In this review, we will be comparing Dovedale and Denton 85, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Wharfedale Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Dovedale and Wharfedale Denton 85 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Dovedale and Denton 85 are members of Wharfedale's Heritage series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Wharfedale Heritage Series History
What size room are the Wharfedale Dovedale and Wharfedale Denton 85 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Wharfedale Dovedale and Wharfedale Denton 85 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Dovedale is a 3-way design whereas the Denton 85 is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
| Driver |
Wharfedale Dovedale |
Wharfedale Denton 85 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
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 Denton 85 features a 1" woven textile Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3100Hz.
Frequency Response
Dovedale has a frequency range of 36-20K HZ whereas Denton 85 has a frequency range of 45-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 36Hz, the Dovedale can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Denton 85'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 Denton 85 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 Denton 85 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Dovedale sensitivity is rated at 89 DB and the Denton 85's is rated at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Dovedale a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale Denton 85, 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 Denton 85 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 130 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
Denton 85 features 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
Wharfedale Denton 85's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Dovedale and Denton 85 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 Wharfedale Denton 85's external dimensions. Wharfedale Dovedale has external dimensions of 660 x 370 x 417mm ( 23.6 x 14.6 x 16.4 inch) whereas 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) .
Wharfedale Dovedale is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 130mm wider, 318mm taller and 113mm deeper than Wharfedale Denton 85.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale Dovedale and Wharfedale Denton 85 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale Dovedale and Wharfedale Denton 85 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 Wharfedale Denton 85 is approximately 729.6cm2 / 113.1inch2. The Dovedale requires 111% more surface area than the Denton 85 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
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 Dovedale weighs 26.20kg / 57.6lbs and the Wharfedale Denton 85 weighs 9.00kg / 19.8lbs. This makes the Dovedale 191% heavier than the Denton 85.
Here is a comparison of how Dovedale and Denton 85'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 come with the Denton 85:
2 Bookshelf loudspeakers 2 Grilles 4 Jumper-bars (pre-installed) 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet Pair of white cloth gloves User Manual
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
6.5 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
36 Hz
vs
45 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Minimum Impedance |
3.8 ohms
vs
3.6 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
342mm
vs
660mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
729cm2 (240x304mm)
vs
1542cm2 (370x417mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
999USD
vs
5000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Wharfedale Dovedale |
Wharfedale Denton 85 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-250 watts |
20-120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 DB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
6.5 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.6 ohms |
3.8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
36-20K HZ |
45-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
black woven Kevlar cone |
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
soft dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
560Hz and 2900Hz |
3100Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
660.0mm (26") |
342.0mm (13.5") |
| Width |
370.0mm (14.6") |
240.0mm (9.4") |
| Depth |
417.0mm (16.4") |
304.0mm (12") |
| Weight |
26.20kg (57.6lbs) |
9.00kg (19.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
Walnut |
Walnut, Mahogany, Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
24-28" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |