Wharfedale Dovedale vs Klipsch Cornwall IV Comparison

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Wharfedale Dovedale

Passive Bookshelf | 36-20K HZ

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Klipsch Cornwall IV

Passive Floor-standing | 34-20k Hz

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Wharfedale Dovedale

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Klipsch Cornwall IV

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Wharfedale Dovedale

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Klipsch Cornwall IV

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Wharfedale Dovedale vs Klipsch Cornwall IV Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers. Wharfedale Dovedale is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Cornwall IV is a Floor-standing speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Wharfedale Dovedale and Klipsch Cornwall IV first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key Specs	Wharfedale Dovedale	Klipsch Cornwall IV
Design	3-way	3-way
Tweeter	1" soft dome	1" horn-loaded
Midrange	5"	1.75"
Woofer	10" black woven Kevlar cone	15" Fiber composite
Frequency response	36-20K HZ	34-20k Hz
Sensitivity	89 DB	102 dB
Impedance	6.5 ohms	8 ohms
Power range	25-250 watts	up to 100 watts
Weight	26.20kg / 57.6lbs	44.55kg / 98lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)	23.6" x 14.6" x 16.4" 660 x 370 x 417mm	38" x 25-5/16" x 15-1/2" 966.0 x 643.0 x 394.0mm

Dovedale and Cornwall IV are members of Klipsch's Heritage series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

Wharfedale Heritage Series History

Model	Body	Frequency	Sensitivity	Impedance	Woofer
Wharfedale SUPER LINTON	Bookshelf	39-20k Hz	90 dB	6Ω	1 x 8"
Wharfedale LINTON	Bookshelf	40-20k Hz	90 dB	6Ω	1 x 8"
Wharfedale Denton 85	Bookshelf	45-20k Hz	88 dB	4Ω	1 x 6.5"
Wharfedale Super Denton	Bookshelf	52-20k Hz	87 dB	6Ω	1 x 6.5"
Wharfedale Dovedale	Bookshelf	36-20K HZ	89 DB	6.5Ω	1 x 10"
Wharfedale Heritage Centre	Center Channel	54-20k Hz	90 dB	6Ω	2 x 6-1/2"
Wharfedale Denton 80	Bookshelf	44-24k Hz	86 dB	6Ω	1 x 5"

The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.

**This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Drivers

Both Dovedale and Cornwall IV are 3-way speakers.

Wharfedale Dovedale

Klipsch Cornwall IV

TweeterMidrangeWoofer

Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.

Driver	Wharfedale Dovedale	Klipsch Cornwall IV
Driver Setup	3-way	3-way
Tweeter	1-inch	1-inch
Midrange	1 x 5-inch	1 x 1.75-inch
Woofer	1 x 10-inch	1 x 15-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 Cornwall IV features a 1" titanium-diaphragm compression horn-loaded Tweeter, a 1.75" Midrange and 1 x 15" Fiber composite Woofer.

Frequency Response

Dovedale has a frequency range of 36-20K HZ whereas Cornwall IV has a frequency range of 34-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 34Hz, the Cornwall IV can go slightly deeper then the Dovedale's min frequency of 36Hz.

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

Dovedale

Cornwall IV

Min

Average

Median

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

Dovedale is a 6.5 ohms speaker compared to the Cornwall IV which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.

These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Dovedale sensitivity is rated at 89 DB and the Cornwall IV's is rated at 102 dB. This 13 dB difference makes the Klipsch Cornwall IV a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale Dovedale, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Bookshelf Speakers

Dovedale

Cornwall IV

Min

Average

Median

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.

Dovedale can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas Cornwall IV has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 150 watts less than the Dovedale.

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.

Amplifier — change this

Distance

Playing as

Wharfedale Dovedale

Klipsch Cornwall IV

Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring

Cornwall IV features Binding post 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

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 Dovedale's and Klipsch Cornwall IV's external dimensions. Wharfedale Dovedale has external dimensions of 660 x 370 x 417mm (23.6 x 14.6 x 16.4 inch) whereas Klipsch Cornwall IV has external dimensions of 966.0 x 643.0 x 394.0mm (38 x 25-5/16 x 15-1/2inch).

