In this review, we will be comparing Super Denton and DENTON 80, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Super Denton and Wharfedale Denton 80 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale Super Denton | Wharfedale Denton 80 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 2" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Woven Kevlar | 5" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 52-20k Hz | 44-24k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-120 watts | 20-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 9.20kg / 20.2lbs | 7.90kg / 17.4lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14-1/8" x 9-11/16" x 11-5/8"
360 x 246 x 295mm | 12-5/8" x 7-7/8" x 12"
320.0 x 200.0 x 305.0mm |
|---|
Super Denton and DENTON 80 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 Super Denton and Wharfedale Denton 80 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 |
Wharfedale Denton 80 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Average |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Bad |
(* 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.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Super Denton is a 3-way design whereas the DENTON 80 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 DentonWharfedale Denton 80
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 |
Wharfedale Denton 80 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 2-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 5-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 DENTON 80 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Woven Kevlar Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2300Hz.
Frequency Response
Super Denton has a frequency range of 52-20k Hz whereas DENTON 80 has a frequency range of 44-24k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the DENTON 80 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 and DENTON 80 have the same Impedance of 6 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Super Denton sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the DENTON 80's is at 86 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Super Denton a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale Denton 80, 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.
Super Denton can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas DENTON 80 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the Super Denton.
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
Both Super Denton and DENTON 80 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Wharfedale Super Denton's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Super Denton and DENTON 80 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
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 Wharfedale Denton 80'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 Wharfedale Denton 80 has external dimensions of 320.0 x 200.0 x 305.0mm (12-5/8 x 7-7/8 x 12inch).
Wharfedale Denton 80 is 46mm narrower and 40mm shorter than Wharfedale Super Denton but it is also 10mm deeper.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Wharfedale Super Denton needs about 19% more floor or shelf area. Wharfedale Super Denton is 40mm taller.
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 Wharfedale Denton 80 is approximately 610.0cm2 / 94.6inch2. The Super Denton requires 19% more surface area than the DENTON 80 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 Super Denton weighs 9.20kg / 20.2lbs and the Wharfedale Denton 80 weighs 7.90kg / 17.4lbs. This makes the Super Denton 16% heavier than the DENTON 80.
Here is a comparison of how Super Denton and DENTON 80'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 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
 Max Input Power |
120 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
87 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
44 Hz
vs
52 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
24k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
320mm
vs
360mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
610cm2
vs
725cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
599USD
vs
1399USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Wharfedale Super Denton |
Wharfedale Denton 80 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-120 watts |
20-100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
52-20k Hz |
44-24k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Woven Kevlar |
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
2" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
940Hz and 4.6kHz |
2300Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
360.0mm (14.2") |
320.0mm (12.6") |
| Width |
246.0mm (9.7") |
200.0mm (7.9") |
| Depth |
295.0mm (11.6") |
305.0mm (12") |
| Weight |
9.20kg (20.2lbs) |
7.90kg (17.4lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
Mahogany red veneer |
| Available Colors |
Red Mahogany, Black Oak, Walnut |
Mahogany with grey tungsten cloth grille |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
|
| Recommended Stand Height |
24-28" |
n/a |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Siblings in Wharfedale's Heritage series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Wharfedale Denton 80 digs deeper - 44Hz against 52Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 86dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (120W vs 100W). |
| Size | depends | Wharfedale Denton 80 is easier to place; Wharfedale Super Denton is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Wharfedale Super Denton: bi-amping; Wharfedale Denton 80: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Wharfedale Denton 80 is cheaper - $599 against $1,399, about 57% less; arguably a different class. |
A Wharfedale Super Denton B Wharfedale Denton 80
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system 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?
Wharfedale Denton 80 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 52Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Wharfedale Super Denton the better fit for a mid-size room and a large room, and Wharfedale Denton 80 for near-field listening and a small room.
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.