In this review, we will be comparing Denton 85 and Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Wharfedale and ELAC.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Denton 85 and ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale Denton 85 | ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" soft dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 4" |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Woven Kevlar | 5.25" Aluminum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-20k Hz | 46-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 85 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-120 watts | 40-140 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 9.00kg / 19.8lbs | 7.50kg / 16.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 13-7/16" x 9-7/16" x 11-15/16"
342.0 x 240.0 x 304.0mm | 13-3/8" x 7-1/16" x 12-7/8"
340.0 x 180.0 x 328.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale Denton 85 and ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim 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 Denton 85 |
ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Denton 85 is a 2-way design whereas the Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim 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.
Wharfedale Denton 85ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Wharfedale Denton 85 |
ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
Denton 85 features a 1" woven textile Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3100Hz. On the other hand, the Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim features a 1" soft dome Tweeter, a 4" Midrange and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer.
Frequency Response
Denton 85 has a frequency range of 45-20k Hz whereas Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim has a frequency range of 46-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the Denton 85 can go slightly deeper then the Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim's min frequency of 46Hz.
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
Denton 85 and Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Denton 85 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim's is at 85 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Denton 85 a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Denton 85 and the Denton 85 can provide this impedance level.
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.
Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim can handle a max power of 140 watts RMS, whereas Denton 85 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim.
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
Denton 85 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale Denton 85's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Denton 85 and Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 Denton 85's and ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim's external dimensions. 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) whereas ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim has external dimensions of 340.0 x 180.0 x 328.0mm (13-3/8 x 7-1/16 x 12-7/8inch).
ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim is 60mm narrower and 2mm shorter than Wharfedale Denton 85 but it is also 24mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale Denton 85 and ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale Denton 85 and ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim 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 Denton 85 is approximately 729.6cm2 / 113.1inch2 and base area of the ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim is approximately 590.4cm2 / 91.5inch2. The Denton 85 requires 24% more surface area than the Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Denton 85 and ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim 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 Denton 85 weighs 9.00kg / 19.8lbs and the ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim weighs 7.50kg / 16.5lbs. This makes the Denton 85 20% heavier than the Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim.
Here is a comparison of how Denton 85 and Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim'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 Denton 85?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Denton 85:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Jumper-bars (pre-installed)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Pair of white cloth gloves
- User Manual
What's in the Box of ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim?
Here are the items that come with the Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- Operating Instructions
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
85 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
45 Hz
vs
46 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Max Input Power |
140 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
340mm
vs
342mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
590cm2
vs
729cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
735USD
vs
999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Wharfedale Denton 85 |
ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
20-120 watts |
40-140 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
85 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.8 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
45-20k Hz |
46-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Woven Kevlar |
Aluminum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
soft dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
4" |
| Crossover Frequency |
3100Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
342.0mm (13.5") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
| Width |
240.0mm (9.4") |
180.0mm (7.1") |
| Depth |
304.0mm (12") |
328.0mm (12.9") |
| Weight |
9.00kg (19.8lbs) |
7.50kg (16.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Mahogany, Black |
Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24-28" |
24-31" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (45Hz vs 46Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | A | Wharfedale Denton 85 is more sensitive (88dB vs 85dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (120W vs 140W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | A | Wharfedale Denton 85: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim is cheaper - $735 against $999, about 26% less. |
A Wharfedale Denton 85 B ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim
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 Denton 85 measures better, ELAC Uni-Fi BS U5 Slim costs about about 36% 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 your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Wharfedale Denton 85 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $264 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.