In this review, we will be comparing Denton 85 and L100, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Wharfedale and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Denton 85 and Polk L100 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale Denton 85 | Polk L100 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Ring Radiator |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Woven Kevlar | 5.25" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-20k Hz | 57-38k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 85.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-120 watts | 30-160 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 9.00kg / 19.8lbs | 7.68kg / 16.9lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 13-11/16" x 7-7/8" x 11-5/16"
348.0 x 201.0 x 288.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale Denton 85 and Polk L100 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 |
Polk L100 |
| 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
Both Denton 85 and L100 are 2-way speakers.
Wharfedale Denton 85Polk L100
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 |
Polk L100 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
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 L100 features a 1" Ring Radiator Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2900Hz.
Frequency Response
Denton 85 has a frequency range of 45-20k Hz whereas L100 has a frequency range of 57-38k 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 L100's min frequency of 57Hz.
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 L100 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 L100's is at 85.5 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Denton 85 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk L100, 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.
L100 can handle a max power of 160 watts RMS, whereas Denton 85 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 40 watts less than the L100.
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. L100 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale Denton 85's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Polk L100's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Denton 85 and L100 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.
Polk L100 Enhanced Power Port 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 Polk L100'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 Polk L100 has external dimensions of 348.0 x 201.0 x 288.0mm (13-11/16 x 7-7/8 x 11-5/16inch).
Polk L100 is 39mm narrower and 16mm less deeper than Wharfedale Denton 85 but it is also 6mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale Denton 85 and Polk L100 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale Denton 85 and Polk L100 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 Polk L100 is approximately 578.9cm2 / 89.7inch2. The Denton 85 requires 26% more surface area than the L100 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
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 Polk L100 weighs 7.68kg / 16.9lbs. This makes the Denton 85 17% heavier than the L100.
Here is a comparison of how Denton 85 and L100'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 Polk L100?
Here are the items that come with the L100:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- Cleaning cloth
- Owners Manual
- Online Registration
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Minimum Impedance |
3.8 ohms
vs
3 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
45 Hz
vs
57 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
342mm
vs
348mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Max Input Power |
160 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 High Frequency Response |
38k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
578cm2
vs
729cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Wharfedale Denton 85 |
Polk Audio Legend L100 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
20-120 watts |
30-160 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
85.5 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.8 ohms |
3 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
45-20k Hz |
57-38k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Woven Kevlar |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Ring Radiator |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
3100Hz |
2900Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
342.0mm (13.5") |
348.0mm (13.7") |
| Width |
240.0mm (9.4") |
201.0mm (7.9") |
| Depth |
304.0mm (12") |
288.0mm (11.3") |
| Weight |
9.00kg (19.8lbs) |
7.68kg (16.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Mahogany, Black |
Brown Walnut, Black Ash |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24-28" |
24-28" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 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 | A | Wharfedale Denton 85 digs deeper - 45Hz against 57Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Wharfedale Denton 85 is more sensitive (88dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | Polk L100 takes more power (160W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | A | Wharfedale Denton 85: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($999 vs $999 a pair). |
A Wharfedale Denton 85 B Polk L100
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?
Wharfedale Denton 85 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 57Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. 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.
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.