In this review, we will be comparing Dovedale and Reference 1 Meta, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Wharfedale and KEF.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Dovedale and KEF Reference 1 Meta first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Wharfedale Dovedale Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" soft dome Tweeter
- 5" Midrange
- 10" black woven Kevlar cone Woofer
- 36-20K HZ Frequency Response
- 89 DB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6.5ohms
- Power Range:25-250watts
- Weight:26.20kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 660.0" x 14.6" x 16.4"( 660 x 370 x 417mm )
KEF Reference 1 Meta Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 12th Generation Uni-Q Driver
- 1" aluminium dome with MAT Tweeter
- 5" Midrange
- 6.5" aluminium cone Woofer
- 5" Midrange
- 45-35k Hz Frequency Response
- 85 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:50-200watts
- Weight:18.20kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 440.0" x 8.1" x 16.6"( 440 x 205 x 422 mm )
What size room are the Wharfedale Dovedale and KEF Reference 1 Meta 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 Dovedale |
KEF Reference 1 Meta |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Average |
(* 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Wharfedale Dovedale and KEF Reference 1 Meta 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
Both Dovedale and Reference 1 Meta are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Wharfedale Dovedale |
KEF Reference 1 Meta |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 10-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
Dovedale features a 1" soft dome Tweeter , a 5" Midrange and 1 x 10" black woven Kevlar cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 560Hz and 2900Hz. On the other hand, the Reference 1 Meta features a 1" aluminium dome with MAT Tweeter , a 5" Midrange and 1 x 6.5" aluminium cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 2100Hz.
Frequency Response
Dovedale has a frequency range of 36-20K HZ whereas Reference 1 Meta has a frequency range of 45-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 36Hz, the Dovedale can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Reference 1 Meta's min frequency of 45Hz.
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
Dovedale is a 6.5 ohms speaker compared to the Reference 1 Meta which has a nominal impedance of 4 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 Reference 1 Meta can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Dovedale sensitivity is rated at 89 DB and the Reference 1 Meta's is rated at 85 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Dovedale a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Reference 1 Meta, 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.
Dovedale can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Reference 1 Meta has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Dovedale.
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
Reference 1 Meta features Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Dovedale has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale Dovedale's Post terminals
KEF Reference 1 Meta's Custom 5-way bi-wire tool-less binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Dovedale and Reference 1 Meta 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
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 Dovedale's and KEF Reference 1 Meta's external dimensions. Wharfedale Dovedale has external dimensions of 660 x 370 x 417mm ( 23.6 x 14.6 x 16.4 inch) whereas KEF Reference 1 Meta has external dimensions of 440 x 205 x 422 mm ( 17.3 x 8.1 x 16.6 ) .
KEF Reference 1 Meta is 165mm narrower and 220mm shorter than Wharfedale Dovedale but it is also 5mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale Dovedale and KEF Reference 1 Meta in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale Dovedale and KEF Reference 1 Meta 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 Dovedale is approximately 1542.9cm2 / 239.1inch2 and base area of the KEF Reference 1 Meta is approximately 865.1cm2 / 134.1inch2. The Dovedale requires 78% more surface area than the Reference 1 Meta which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.