Wharfedale Dovedale is a 3-way Passive Bass Reflex Bookshelf speaker designed by Peter Comeau for Wharfedale. It was released in February 2023. It features a 1" soft dome Tweeter, 1 x 5" Midrange and 1 x 10" black woven Kevlar cone Woofer. The speaker has a frequency range of 36-20k Hz and a sensitivity of 89 DB. Wharfedale Dovedale has an MSRP of 5000$ per pair.
Room Size Suitability
The size of the room where you plan to use the Wharfedale Dovedale is a crucial factor in your decision. We have assessed its suitability for various room sizes based on its dimensions and maximum power output:
| Listening Environment* |
Suitability |
| Near-field | Poor |
| Small Room | Poor |
| Mid-size Room | Good |
| Large Room | Good |
| Very Large Room | Average |
(* 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.)
Wharfedale Dovedale Speaker Structure
Wharfedale Dovedale Lifestyle
Wharfedale's Heritage Series of Loudspeakers
Dovedale is a member of Wharfedale's Heritage series of Passive speakers. To celebrate its history, Wharfedale has established the Heritage Series, recreations of famous models from its past, entirely re-engineered using contemporary techniques and materials. The range of Heritage speakers consists of the Denton 80, the Denton 85th Anniversary Edition, Linton and the latest installment of the Dovedale. Below you can see the main specs of these speakers.
See all 7 Wharfedale Heritage models compared »
Wharfedale Heritage Series Speakers
Wharfedale Heritage Series Speakers
**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.
Frequency Response of the Wharfedale Dovedale Speaker
Wharfedale Dovedale has a Frequency response range of 36-20k Hz and Power Range of 25-250 watts. With a minimum frequency of 36 Hz, Dovedale delivers deep bass that will likely satisfy most listeners, especially those who enjoy music. However, movie enthusiasts and music fans who prefer a full range of sound may still benefit from adding a subwoofer.
Here we have a comparison of how Dovedale's Low frequency value compares with the average, max and min Low frequency values in its class.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Thinking about a subwoofer for the Wharfedale Dovedale?
Wharfedale Dovedale's black woven Kevlar cone Woofer
Wharfedale Dovedale's soft dome Tweeter
Crossover frequency of the Wharfedale Dovedale?
Dovedale is a 3-way speaker and its crossover frequency between the woofer and the midrange is set to 560 Hz and the crossover frequency between the midrange and the tweeter is set to 2900 Hz.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Wharfedale Dovedale's nominal impedance level is
6.5 ohms but can go down to as low as
3.6 ohms, and has a sensitivity of
89 DB.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Nominal Impedance of the 6.5 Ohms makes the Wharfedale Dovedale a relatively difficult to drive speaker compared to more frequently found 8 ohms speakers from nominal Impedance perspective.
Sensitivity
89dB of the Wharfedale Dovedale is an average sensitivity for stereo speaker so it is neither easy nor difficult to drive Sensitivity wise. Work out how loud the Wharfedale Dovedale plays in your room →
Minimum Impedance of the Wharfedale Dovedale
Even though the nominal impedance of the Dovedale is 6.5 ohms, the minimum impedance level of this speaker according to Wharfedale is 3.6 ohms Wharfedale Dovedale so while choosing an amplifier, you should ideally check if the unit you are considering can provide this impedance level.
What amplifier does the Wharfedale Dovedale need?
At normal listening levels in a medium room, about
12–185 W
per channel into 6.5 ohms.
Set your own conditions and we will rank every amplifier we cover.
Prefer to browse? Integrated amplifiers under $5,000, or every amplifier we cover.
Input Type
Dovedale has Post type connectors and lets bi-amping/bi-wiring. Bi-wiring can enhance the overall transparency of your loudspeakers by using separate speaker wires for the low and high-frequency drivers from a single amplifier. Bi-amping, on the other hand, involves using separate amplifiers for the high and low-frequency drivers, potentially resulting in a greater dynamic range and reduced distortion.
Work out what gauge speaker cable this run needs →
Wharfedale Dovedale Back View
Wharfedale Dovedale External Dimensions and Weight
Wharfedale Dovedale has external dimensions of (Height x Width x Depth) 23.6 x 14.6 x 16.4 inch (660 x 370 x 417mm ).
Base Surface Area
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base area of Wharfedale Dovedale is approximately 1542.9cm2 / 239.1inch2.
To get a better perspective on the real life size of Wharfedale Dovedale, let's compare it with a standard size Compact Disc which has a diameter of 4.7inch (120mm).
Wharfedale Dovedale Speaker Size Compared to a Compact Disc
Here we place the Wharfedale Dovedale virtually next to a standard width amplifier and turntable on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet to get a better idea about the size.
Wharfedale Dovedale Speaker next to an amplifier and turntable
Find speakers that fit your shelf or alcove → · Work out where they should sit in the room →
WeightThe Wharfedale Dovedale weighs 26.20kg / 57.6lbs per piece. Here is a comparison of how Dovedale's weight compares with the average, max and min weights in its class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Weight
Bookshelf Speakers under $5000
Wharfedale Dovedale on a Stand
Cabinet type and Materials
Wharfedale Dovedale has a
Bass Reflex type cabinet and a MDF/Wood Veneer finish. Bass Reflex type loudspeakers (aka Ported, Vented or Reflex Port) have enclosures that uses a port, hole or vent cut into the cabinet. Ported designs are generally more efficient than the Sealed designs.
Port Position
Wharfedale Dovedale is a rear-firing port speaker so you have to make sure you leave enough space between the back of the speaker and wall or bookshelf so that it has room to breathe.
Available colors
Wharfedale Dovedale is available in Walnut.
Wall Mounting
Dovedale doesn't sport any built-in mounting bracket, so you need an external structure to mount it on walls.
Speaker Stands
Wharfedale sells a dedicated speaker stand for the Dovedale with a model name
Dovedale Stand. You can check the latest price and availability of these stands at
B&H PHOTO and
Amazon.
Dovedale Stand Speaker Stands for Wharfedale Dovedale
Does the Wharfedale Dovedale come with a Grille?
Dovedale comes with removable cloth grilles. The purpose of the grille is to protect the delicate driver elements from external impacts while still allowing the sound to pass as clearly as possible.
Wharfedale Dovedale with Grille
Recommended Accessories
Here is a list of accessories that we think you may need for the Wharfedale Dovedale.
- Speaker Cable and Connectors
- Vibration Isolators: IsoAcoustics isolators are our favorite isolators but you may find more affordable options too.
- Acoustic Panels and Treatments: Your room is as important as your stereo equipment so acoustic treatments goes a long way in improving the overall performance.
- Speaker Stands: Stands bring your bookshelf speakers to ideal height (rule of thumb is to have the tweeter level with your ear in your listening position), helps stability and acoustical isolation.
Official Product Page
Official manufacturer's product page for the Wharfedale Dovedale speaker can be found below:
Official Product Page for Wharfedale Dovedale
Warranty
5 Years of parts warranty and 5 Years of labor warranty is generally provided by the manufacturer.