Audio T Verdict
The Wharfedale SUPER DENTON is an unusual loudspeaker in the best possible way. At only 360mm high it occupies roughly the space you might expect from a conventional two-way standmount, yet Wharfedale has fitted a dedicated 165mm bass driver, 50mm soft-dome midrange and 25mm soft-dome tweeter into a genuine three-way design.
That extra midrange driver is more than a specification-sheet novelty. It allows the large Kevlar bass cone to concentrate on bass and lower-midrange information, while the wide-dispersion dome takes over through the region occupied by voices and so many instruments before handing across to the tweeter. The result is a compact Heritage speaker designed to combine the weight and warmth associated with classic Wharfedale designs with the separation, imaging and clarity expected from a modern loudspeaker.
SUPER DENTON makes particular sense for somebody who loves the idea of a LINTON but simply does not have the room for one. It will not reproduce the scale or deep bass of its much larger stablemate, but its 40Hz bass extension is remarkably generous for such a compact cabinet. Give the pair solid stands, some space from the rear wall and a capable amplifier and you have one of the most interesting sub-£1,000 standmount designs in Wharfedale's current range.
Wharfedale SUPER DENTON Standmount Speakers
The Wharfedale SUPER DENTON is a compact three-way standmount loudspeaker inspired by one of the more unusual chapters in the long history of the Denton name.
Most Denton models have traditionally been two-way designs, but in 1971 Wharfedale introduced the Denton 3, combining separate bass, midrange and treble drivers in an unusually small cabinet. More than fifty years later, SUPER DENTON revisits that idea with completely modern drive units, crossover engineering and resonance-controlled cabinet construction.
The result is one of the most compact genuine three-way passive loudspeakers in Wharfedale's current range, designed for listeners who want the scale and driver separation of a multi-way Heritage speaker without the physical size of LINTON or SUPER LINTON.
- Compact three-way Heritage Series loudspeaker
- Bass-reflex standmount design
- 165mm / 6.5-inch woven Kevlar bass driver
- Premium cast bass-driver chassis
- 50mm / 2-inch soft-dome midrange driver
- Midrange technology inspired by Wharfedale EVO development
- 25mm / 1-inch soft-dome tweeter
- Ceramic tweeter motor system
- Rear tweeter chamber
- Dedicated rear enclosures for midrange and tweeter
- Mirror-imaged left and right speaker pair
- Offset midrange and tweeter arrangement
- Multilayer cabinet construction
- Resonance-damping adhesive layer
- Critically positioned internal bracing
- Long-hair fibre acoustic damping
- Air-core crossover coils
- Polypropylene capacitors in midrange and treble circuits
- 87dB sensitivity
- 25–120W recommended amplifier power
- 103dB peak SPL
- 6O nominal impedance
- 3.4O minimum impedance
- 52Hz–20kHz frequency response
- 40Hz bass extension at -6dB
- 940Hz and 4.6kHz crossover frequencies
- 14.7-litre cabinet volume
- Hand-matched wood veneer
- Traditional cloth grille
- Black Oak, Mahogany and Walnut finishes
A Modern Take on the Denton 3
The Denton name is one of the longest-running in Wharfedale history, but SUPER DENTON takes its most direct inspiration from the Denton 3 introduced in 1971.
That model stood apart from most other Dentons because it squeezed a genuine three-way driver configuration into a cabinet much smaller than the large three-way loudspeakers that were common at the time.
SUPER DENTON repeats that philosophy rather than simply reproducing the old speaker cosmetically.
Heritage Styling, Modern Engineering
The hand-matched veneer, inset baffle and traditional cloth grille give SUPER DENTON an unmistakably classic appearance.
Behind that styling, however, its drivers, motor systems, crossover components and cabinet damping are thoroughly contemporary.
It is therefore better understood as a modern loudspeaker influenced by Wharfedale's history rather than a recreation of a 1970s design.
Why Three-Way in Such a Small Cabinet?
A typical compact standmount uses one mid/bass cone and one tweeter.
SUPER DENTON adds a dedicated 50mm dome between them, dividing the audible range between three purpose-designed drive units.
Bass and Midrange
- 165mm dedicated bass driver
- 50mm dedicated dome midrange
- 940Hz lower crossover
- Reduced midrange workload for the bass cone
Midrange and Treble
- Wide-dispersion dome midrange
- 25mm dedicated soft-dome tweeter
- 4.6kHz upper crossover
- Dedicated rear chambers
Why Use a Dedicated Midrange Driver?
Voices and many musical instruments occupy the frequencies between the deep bass and the upper treble.
In a conventional two-way speaker, the main cone must continue reproducing much of this information until the tweeter takes over.
SUPER DENTON's dedicated 50mm dome allows Wharfedale to relieve the large bass driver of much of that responsibility and optimise a separate unit specifically for the midband.
165mm Woven Kevlar Bass Driver
The SUPER DENTON uses a substantial 165mm or 6.5-inch black woven Kevlar bass cone mounted in a premium cast chassis.
Its size is one reason such a compact speaker can reach surprisingly deep into the bass.
Why Kevlar?
Woven Kevlar combines low mass with high tensile strength and useful structural stiffness.
Wharfedale has used variations of woven fibre cones extensively across its loudspeaker ranges because their behaviour can be tailored to provide good piston-like movement while controlling unwanted resonances.
