Wharfedale Denton 80th Anniversary Speaker Review

[CleanSound]

I don't understand why a company like Wharfedale, with the resources they have, can't/doesn't want to make a decent product. Granted $600 would put a lot of constrain on the R&D dollar you can put in; but if it measured just decent/average, for $600 it would be considered good. Why ruin your reputation for a quick buck, sometimes, I just don't understand the decision making process with these companies.

This is why NO CONSUMERS should buy any speakers without published measurements, preferably third party.

 

[Spocko]

I don't understand why a company like Wharfedale, with the resources they have, can't/doesn't want to make a decent product. Granted $600 would put a lot of constrain on the R&D dollar you can put in; but if it measured just decent/average, for $600 it would be considered good. Why ruin your reputation for a quick buck, sometimes, I just don't understand the decision making process with these companies.

This is why NO CONSUMERS should buy any speakers without published measurements, preferably third party.

Price is no excuse because the fundamentals of speaker design are thoroughly understood without any additional R&D to uncover anything new or innovative. Elac and Klipsch have done better for $600 and for pros, Kali has affordable active monitors that measure well. One no longer has to pay over $1000 for decently measuring speakers.

The reason why many companies don't care about measured performance is because most consumers don't care - "wow, it looks so beautiful with that walnut veneer, I want it." And the sale is complete without ever turning the damn thing on.

 

[CleanSound]

Price is no excuse because the fundamentals of speaker design are thoroughly understood without any additional R&D to uncover anything new or innovative. Elac and Klipsch have done better for $600 and for pros, Kali has affordable active monitors that measure well. One no longer has to pay over $1000 for decently measuring speakers.

The reason why many companies don't care about measured performance is because most consumers don't care - "wow, it looks so beautiful with that walnut veneer, I want it." And the sale is complete without ever turning the damn thing on.

While the baseline R&D theory to a good pair of speakers are readily available, I do think there is still some R&D work that needs to be done for the specific speakers, but you are right that it shouldn't cost that much considering the tools and knowledge we have today.

And you are absolutely right about some consumers buy for visual looks.

Well, that's a ding on Wharfedale for me.

 

[Gomo]

From the pictures on Wharfedale's website, it appears (to my eyes, at least) that the newer Denton 85 and Linton share the same tweeter so hopefully the Denton 85 will be a noticeable improvement on the Denton 80.

Peter Comeau, from Wharfedale, has mentioned in several interviews that the Hertitage Line of speakers are all designed to be listened to with the grills on and that the grills are designed to deal with some of the diffraction problems created by these increasingly popular, nostalgic designs. It's a compromise, but Wharfedale seems to have addressed the problems quite well with the Linton - hopefully they have also done this with its little brother, the Denton 85. We'll have to wait for the review and measurements.

In the meantime, Wharfedale have just released a new line of loudspeakers, the Aura, which slot in the second position of their range. @amirm , do you have any of those coming in for review?

 

[amirm]

@amirm , do you have any of those coming in for review

I do not.

 

[DSJR]

You couldn't even safely remove the grilles on my original 60's Dentons, nor my IMF Compacts from the early 70's as they were basically pinned on and needed extreme care to prise them off. I don't know why so many audiophiles like to show off the fugly drivers and baffle screws, but obviously they do and that's why front baffles are usually presented well these days. Even these, apparently designed and 'voiced' to have the grilles fitted, have a nicely veneered front baffle.

To show how it was in 70's UK speakers and a great encouragement to keep the effin' grilles ON, here's one of my Spendor BC2's from 1974 (the gauze covering the bass driver was ripped away by the original owner). Spendor went to a satin black pained baffle on later production BC1's and SP1's before caving in and veneering them much later...

 

[phoenixdogfan]

A shame, it's a nice looking piece of kit in that 19 century British men's club kind of way, and it's not too expensive to boot. Wharfedale has shown they know how to make good sounding speakers, they just didn't bother to do so here. Moreover, good design and engineering is not per se more expensive than bad design and engineering. I think for not a lot of more money, they could have made a very nice little budget mini monitor that would have been near or at the top of its class. A real missed opportunity here, Wharfedale.


Maybe they could do a version 2.

 

[ROOSKIE]

I read this review with anticipation, a review of a speaker I once owned. However I was really surprised by the results. For me the one thing this speaker wasn’t was ‘bright’ hence why, I had always assumed, it was described as ’warm’ . It was too warm a sound for me which caused me to move it on.

I also owned these and they were not bright for me either.
They did have a recessed upper midrange so that dip in the early reflections and estimated in room tonality came across.
They didn't have a 4000-6000hrz sibilance or brightness quality despite the predicted in room peak, for whatever reason that is not what came across for me.
They did not sound good loud at all nor were they very 'dynamic'.
I did not ultimately care for them.
The real walnut wood veneer on my pair was beautiful and book matched. Many will really appreciate the look.

 

[tw 2022]

A shame, it's a nice looking piece of kit in that 19 century British men's club kind of way, and it's not too expensive to boot. Wharfedale has shown they know how to make good sounding speakers, they just didn't bother to do so here. Moreover, good design and engineering is not per se more expensive than bad design and engineering. I think for not a lot of more money, they could have made a very nice little budget mini monitor that would have been near or at the top of its class. A real missed opportunity here, Wharfedale.