Wharfedale Dovedale is 273mm narrower and 306mm shorter than Klipsch Cornwall IV but it is also 23mm deeper.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale Dovedale and Klipsch Cornwall IV in scale.

Comparison image of Wharfedale Dovedale and Klipsch Cornwall IV 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 Klipsch Cornwall IV is approximately 2533.4cm² / 392.7inch². The Dovedale requires 39% less surface area than the Cornwall IV which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.

What's in the Box of Klipsch Cornwall IV?

Here are the items that come with the Cornwall IV:

2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
2 Grilles
Owners Manual
Congratulations letter
Klipsch brochure

Reasons to choose Wharfedale Dovedale over Klipsch Heritage Cornwall IV

Max Input Power	250 watts vs 100 watts	Handle more power from your amplifier
Height	660mm vs 966mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Base Surface Area	1542cm² vs 2533cm²	Takes less floor space
Price per pair*	5000USD vs 6598USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

Reasons to choose Klipsch Heritage Cornwall IV over Wharfedale Dovedale

Sensitivity	102 dB vs 89 dB	Play louder with same amount of amplification power
Nominal Impedance	8 ohms vs 6.5 ohms	Less selective with amplifiers
Woofer Size	15 inches vs 10 inches	Larger woofer
Low Frequency Response	34 Hz vs 36 Hz	Generates deeper bass
Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring	Yes vs No	Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections

Wharfedale Dovedale vs Klipsch Cornwall IV Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Wharfedale Dovedale	Klipsch Heritage Cornwall IV
Brand	Wharfedale	Klipsch
Speaker Type	Bookshelf speakers	Floor-standing speaker
Power Range	25-250 watts	up to 100 watts
Sensitivity	89 DB	102 dB
Impedance	6.5 ohms	8 ohms
Impedance	3.6 ohms	n/a
Frequency Response	36-20K HZ	34-20k Hz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	1	1
Woofer Size	10"	15"
Woofer Composition	black woven Kevlar cone	Fiber composite
Woofer Surround Material	Rubber	Rubber
Tweeter Size	1"	1"
Tweeter Type	soft dome	horn-loaded
Aimable Tweeter	No	No
Midrange Driver	5"	1.75"
Crossover Frequency	560Hz and 2900Hz	n/a
Firing Direction	rear	n/a
Physical Specs
Height	660.0mm (26")	966.0mm (38")
Width	370.0mm (14.6")	643.0mm (25.3")
Depth	417.0mm (16.4")	394.0mm (15.5")
Weight	26.20kg (57.6lbs)	44.55kg (98lbs)
Enclosure	Bass Reflex	Bass Reflex
Finish	MDF/Wood Veneer	MDF/Wood veneer
Available Colors	Walnut	Black
Mounting Bracket	No	No
Grille	Yes	Yes
Moisture Resistancy	No	No
Connections
Biamp Inputs	No	Yes
Other
Parts Warranty	5 Years	10 Years
Labor Warranty	5 Years	10 Years

Verdict

A bookshelf against a floor-standing. They are built for different places in a room, so start with where these have to go rather than which looks better on paper.

Area	Better	Why
Bass	evenly matched	Much the same reach (36Hz vs 34Hz).
Amplifier needs	B	Klipsch Cornwall IV is more sensitive (102dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier.
Amplifier match	B	Klipsch Cornwall IV is the easier load at 8 ohms.
Headroom	A	Wharfedale Dovedale takes more power (250W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room.
Size	depends	Wharfedale Dovedale is easier to place; Klipsch Cornwall IV is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides.
Type	depends	A Passive Bookshelf against a Passive Floor-standing - a different job rather than a better one.
Expandability	B	Klipsch Cornwall IV: bi-amping. Klipsch Cornwall IV sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later.
Price	A	Wharfedale Dovedale is cheaper - $5,000 against $6,598, about 24% less.

A Wharfedale Dovedale B Klipsch Cornwall IV
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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: Klipsch Cornwall IV measures better, Wharfedale Dovedale costs about 24% 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. In a large or open-plan room, Klipsch Cornwall IV has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Wharfedale Dovedale is the easier speaker to get right. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Klipsch Cornwall IV 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.