In this review, we will be comparing Denton 85 and Ultra Bookshelf, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Wharfedale and SVS.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Denton 85 and SVS Ultra Bookshelf first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale Denton 85 | SVS Ultra Bookshelf |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | SVS
United States · founded 1998 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Woven Kevlar | 6.5" Composite glass-fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-20k Hz | 45-32k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-120 watts | 20-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 9.00kg / 19.8lbs | 8.64kg / 19lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 14-15/16" x 8-9/16" x 11-1/16"
380.0 x 218.0 x 281.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale Denton 85 and SVS Ultra Bookshelf 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 |
SVS Ultra Bookshelf |
| 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 Ultra Bookshelf are 2-way speakers.
Wharfedale Denton 85SVS Ultra Bookshelf
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 |
SVS Ultra Bookshelf |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 6.5-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 Ultra Bookshelf features a 1" aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Composite glass-fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2000Hz.
Frequency Response
Denton 85 has a frequency range of 45-20k Hz whereas Ultra Bookshelf has a frequency range of 45-32k Hz.
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 Ultra Bookshelf 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 Ultra Bookshelf's is rated at 87 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Denton 85 a more sensitive speaker compared to SVS Ultra Bookshelf, 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.
Ultra Bookshelf can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas Denton 85 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the Ultra Bookshelf.
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
Both Denton 85 and Ultra Bookshelf features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Wharfedale Denton 85's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
SVS Ultra Bookshelf's 5-way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Denton 85 and Ultra Bookshelf 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 SVS Ultra Bookshelf'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 SVS Ultra Bookshelf has external dimensions of 380.0 x 218.0 x 281.0mm (14-15/16 x 8-9/16 x 11-1/16inch).
SVS Ultra Bookshelf is 22mm narrower and 23mm less deeper than Wharfedale Denton 85 but it is also 38mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale Denton 85 and SVS Ultra Bookshelf in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale Denton 85 and SVS Ultra Bookshelf 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 SVS Ultra Bookshelf is approximately 612.6cm2 / 95.0inch2. The Denton 85 requires 19% more surface area than the Ultra Bookshelf 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 SVS Ultra Bookshelf weighs 8.64kg / 19lbs. This makes the Denton 85 4% heavier than the Ultra Bookshelf.
Here is a comparison of how Denton 85 and Ultra Bookshelf'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 SVS Ultra Bookshelf?
Here are the items that come with the Ultra Bookshelf:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 8 Rubber feet
- 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- Owners Manual
- SVS brochure
- Online Product Registration Card
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Height |
342mm
vs
380mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
999USD
vs
1200USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
150 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 High Frequency Response |
32k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
612cm2
vs
729cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Wharfedale Denton 85 |
SVS Ultra Bookshelf |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
SVS |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
20-120 watts |
20-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.8 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
45-20k Hz |
45-32k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Woven Kevlar |
Composite glass-fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
3100Hz |
2000Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
342.0mm (13.5") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Width |
240.0mm (9.4") |
218.0mm (8.6") |
| Depth |
304.0mm (12") |
281.0mm (11.1") |
| Weight |
9.00kg (19.8lbs) |
8.64kg (19lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
MDF/Oak veneer |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Mahogany, Black |
Black Oak,Piano Gloss Black,Piano Gloss White |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24-28" |
22-28" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: Wharfedale Denton 85 is the newer design, against a 2013 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (45Hz vs 45Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 87dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | SVS Ultra Bookshelf is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | B | SVS Ultra Bookshelf takes more power (150W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Wharfedale Denton 85: bi-amping; SVS Ultra Bookshelf: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Wharfedale Denton 85 is cheaper - $999 against $1,200, about 17% less. |
A Wharfedale Denton 85 B SVS Ultra Bookshelf
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: SVS Ultra Bookshelf measures better, Wharfedale Denton 85 costs about about 20% 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, SVS Ultra Bookshelf 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.