Maybe they could do a version 2.

they did: the denton 85

 

[ROOSKIE]

From the pictures on Wharfedale's website, it appears (to my eyes, at least) that the newer Denton 85 and Linton share the same tweeter so hopefully the Denton 85 will be a noticeable improvement on the Denton 80.

While there are a myriad of factors and one can not simply isolate the tweeter. I will still comfortably say I do not particularly like the tweeter used in the Linton. I do beleive the 85th does offer improvement at least in terms of manufacturer budget and design effort over the 80th.

 

[moonthink]

As someone who owns and loves the Denton 80's, I'm very surprised and disappointed with these results, and am now questioning my own ears and tastes...

That being said, I still love them, and they are my favorite speakers under $600 (that I have heard). I know this is anecdotal, but I've known a couple of people who've owned both the Lintons and the Denton 80's -- one of them sold their Dentons after getting the Lintons, and misses them dearly. The other actually preferred the Dentons to the Lintons, not because they were subjectively better, but because they were just "more fun to listen to."

Anyway, thank you Amir for the measurements/review! I'll keep at least one pair of the Dentons, but starting to look for a suitable replacement in my main listening room. Maybe the Ascend Acoustics Sierra-1 V2's?

 

[Bleib]

Just goes to show that one cannot expect the marketing folks at any company to tell the truth

 

[Ken1951]

I have zero experience with any Wharfedale speaker, but I've seen this phrase in lots of places and want to know what the heck does "fun to listen to" mean anyway? I've heard loads of speakers in my day and have never thought this about any of them. "Sounds good", "Sounds bad", well sure. Lots of music is "fun to listen to", but speakers???? Just don't get it...

 

[beagleman]

As someone who owns and loves the Denton 80's, I'm very surprised and disappointed with these results, and am now questioning my own ears and tastes...

That being said, I still love them, and they are my favorite speakers under $600 (that I have heard). I know this is anecdotal, but I've known a couple of people who've owned both the Lintons and the Denton 80's -- one of them sold their Dentons after getting the Lintons, and misses them dearly. The other actually preferred the Dentons to the Lintons, not because they were subjectively better, but because they were just "more fun to listen to."

Anyway, thank you Amir for the measurements/review! I'll keep at least one pair of the Dentons, but starting to look for a suitable replacement in my main listening room. Maybe the Ascend Acoustics Sierra-1 V2's?

You have to also factor in, the measurements were done with grill removed.

That leaves open the possibility of some response changes due to diffraction etc.

On the example Erin did, we are talking about almost or about a 4 db or so change from the lowest dip to the highest peak, in difference. It was more than a minor change in other words, so your ears may not be as bad as you think

 

[vert]

I don't understand why a company like Wharfedale, with the resources they have, can't/doesn't want to make a decent product. Granted $600 would put a lot of constrain on the R&D dollar you can put in; but if it measured just decent/average, for $600 it would be considered good. Why ruin your reputation for a quick buck, sometimes, I just don't understand the decision making process with these companies.

This is why NO CONSUMERS should buy any speakers without published measurements, preferably third party.

Don't they make the Diamonds for about $400 ? Amir gave them a happy panther.

But, I agree 100%, and know from experience, it's not a good idea to buy any speakers (or other piece of equipment for that matter) without measurements...

 

[BobbyTimmons]

As someone who owns and loves the Denton 80's, I'm very surprised and disappointed with these results, and am now questioning my own ears and tastes...

That being said, I still love them, and they are my favorite speakers under $600 (that I have heard). I know this is anecdotal, but I've known a couple of people who've owned both the Lintons and the Denton 80's -- one of them sold their Dentons after getting the Lintons, and misses them dearly. The other actually preferred the Dentons to the Lintons, not because they were subjectively better, but because they were just "more fun to listen to."

Anyway, thank you Amir for the measurements/review! I'll keep at least one pair of the Dentons, but starting to look for a suitable replacement in my main listening room. Maybe the Ascend Acoustics Sierra-1 V2's?

If they sound good to you they sound good to you. Doing unnecessary shopping because of a review after you already bought something you like sounds like shopping addiction. The purpose of reviews is to find products that sound good to you. Reviews are there for people to preview products before they buy them. The research shows most people choose flat speakers. That same research shows a minority don't. You could be in that minority.

 

[BobbyTimmons]

I have zero experience with any Wharfedale speaker, but I've seen this phrase in lots of places and want to know what the heck does "fun to listen to" mean anyway? I've heard loads of speakers in my day and have never thought this about any of them. "Sounds good", "Sounds bad", well sure. Lots of music is "fun to listen to", but speakers???? Just don't get it...

Usually exaggeration in the treble, midrange or bass like some Grado headphones, Beats headphones, Klipsch and B&W speakers.

 

[Hart]

What is the upside for biamping a small speaker? Does it give you additional control over equalization?

 

[tw 2022]

Heads up: there is apparently a wharfedale " super denton " in release ....3 way , available now in Russia.. I know of no other information at this time

 

[uwotm8]

Hmm, worse that you expect from Wharf, but all the hype is about newer, current Denton (85 th?) so would be nice to see them measured too.