In this review, we will be comparing two different type 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.
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 )
Klipsch Cornwall IV Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" horn-loaded Tweeter
- 1.75" Midrange
- 15" Fiber composite Woofer
- 1.75" Midrange
- 34-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 102 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 100watts
- Weight:44.55kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 966.0" 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
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Wharfedale Dovedale and Klipsch Cornwall IV 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 Cornwall IV are 3-way speakers.
| 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.
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 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
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 Cornwall IV has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 150 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
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
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 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 loudspeakers2 GrillesOwners ManualCongratulations letterKlipsch brochure
Max Input Power 
Height 
Base Surface Area 
Price per pair* 
Sensitivity 
Nominal Impedance 
Woofer Size 
Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring