Wharfedale Super Denton Bookshelf-Speaker black

Wharfedale Super Denton Bookshelf-Speaker

PRODUCT INFORMATION

Wharfedale's new SUPER DENTON is part of Wharfedale's Heritage Series, based on classic designs from Wharfedale's past but brought up to date with modern drive unit, housing and crossover technology.

The Heritage Series began in 2014 with the Denton 80 anniversary model, followed by the Denton 85 and the pioneering Linton model - which reignited passion for the traditional, large floorstanding speaker. The Heritage range was recently joined by the high-end Dovedale model, marking the return of British manufacturing. It underlines why no loudspeaker manufacturer can look back on a richer heritage than Wharfedale.

The SUPER DENTON anniversary speakers are now available in 3 different versions. Walnut, mahogany and now black oak.

More than a reintroduction

One of the notable features of the original Denton was its compact size, which helped popularize the concept of "bookshelf speakers" at a time when hi-fi speakers were typically larger, bulkier boxes. Most Denton versions were two-way designs combining a mid/bass driver with a tweeter unit, and the same is true of the two existing 21st century models. However, in 1971, Wharfedale released the Denton 3, which featured a three-way driver configuration with separate bass, midrange and tweeter units - creating what was claimed to be the smallest three-way speaker on the market that it is capable of delivering the performance of much larger speaker systems.

The Wharfedale SUPER DENTON represents an authentic heritage. Traditional, simple and beautiful, yet sophisticated, she features a thoroughly modern design that is absolutely state of the art - utilizing a mix of traditional and advanced technology for optimal performance whilst remaining true to the legacy of the classic Wharfedale tradition – beautifully hand veneered with a recessed front baffle and traditional fabric grille.

A three-way design with family history and precedent

The industrial design and cabinet engineering required incredible effort to accommodate such a complex array in a small volume, small footprint cabinet. With dimensions of 360 x 246 x 275 mm (HxWxD), the SUPER DENTON is similar in size to the Denton 3, making it one of the smallest three-way hi-fi speakers in the world - if not the smallest, just like the Denton 3 before 50 years.

The midrange and tweeter units are offset from the center, which helps maintain the speaker's compact design and diffuses reflections from the cabinet edges.

The SUPER DENTON enclosure features critically placed bracing and internal acoustic dampening through layers of long-haired fibers, and the midrange and tweeters have their own enclosures on the back. The cabinet itself uses a combination of woods to disperse panel resonances, rather than just having a single, audibly noticeable resonant frequency. An inner layer made of high-density chipboard is connected to an outer layer made of MDF using an intermediate layer of special adhesive with resonance-damping properties.

The SUPER DENTON comes in matching, mirror-image pairs. Since one speaker is optimized for the left channel and the other for the right channel, when the speakers are positioned appropriately, precise stereo imaging is ensured within a deep, wide soundstage.

Like all models in the Heritage Series, the new SUPER DENTON cabinet is covered in hand-matched wood veneers for a furniture-like finish that will suit any
Living environment fits – whether classic or modern.

SUPER DENTON bass unit

The drivers have been further developed compared to all previous models with the Denton name.

The high-quality 6.5-inch (165 mm) cast-case bass unit is tuned to the cabinet to provide bass response down to 40 Hz, below the "E1" tuning of a standard bass guitar - impressive for a speaker with the compact size Dimensions of the SUPER DENTON. This driver handles bass and lower midrange frequencies with pleasing definition and expression, bringing instruments and voices to life - amazing for a speaker of this size.

SUPER DENTON midrange driver

The midrange unit is based on a 2-inch (50mm) dome design - inspired by Wharfedale's award-winning EVO4 project.

This driver confidently delivers the upper midrange and lower treble. It ensures the ideal transition from the fundamental tones carried by the bass to the higher-frequency harmonic overtones. The wide dispersion of this dome membrane is responsible for the clarity and subtlety that brings the musical performance to life, transitioning seamlessly from the fundamental tones carried by the bass to the harmonic overtones higher up in the frequency range.

SUPER DENTON tweeter

Sound detail and air at high frequencies are achieved via a new 1-inch (25mm) soft-dome tweeter unit that adopts design features from the popular Wharfedale DOVEDALE model, including the ceramic motor system and rear chamber.

This chamber helps lower the resonant frequency below that of the transition region to provide a more natural and seamless transition between drive units.

The three drivers are neatly arranged for smooth integration into this 3-way design and are managed by a sophisticated crossover network that features air-coils and polypropylene capacitors in the midrange and treble circuits for distortion-free performance. As with all Wharfedale models, design is accelerated through critical measurements coupled with advanced computer modeling, but final tuning comes via thousands of hours of listening tests – just as Wharfedale founder Gilbert Briggs would point out: “The response curves alone can hide a multitude of problems . “Sins!”

With attention to detail

The development of SUPER DENTON required intricacies and attention to detail, comparable to a model at twice the price, as the main designer says; “Even the grille is internally molded to maximize the performance of the drive units and avoid interference from reflections on the edges of the housing.”

The result is a music output that fits all music genres and sources, whether analog or digital. You can be confident that SUPER DENTON will delight and satisfy your listeners with musical entertainment for years to come.

SPECIFICATIONS

• General description: 3-way bookshelf speakers
• Housing type: bass reflex
• Converter supplement: 3-way
• Bass Driver: 6.5" (165mm) black woven Kevlar cone
• Midrange driver: 2" (50 mm) soft dome
• Tweeter driver: 1" (25 mm) soft dome
• Sensitivity: (2.83V at 1m) 87dB
• Recommended amplifier power: 25-120W
• Peak sound pressure level: 103 dB
• Nominal impedance: 6 Ω (compatible with 8 Ω)
• Minimum impedance: 3.4Ω
• Frequency response: (+/-3dB) 52Hz - 20kHz
• Bass extension: (-6 dB) 40Hz
• Crossover frequency: 940 Hz and 4.6 kHz
• Housing volume (in liters): 14.7 l
• Height (on base): 360mm
• Width: 246mm
• Depth (with connections): (275+20) mm
• Box size: 660*390*475 mm
• Net weight: 9.2kg/pc
• Gross weight: 21kg/box