In this review, we will be comparing D310 and D320, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale D310 and Wharfedale D320 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale D310 | Wharfedale D320 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 4" Woven Kevlar | 5" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 65-20k Hz | 56-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-60 watts | 25-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 4.00kg / 8.8lbs | 6.02kg / 13.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 10-7/16" x 6-1/8" x 8-13/16"
266.0 x 156.0 x 224.0mm | 12-5/8" x 7-1/8" x 10-7/8"
321.0 x 181.0 x 277.0mm |
|---|
D310 and D320 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 D310 and Wharfedale D320 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 D310 |
Wharfedale D320 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Average |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
Bad |
(* 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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through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both D310 and D320 are 2-way speakers.
Wharfedale D310Wharfedale D320
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 D310 |
Wharfedale D320 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 4-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
D310 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4" Woven Kevlar Woofer. On the other hand, the D320 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Woven Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
D310 has a frequency range of 65-20k Hz whereas D320 has a frequency range of 56-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 56Hz, the D320 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the D310's min frequency of 65Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
D310 and D320 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. D310 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the D320's is at 87 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Wharfedale D320 a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale D310, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
D320 can handle a max power of 100 watts RMS, whereas D310 has a max power handling value of 60 watts RMS, 40 watts less than the D320.
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
D310 features Post type posts and D320 has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale D310's Post terminals
Wharfedale D320's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both D310 and D320 have bottom firing ports.
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 D310's and Wharfedale D320's external dimensions. 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) whereas Wharfedale D320 has external dimensions of 321.0 x 181.0 x 277.0mm (12-5/8 x 7-1/8 x 10-7/8inch).
Wharfedale D320 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 25mm wider, 55mm taller and 53mm deeper than Wharfedale D310.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale D310 and Wharfedale D320 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale D310 and Wharfedale D320 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 D310 is approximately 349.4cm2 / 54.2inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale D320 is approximately 501.4cm2 / 77.7inch2. The D310 requires 30% less surface area than the D320 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of Wharfedale D310 and Wharfedale D320 on a Media Console
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Wharfedale D310 weighs 4.00kg / 8.8lbs and the Wharfedale D320 weighs 6.02kg / 13.2lbs. This makes the D320 51% heavier than the D310.
Here is a comparison of how D310 and D320's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Wharfedale D310?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of D310:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Tweeter grilles (pre-installed)
- 2 Woofer grilles (pre-installed)
- User-feets Manual
- Installation Guide
What's in the Box of Wharfedale D320?
Here are the items that come with the D320:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Tweeter grilles (pre-installed)
- 2 Woofer grilles (pre-installed)
- User-feets Manual
- Installation Guide
 Height |
266mm
vs
321mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
349cm2
vs
501cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
199USD
vs
249USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
100 watts
vs
60 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
87 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Minimum Impedance |
3.8 ohms
vs
3.6 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
5 inches
vs
4 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
56 Hz
vs
65 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Wharfedale D310 |
Wharfedale D320 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Compact bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
20-60 watts |
25-100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.6 ohms |
3.8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
65-20k Hz |
56-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
4" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Woven Kevlar |
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Foamed Polyether |
Foamed Polyether |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
266.0mm (10.5") |
321.0mm (12.6") |
| Width |
156.0mm (6.1") |
181.0mm (7.1") |
| Depth |
224.0mm (8.8") |
277.0mm (10.9") |
| Weight |
4.00kg (8.8lbs) |
6.02kg (13.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Rosewood, Black, White, Walnut |
Rosewood, Black, White, Walnut |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
22-26" |
22-24" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Siblings in Wharfedale's D300 series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Wharfedale D320 digs deeper - 56Hz against 65Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (86dB vs 87dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | B | Wharfedale D320 takes more power (100W vs 60W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Wharfedale D310 is easier to place; Wharfedale D320 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | A | Wharfedale D310 is cheaper - $199 against $249, about 20% less. |
A Wharfedale D310 B Wharfedale D320
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: Wharfedale D320 measures better, Wharfedale D310 costs about about 25% more% 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 65Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Wharfedale D310 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Wharfedale D310 the better fit for near-field listening; elsewhere the two are rated the same.
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.