In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Wharfedale. Wharfedale D310 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the D330 is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale D310 and Wharfedale D330 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Wharfedale D310 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 4" Woven Kevlar Woofer
- 65-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 86 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:20-60watts
- Weight:4.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 266.0" x 6-1/8" x 8-13/16"( 266.0 x 156.0 x 224.0mm )
Wharfedale D330 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 5" Midrange
- 5" Black woven Kevlar Cone Woofer
- 5" Midrange
- 56-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:25-120watts
- Weight:18.20kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 965.0" x 7.9" x 13.3"( 965 x 200 x 338mm )
D310 and D330 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 D330 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 D330 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Wharfedale D310 and Wharfedale D330 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that D310 is a 2-way design whereas the D330 is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
| Driver |
Wharfedale D310 |
Wharfedale D330 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5-inch |
|
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 D330 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter , a 5" Midrange and 1 x 5" Black woven Kevlar Cone Woofer .
Frequency Response
D310 has a frequency range of 65-20k Hz whereas D330 has a frequency range of 56-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the D330 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the D310's min frequency of 65Hz.
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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf 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
D310 and D330 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. D310 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the D330's is at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Wharfedale D330 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. 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.
D310 can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS from the amp the whereas D310 has a max power handling value of 60 watts RMS , 60 watts less than the D330.
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
D310 features Post type posts and D330 has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale D310's Post terminals
Wharfedale D330's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both D310 and D330 have bottom firing ports.
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 Wharfedale D310's and Wharfedale D330'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 D330 has external dimensions of 965 x 200 x 338mm ( 38.0" x 7.9" x 13.3") .
Wharfedale D330 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 44mm wider, 699mm taller and 114mm deeper than Wharfedale D310.
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 D330 is approximately 676.0cm2 / 104.8inch2. The D310 requires 48% less surface area than the D330 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Wharfedale D310?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of D310:
2 Bookshelf loudspeakers2 Tweeter grilles (pre-installed)2 Woofer grilles (pre-installed)User-feets ManualInstallation Guide
Height 
Base Surface Area 
Price per pair* 
Max Input Power 
Driver Setup 
Sensitivity 
Minimum Impedance 
Woofer Size