In this review, we will be comparing Denton 85 and Crystal 4.2, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Denton 85 and Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale Denton 85 | Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Soft-dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Woven Kevlar | 5" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-20k Hz | 60-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-120 watts | 20-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 9.00kg / 19.8lbs | 4.20kg / 9.2lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 10-7/16" x 7-1/8" x 8-5/8"
266.0 x 181.0 x 220.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale Denton 85 and Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 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 |
Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Average |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Bad |
(* 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 Crystal 4.2 are 2-way speakers.
Wharfedale Denton 85Wharfedale Crystal 4.2
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 |
Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 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 Crystal 4.2 features a 1" Soft-dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Woven Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
Denton 85 has a frequency range of 45-20k Hz whereas Crystal 4.2 has a frequency range of 60-20k 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 Crystal 4.2's min frequency of 60Hz.
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 Crystal 4.2 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.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 88 dBdB.
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.
Denton 85 can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas Crystal 4.2 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the Denton 85.
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 Crystal 4.2 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Wharfedale Denton 85's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Denton 85 and Crystal 4.2 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 Wharfedale Crystal 4.2'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 Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 has external dimensions of 266.0 x 181.0 x 220.0mm (10-7/16 x 7-1/8 x 8-5/8inch).
Wharfedale Denton 85 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 59mm wider, 76mm taller and 84mm deeper than Wharfedale Crystal 4.2.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale Denton 85 and Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale Denton 85 and Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 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 Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 is approximately 398.2cm2 / 61.7inch2. The Denton 85 requires 83% more surface area than the Crystal 4.2 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 Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 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 Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 weighs 4.20kg / 9.2lbs. This makes the Denton 85 114% heavier than the Crystal 4.2.
Here is a comparison of how Denton 85 and Crystal 4.2'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 Wharfedale Crystal 4.2?
Here are the items that come with the Crystal 4.2:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles (pre-installed)
- User-feets Manual
- Installation Guide
 Max Input Power |
120 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
45 Hz
vs
60 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Height |
266mm
vs
342mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
398cm2
vs
729cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
349USD
vs
999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Wharfedale Denton 85 |
Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
20-120 watts |
20-100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.8 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
45-20k Hz |
60-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Woven Kevlar |
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Soft-dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
3100Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
342.0mm (13.5") |
266.0mm (10.5") |
| Width |
240.0mm (9.4") |
181.0mm (7.1") |
| Depth |
304.0mm (12") |
220.0mm (8.7") |
| Weight |
9.00kg (19.8lbs) |
4.20kg (9.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Mahogany, Black |
Walnut |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24-28" |
24-28" |
| 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 |
These sit in different price classes - Wharfedale Denton 85 costs roughly 2.9x what Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Wharfedale Denton 85 digs deeper - 45Hz against 60Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (120W vs 100W). |
| Size | depends | Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 is easier to place; Wharfedale Denton 85 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Wharfedale Denton 85: bi-amping; Wharfedale Crystal 4.2: bi-amping. Wharfedale Denton 85 sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 is cheaper - $349 against $999, about 65% less; arguably a different class. |
A Wharfedale Denton 85 B Wharfedale Crystal 4.2
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 60Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Wharfedale Denton 85 the better fit for a mid-size room and a large room, and Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 for near-field listening and a small room.
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.