Wharfedale - Denton 80th (Walnut) Walnut

Product Information

Warm, extremely detailed and very musical, the new Wharfedale Denton is a superb speaker for the price – highly recommended. The cabinet is reflex-loaded via twin rear-mounted ports, unlike the original’s infinite baffle design, and this confers dramatically better sensitivity (90dB up from 86dB) and bass extension (35Hz down from 60Hz). “It uses a sandwich of high-density chipboard with MDF skins that scatters panel resonance more effectively than the almost ubiquitous modern use of MDF alone”, he adds. “Finally the crossover has been designed using computer software together with hundreds of hours of listening tests and refinement”. As for the Ushers, they have a slight reported treble lift but I personally haven't noticed it much. However, my high frequency hearing is plateaing out at around 13khz . Wharfedale’s ownership has passed to the China-based IAG group – but that 80 years of experience means making damn fine loudspeakers is imprinted in their DNA. The treble on this 12" cut was clean though perhaps a bit rolled-off. Very British polite, if I do say so myself. The brashness of the cymbals were muted, though to what degree would require further exploration. But the first impression was of a very listenable speaker that didn't sound forward or overly bright. That can be a difficult thing for many small speakers since the temptation for manufacturers is to make a speaker that has a lot of fake detail by having a tipped-up response.

The Denton's look and feel are miles ahead of the white Bowers & Wilkins 606 stand-mount speakers I auditioned in 2018 at the CNET office. Both speakers hail from UK-based manufacturers, and they're close to the same price, but the Denton looks a lot more expensive. The LS50's, despite having metal drivers, are not really bright at all, but they definitely have more top-end clarity and extension than the Dentons, but still they capably reproduce whatever midrange lushness is in the source. Indeed, I find them perfectly smooth and 'musical' with tubes, and yet they were forward, crisp, and slightly strident with a (re-capped) '78 Yamaha CR-1020. Their presentation is very much source-dependent, whereas I would expect the Dentons to be more forgiving. (My plan is to eventually use the Dentons with a Pioneer SX-780 that is currently being serviced.)Wharfedale combines its strong history and modern technology in perfect fusion in this Denton 80th Anniversary Edition. The original Denton was known for its warm, rich sound and the 80th Anniversary Edition manages to retain the original character while giving a more detailed, seamless performance. I was initially expecting a period of readjustment with the compact Dentons, because they followed the large and seriously impressive Epos Elan 35 floorstanders into my listening room. That the period lasted less than five minutes tells you just how good this new Wharfedale is. IAG’s head designer Peter Comeau says he voiced the 2012-specification Dentons to reflect the sound of the original model: “Musical but with a touch of warmth.” And, in short, that’s exactly what you get. Music Direct reserves the right to change the terms of this promotion or discontinue this offer at any time. Also, unlike the RS6s and PMCs the Wharfedales aren't as holographic or transparent. Nor does it have the texture, almost sounding one dimensional. Some have suggested the design and implementation on the Wharfedales aren't as good... after 3 weeks of ownership it's hard to find a more plausible explanation. This 85th edition showcases latest advancements and further upgrades the already hugely impressive 80th Anniversary speaker. Available in the same finishes, the main difference is in the Denton 85 swapping out the 5" woven kevlar cone for a 6.5" variation of the same material and replacing the 1" textile tweeter for a soft dome design. The result is higher sensitivity to facilitate more demanding hifi components, better crossover and wider frequency spectrum. Based on Original Denton

