88 dB	Play louder with same amount of amplification power
Nominal Impedance	8 ohms vs 4 ohms	Less selective with amplifiers
Minimum Impedance	4.2 ohms vs 3.8 ohms	Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier
Woofer Size	15 inches vs 6.5 inches	Larger woofer
Low Frequency Response	39 Hz vs 45 Hz	Generates deeper bass
Port Position	Front vs Rear	Gives more flexibility placing close to walls

Reasons to choose Wharfedale Denton 85 over Klipsch OJAS kO-R2

Height	342mm vs 1156mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Base Surface Area	729cm² vs 3644cm²	Takes less floor space
Price per pair*	999USD vs 8498USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

Klipsch OJAS kO-R2 vs Wharfedale Denton 85 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Klipsch OJAS kO-R2	Wharfedale Denton 85
Brand	Klipsch	Wharfedale
Speaker Type	Floor-standing speaker	Bookshelf speakers
Power Range	up to 300 watts	20-120 watts
Sensitivity	97 dB	88 dB
Impedance	8 ohms	4 ohms
Impedance	4.2 ohms	3.8 ohms
Frequency Response	39-20k Hz	45-20k Hz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	1	1
Woofer Size	15"	6.5"
Woofer Composition	Paper	Woven Kevlar
Woofer Surround Material	n/a	Rubber
Tweeter Size	-	1"
Tweeter Type	Compression Horn	Soft-Dome
Aimable Tweeter	No	No
Midrange Driver	No	No
Crossover Frequency	760Hz	3100Hz
Firing Direction	front	rear
Physical Specs
Height	1156.0mm (45.5")	342.0mm (13.5")
Width	645.0mm (25.4")	240.0mm (9.4")
Depth	565.0mm (22.2")	304.0mm (12")
Weight	54.65kg (120.2lbs)	9.00kg (19.8lbs)
Enclosure	Horn Loaded	Bass Reflex
Finish	13-ply Baltic birch plywood	MDF/Wood Veneer
Available Colors	Red Oak, Hammertone	Walnut, Mahogany, Black
Mounting Bracket		No
Recommended Stand Height	n/a	24-28"
Grille	Yes	Yes
Moisture Resistancy	No	No
Connections
Biamp Inputs	n/a	Yes
Other
Parts Warranty	5 Years	5 Years
Labor Warranty	5 Years	5 Years

Verdict

A floor-standing against a bookshelf. They are built for different places in a room, so start with where these have to go rather than which looks better on paper.

Area	Better	Why
Bass	A	Klipsch OJAS kO-R2 digs deeper - 39Hz against 45Hz. A subwoofer would even that out.
Amplifier needs	A	Klipsch OJAS kO-R2 is more sensitive (97dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier.
Amplifier match	A	Klipsch OJAS kO-R2 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it.
Headroom	A	Klipsch OJAS kO-R2 takes more power (300W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room.
Size	depends	Wharfedale Denton 85 is easier to place; Klipsch OJAS kO-R2 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides.
Type	depends	A Passive Floor-standing against a Passive Bookshelf - a different job rather than a better one.
Expandability	depends	Wharfedale Denton 85: bi-amping. Klipsch OJAS kO-R2 sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later.
Price	B	Wharfedale Denton 85 is cheaper - $999 against $8,498, about 88% less; arguably a different class.

A Klipsch OJAS kO-R2 B Wharfedale Denton 85
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?

The usual trade-off: Klipsch OJAS kO-R2 measures better, Wharfedale Denton 85 costs about about 8.5x the price% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 45Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Wharfedale Denton 85 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Klipsch OJAS kO-R2 the better fit for a large room and a very large room, and Wharfedale Denton 85 for a small room and a mid-size room.

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.