In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers. Wharfedale Denton 85 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Klipschorn 80th is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Denton 85 and Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale Denton 85 | Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | Compression Horn |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Woven Kevlar | 15" Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-20k Hz | 34-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 103 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-120 watts | 100-400 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 9.00kg / 19.8lbs | 65.70kg / 144.5lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 51-15/16" x 31-1/2" x 24"
1320.0 x 800.0 x 610.0mm |
|---|
Denton 85 and Klipschorn 80th are members of Klipsch's Heritage series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Wharfedale Heritage Series
History
What size room are the Wharfedale Denton 85 and Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary 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 |
Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
(* 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 Denton 85 and Klipschorn 80th are 2-way speakers.
Wharfedale Denton 85Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary
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 Denton 85 |
Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 15-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 Klipschorn 80th features a " K-692 with K-5-K aluminium horn Compression Horn Tweeter and 1 x 15" Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350Hz.
Frequency Response
Denton 85 has a frequency range of 45-20k Hz whereas Klipschorn 80th has a frequency range of 34-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 34Hz, the Klipschorn 80th 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 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 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Klipschorn 80th which has a nominal impedance of 8 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. Denton 85 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Klipschorn 80th's is rated at 103 dB. This 15 dB difference makes the Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale Denton 85, 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.
Klipschorn 80th can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS, whereas Denton 85 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 280 watts less than the Klipschorn 80th.
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.
Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Denton 85 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Klipschorn 80th 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
Denton 85 has a rear firing port whereas Klipschorn 80th has a front firing ports. Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary'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 Wharfedale Denton 85's and Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary'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 Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary has external dimensions of 1320.0 x 800.0 x 610.0mm (51-15/16 x 31-1/2 x 24inch).
Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 560mm wider, 978mm taller and 306mm 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 Wharfedale Denton 85 is approximately 729.6cm2 / 113.1inch2 and base area of the Klipsch Heritage Klipschorn 80th Anniversary is approximately 4880.0cm2 / 756.4inch2. The Denton 85 requires 85% less surface area than the Klipschorn 80th which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
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