Unfortunately, what's true in life applies the same to recordings. Garbage in garbage out. I've thrown CDs away in frustration due the inability to listen to them as they re mastered it horribly. Yeah, I've been thinking hard about it. I need to find a way to scrounge up enough money for those. Any idea how long they'll be on sale at that price? Rogers was one of the original manufacturers and here are "new ones" I mentioned. This pair would probably not exist if they would have not a chance to cash in on the antique market and the cult status of the classic. They are as loyal to the original as possible including the unfriendly prehistoric way the grilles should be placed and ripped off and the shiny plastic front hidint behind. With the difference being that they chose an exclusive type of wood. The LS3/5a's on their own as a small space monitor are great because they were developed with those small spaces in mind according to what I have read about this subject. Mentioned the TV vans already, it is where they did much better then anything else around those days and set a bar. It is also where the myth comes from that studio monitors are only for near field, because the Ls3/5a was dedicated to that. Anything large in a small van would not really do it and the stiff casing had to assure that not much of the surrounding space would be in the way of the ones dealing with the audio. To mark Wharfedale’s 80th Anniversary, the brand is presenting an anniversary edition of one of its most popular loudspeakers, the Denton. The Denton 80th Anniversary is a classic, bookshelf two-way speaker. Beautifully crafted with hand veneered mahogany, an inset front baffle and traditional Tungsten cloth grille, the updated Denton is a classic update of the original speaker.In comes the Wharfedale Denton 85th Anniversary (of which 10 attemps to post different pictures of it here failed) It was time to try an album that I am very familiar with, one that I have heard across several systems - a British pressing of Supertramp, Crime of the Century. The lead in song, School, is bombastic with very deep bass and explosive dynamic contrasts. How does the Wharfedale hold up compared to my departed UREI 813A speakers, which could really deliver the goods? In a word (or three), not so well. At 86dB sensitivity was high as small loudspeakers go, largely because a 4 Ohm bass unit has been used and, below 500Hz, this is a 4 Ohm loudspeaker our impedance curve shows (5.7 Ohms overall). This curve also confirms excellent bass unit damping by absence of residual peaks either side of the anti-resonant port system. The load is largely resistive, another plus point, as energy is not returned to the amplifier. It’s a very careful balance. The Dentons never give the impression they are emphasising one part of the music to the detriment of another yet still manage to avoid sounding overly dry and clinical. Instead they just make music sound fun – whether you want to delve deep into a mix or simply let it flow over you. My Dentons arrived yesterday, and I immediately set them up facing each other, out of phase, with a (bass-heavy) pop music station playing on the radio. I left it going for about 11 hours yesterday, while I was out of the house. They are nowhere near fully broken in yet, but that at least got them on their way. Amplification is from a recapped Yamaha CR-1020 receiver (75 wpc), which tends to be on the cool side of neutral IMO.

I like the character and the aesthetic of the 80s, but the misnomer about the 'treble roll off' kills it for me. Highs are processed by a woven soft dome treble unit with high flux ferrite magnet, engineered for smooth, detailed HF extension. Drive units are combined by a near-audible crossover resulting in a coherent, seamless musical output that is both engaging and natural in its rendition of any source material. Denton 80 vs Denton 85 In regards of Rotel I like them better than NAD in regards of reliability but you are right in your assessment that they are bright. Plenty of their amps are bright and need carefully speaker match and also this differentiate from model to model. The Dentons do what modern small speakers are renowned for by delivering impressive out-of-the-box imaging. Stereo definition is precise and solid – anchored firmly between the speakers with admirable depth. Music really does seem to be projected well into the room with realistic height and weight.

Classic bookshelf tradition

Last friday I made up my mind and might have set the bargain record for a brand new pair after a little negotiation.

High Performance Bass/mid Unit: To make the most of the strong front baffle, the main drive unit chassis has been enhanced with a massive flange that is secured using six screws, thus improving its stability. The carefully designed surround of the woven Kevlar cone helps to yield a clean high-frequency acoustic roll-off thus enhancing the ability of the mid/bass unit and tweeter to work as a cohesive whole.Save 30% in our exclusive deal on Wharfedale Denton speakers. Built to celebrate Wharfedale's 80th anniversary, these beautiful speakers are an updated version of the original Denton and combine a nod to traditional design with the latest in loudspeaker design. Original Model Trouble is, the vagaries of marketing are also critical to how modern loudspeakers are designed. Comeau notes that the company’s 85th anniversary has given him the chance to do something more than slightly different. “As we found when we launched the Denton 80th Anniversary (and then Denton 85), there’s a strong customer base for this style of speaker. Retro maybe, but more likely a response to good-quality furniture appearance allied to the full-bodied sound of speakers designed from the fifties to eighties.” Beneath the exterior, the anniversary edition is a perfect blend of traditional and advanced technology. The bass unit features Wharfedale's innovative woven Kevlar cone, mounted on a sturdy die-cast chassis. The drive units are combined with a highly researched crossover that perfectly combines the drivers. Fire them up and the first thing you notice is the impressive timing and amazing amount of detail they manage to excavate.