In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers . Wharfedale Denton 85 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the La Scala AL5 is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Denton 85 and Klipsch La Scala AL5 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Wharfedale Denton 85 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Woven Kevlar Woofer
- 45-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:20-120watts
- Weight:9.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 342.0" x 9-7/16" x 11-15/16"( 342.0 x 240.0 x 304.0mm )
Klipsch La Scala AL5 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" horn-loaded Tweeter
- 2" Midrange
- 15" fiber-composite cone with folded horn Woofer
- 2" Midrange
- 51-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 105 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 100watts
- Weight:91.36kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1016.0" x 24-1/4" x 25-5/16"( 1016.0 x 616.0 x 643.0mm )
Denton 85 and La Scala AL5 are members of Klipsch's Heritage series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Wharfedale Heritage Series History
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Wharfedale Denton 85 and Klipsch La Scala AL5 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 Denton 85 is a 2-way design whereas the La Scala AL5 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 Denton 85 |
Klipsch La Scala AL5 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 2-inch |
|
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 La Scala AL5 features a 1" polyimide diaphragm compression horn-loaded Tweeter , a 2" Midrange and 1 x 15" fiber-composite cone with folded horn Woofer .
Frequency Response
Denton 85 has a frequency range of 45-20k Hz whereas La Scala AL5 has a frequency range of 51-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the Denton 85 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the La Scala AL5's min frequency of 51Hz.
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
Denton 85 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the La Scala AL5 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 La Scala AL5's is rated at 105 dB. This 17 dB difference makes the Klipsch La Scala AL5 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. 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.
Denton 85 can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS from the amp the whereas La Scala AL5 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the Denton 85.
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
Both Denton 85 and La Scala AL5 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Wharfedale Denton 85's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 Denton 85's and Klipsch La Scala AL5'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 La Scala AL5 has external dimensions of 1016.0 x 616.0 x 643.0mm ( 40 x 24-1/4 x 25-5/16inch) .
Klipsch La Scala AL5 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 376mm wider, 674mm taller and 339mm deeper than Wharfedale Denton 85.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale Denton 85 and Klipsch La Scala AL5 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale Denton 85 and Klipsch La Scala AL5 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 Klipsch La Scala AL5 is approximately 3960.9cm2 / 613.9inch2. The Denton 85 requires 82% less surface area than the La Scala AL5 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
What's in the Box of Klipsch La Scala AL5?
Here are the items that come with the La Scala AL5:
2 Loudspeaker cabinets2 Subwoofer cabinets2 Grilles4 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)Owners ManualCongratulations letterKlipsch brochure
Max Input Power 
Low Frequency Response 
Height 
Base Surface Area 
Price per pair* 
Driver Setup 
Sensitivity 
Nominal Impedance