In this review, we will be comparing Denton 85 and Diamond 11.0, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Denton 85 and Wharfedale 11.0 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale Denton 85 | Wharfedale 11.0 |
|---|
| 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 | 4" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-20k Hz | 75-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 85 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-120 watts | 15-75 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 9.00kg / 19.8lbs | 3.09kg / 6.8lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 10-1/16" x 6-3/16" x 7-1/8"
256.0 x 158.0 x 181.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale Denton 85 and Wharfedale 11.0 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 11.0 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Good |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
No way |
(* 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 Diamond 11.0 are 2-way speakers.
Wharfedale Denton 85Wharfedale 11.0
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 11.0 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 4-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 Diamond 11.0 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4" Woven Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
Denton 85 has a frequency range of 45-20k Hz whereas Diamond 11.0 has a frequency range of 75-20k 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 Diamond 11.0's min frequency of 75Hz.
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 Diamond 11.0 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 Diamond 11.0's is rated at 85 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Denton 85 a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale 11.0, 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.
Denton 85 can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas Diamond 11.0 has a max power handling value of 75 watts RMS, 45 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
Denton 85 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Diamond 11.0 has a 5-way 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 Diamond 11.0 has a bottom firing ports. Wharfedale 11.0's bottom-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 Wharfedale 11.0'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 11.0 has external dimensions of 256.0 x 158.0 x 181.0mm (10-1/16 x 6-3/16 x 7-1/8inch).
Wharfedale Denton 85 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 82mm wider, 86mm taller and 123mm deeper than Wharfedale 11.0.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale Denton 85 and Wharfedale 11.0 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale Denton 85 and Wharfedale 11.0 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 11.0 is approximately 286.0cm2 / 44.3inch2. The Denton 85 requires 155% more surface area than the Diamond 11.0 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 11.0 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 11.0 weighs 3.09kg / 6.8lbs. This makes the Denton 85 191% heavier than the Diamond 11.0.
Here is a comparison of how Denton 85 and Diamond 11.0'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 11.0?
Here are the items that come with the Diamond 11.0:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles (pre-installed)
- User-feets Manual
- Installation Guide
 Max Input Power |
120 watts
vs
75 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
85 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
4 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
45 Hz
vs
75 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Height |
256mm
vs
342mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
286cm2
vs
729cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
279USD
vs
999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Wharfedale Denton 85 |
Wharfedale Diamond 11.0 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
20-120 watts |
15-75 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
85 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.8 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
45-20k Hz |
75-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
4" |
| Woofer Composition |
Woven Kevlar |
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Foam |
| 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 |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
342.0mm (13.5") |
256.0mm (10.1") |
| Width |
240.0mm (9.4") |
158.0mm (6.2") |
| Depth |
304.0mm (12") |
181.0mm (7.1") |
| Weight |
9.00kg (19.8lbs) |
3.09kg (6.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Mahogany, Black |
Rosewood |
| 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 |
These sit in different price classes - Wharfedale Denton 85 costs roughly 3.6x what Wharfedale 11.0 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 75Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Wharfedale Denton 85 is more sensitive (88dB vs 85dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Wharfedale 11.0 is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | A | Wharfedale Denton 85 takes more power (120W vs 75W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Wharfedale 11.0 is easier to place; Wharfedale Denton 85 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Wharfedale Denton 85: bi-amping. Wharfedale Denton 85 sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Wharfedale 11.0 is cheaper - $279 against $999, about 72% less; arguably a different class. |
A Wharfedale Denton 85 B Wharfedale 11.0
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: Wharfedale Denton 85 measures better, Wharfedale 11.0 costs about about 3.6x the price% 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 a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 75Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Wharfedale 11.0 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 11.0 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.