In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers. Wharfedale Super Denton is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the kO-R2 is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Super Denton and Klipsch OJAS kO-R2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale Super Denton | Klipsch OJAS kO-R2 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | Compression Horn |
|---|
| Midrange | 2" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Woven Kevlar | 15" Paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 52-20k Hz | 39-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 97 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-120 watts | up to 300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 9.20kg / 20.2lbs | 54.65kg / 120.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14-1/8" x 9-11/16" x 11-5/8"
360 x 246 x 295mm | 45-1/2" x 25-3/8" x 22-1/4"
1156.0 x 645.0 x 565.0mm |
|---|
Super Denton and kO-R2 are members of Klipsch's Heritage series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Wharfedale Heritage Series
History
What size room are the Wharfedale Super Denton and Klipsch OJAS kO-R2 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 Super Denton |
Klipsch OJAS kO-R2 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
(* 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.
**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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Super Denton is a 3-way design whereas the kO-R2 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.
Wharfedale Super DentonKlipsch OJAS kO-R2
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 Super Denton |
Klipsch OJAS kO-R2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 2-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 15-inch
|
Super Denton features a 1" woven textile Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 2" Midrange and 1 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 940Hz and 4.6kHz. On the other hand, the kO-R2 features a " K-706 driver Compression Horn Tweeter and 1 x 15" Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 760Hz.
Frequency Response
Super Denton has a frequency range of 52-20k Hz whereas kO-R2 has a frequency range of 39-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 39Hz, the kO-R2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Super Denton's min frequency of 52Hz.
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
Super Denton is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the kO-R2 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Super Denton sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the kO-R2's is rated at 97 dB. This 10 dB difference makes the Klipsch OJAS kO-R2 a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale Super Denton, 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.
kO-R2 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas Super Denton has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 180 watts less than the kO-R2.
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
Super Denton features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. kO-R2 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale Super Denton's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Super Denton has a rear firing port whereas kO-R2 has a front firing ports. Klipsch OJAS kO-R2's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Wharfedale Super Denton 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 Super Denton's and Klipsch OJAS kO-R2's external dimensions. Wharfedale Super Denton has external dimensions of 360 x 246 x 295mm (14-1/8inch x 9-11/16inch x 11-5/8inch) whereas Klipsch OJAS kO-R2 has external dimensions of 1156.0 x 645.0 x 565.0mm (45-1/2 x 25-3/8 x 22-1/4inch).
Klipsch OJAS kO-R2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 399mm wider, 796mm taller and 270mm deeper than Wharfedale Super Denton.
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 Super Denton is approximately 725.7cm2 / 112.5inch2 and base area of the Klipsch OJAS kO-R2 is approximately 3644.3cm2 / 564.9inch2. The Super Denton requires 80% less surface area than the kO-R2 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Wharfedale Super Denton?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Super Denton:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Jumper-bars (pre-installed)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Pair of white cloth gloves
- User Manual