In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Wharfedale. Wharfedale D300C is a Center Channel speaker whereas the D310 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale D300C and Wharfedale D310 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale D300C | Wharfedale D310 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5" Black woven Kevlar Cone | 4" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 65-20k Hz | 65-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-120 watts | 20-60 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 8.00kg / 17.6lbs | 4.00kg / 8.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 7.8" x 20.1" x 9.1"
190 x 510 x 232mm | 10-7/16" x 6-1/8" x 8-13/16"
266.0 x 156.0 x 224.0mm |
|---|
D300C and D310 are members of Wharfedale's D300 series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Wharfedale D300 Series
History
What size room are the Wharfedale D300C and Wharfedale D310 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* |
Wharfedale D300C |
Wharfedale D310 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Good |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
No way |
(* 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.
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Drivers
Both D300C and D310 are 2-way speakers.
Wharfedale D300CWharfedale D310
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Wharfedale D300C |
Wharfedale D310 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
1 x 4-inch
|
D300C features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Black woven Kevlar Cone Woofer. On the other hand, the D310 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4" Woven Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
D300C and D310 has exactly the same frequency range of 65-20k Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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
D300C and D310 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. D300C sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the D310's is at 86 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Wharfedale D300C a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale D310, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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.
D300C can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas D310 has a max power handling value of 60 watts RMS, 60 watts less than the D300C.
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
D300C features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. D310 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale D300C's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Wharfedale D310's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both D300C and D310 have bottom firing ports.
New
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 Wharfedale D300C's and Wharfedale D310's external dimensions. Wharfedale D300C has external dimensions of 190 x 510 x 232mm (7.8) whereas Wharfedale D310 has external dimensions of 266.0 x 156.0 x 224.0mm (10-7/16 x 6-1/8 x 8-13/16inch).
Wharfedale D310 is 354mm narrower and 8mm less deeper than Wharfedale D300C but it is also 76mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale D300C and Wharfedale D310 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale D300C and Wharfedale D310 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 Wharfedale D300C is approximately 1183.0cm2 / 183.4inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale D310 is approximately 349.4cm2 / 54.2inch2. The D300C requires 239% more surface area than the D310 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Wharfedale D310?
Here are the items that come with the D310:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Tweeter grilles (pre-installed)
- 2 Woofer grilles (pre-installed)
- User-feets Manual
- Installation Guide