Dedicated Bass Rather Than Mid/Bass
Because the dome midrange takes over at 940Hz, the 165mm cone can concentrate on bass and the lower midrange.
This is different from the DENTON 85, where the same broad size of cone must continue much further up the frequency range before meeting the tweeter.
40Hz Bass Extension
Wharfedale specifies SUPER DENTON with bass extension reaching 40Hz at -6dB.
That is an impressive figure for a cabinet only 360mm tall and containing just 14.7 litres of internal volume.
What Does 40Hz Mean for Music?
It reaches deeply enough to give bass guitar, kick drum, piano and much electronic music convincing weight without automatically requiring a separate subwoofer.
The deepest synthesised bass, pipe-organ fundamentals and cinema effects extend lower, but 40Hz is substantial performance for a compact standmount.
Does SUPER DENTON Need a Subwoofer?
For ordinary two-channel music, not necessarily.
A subwoofer becomes more relevant if you want:
- Very deep electronic bass
- Sub-40Hz low-frequency extension
- More physical impact in a larger room
- Dedicated home cinema LFE
- Additional bass headroom at higher playback levels
Set the Speakers Up First
Before automatically adding a subwoofer, get the SUPER DENTON pair working properly in the room. A 165mm bass driver and 40Hz extension already give these speakers considerably more low-frequency reach than their compact appearance suggests.
50mm Soft-Dome Midrange
The centre of the three-way system is a 50mm soft-dome midrange driver inspired by development work carried out for Wharfedale's EVO loudspeakers.
Its relatively small, lightweight diaphragm is designed to respond quickly while providing broad dispersion through the upper-midrange and lower-treble region.
Why a Dome Midrange?
Most conventional midrange drivers use cone diaphragms.
A dome can provide particularly wide dispersion, helping information through the vocal and presence regions spread evenly into the listening room.
This contributes to the SUPER DENTON's ability to create a broad soundstage despite its compact cabinet.
Wide Dispersion
Good dispersion is especially useful in a living room where more than one person may be listening.
The objective is not to eliminate the benefit of a central sweet spot, but to prevent the tonal balance from changing dramatically as somebody moves a little away from it.
Dedicated Midrange Rear Enclosure
The midrange unit has its own enclosure behind the driver.
This isolates it from much of the changing internal air pressure created by the much larger bass cone.
Why Isolate the Midrange?
The bass driver can create significant pressure inside the cabinet.
Allowing that pressure to act directly on the back of a lightweight midrange dome would make accurate movement considerably more difficult.
A dedicated chamber therefore gives Wharfedale greater control over the acoustic environment in which the midrange operates.
25mm Soft-Dome Tweeter
The high frequencies are handled by a 25mm soft dome.
Its design borrows technology from the larger Wharfedale DOVEDALE, including a ceramic motor system and rear chamber.
Tweeter Rear Chamber
The rear chamber helps control acoustic energy behind the tweeter diaphragm and lowers the driver's resonant frequency relative to the crossover region.
This allows the tweeter to work more comfortably as it meets the 50mm dome midrange at 4.6kHz.
4.6kHz Upper Crossover
The dedicated midrange continues considerably higher than a conventional cone mid/bass driver would normally be asked to operate before handing over to the tweeter at 4.6kHz.
This allows the tweeter to concentrate on true high-frequency information rather than being forced unusually low.
Mirror-Imaged Speaker Pair
SUPER DENTON is supplied as a matched mirror-imaged pair.
The left and right cabinets are therefore not simply two identical boxes.
The midrange and tweeter positions are mirrored so the pair forms a symmetrical stereo arrangement when set up correctly.
Why Mirror the Drivers?
The offset drive units help Wharfedale fit the three-way array into a compact baffle while also changing the relationship between each driver and the cabinet edges.
Mirror imaging ensures those relationships remain symmetrical between the left and right channels.
Pay Attention to Left and Right Speakers
SUPER DENTON is supplied as a mirror-imaged pair with a designated left and right orientation. Set them up symmetrically rather than assuming the two cabinets can be swapped without changing the intended driver arrangement.
Offset Driver Layout
Moving the midrange and tweeter away from the cabinet centre line serves a practical purpose as well as creating the SUPER DENTON's distinctive appearance.
Wharfedale uses the offset arrangement to maintain compact cabinet dimensions and help scatter reflections created around the baffle edges.
Multilayer Cabinet Construction
The cabinet is built using more than one wood-based material rather than a single uniform panel construction.
An inner high-density particle-board layer is bonded to an outer MDF layer using a specially selected resonance-damping adhesive.
Why Mix Cabinet Materials?
Different materials have different resonant characteristics.
Combining them helps spread structural resonances rather than encouraging one dominant panel frequency to ring strongly.
Resonance-Damping Adhesive
The bonding layer is part of the cabinet's mechanical behaviour rather than merely the substance holding it together.
Wharfedale selects the adhesive for its damping properties so energy travelling through the cabinet walls is reduced.
Critically Positioned Internal Bracing
The enclosure also contains structural bracing placed where Wharfedale's development work identified the greatest benefit.
This stiffens the cabinet while avoiding unnecessary material that could reduce internal volume or simply transfer resonances elsewhere.
Long-Hair Fibre Damping
Layers of long-hair fibre are used inside the cabinet to absorb unwanted acoustic energy.
Internal damping helps prevent rearward output from the drivers reflecting around the enclosure and returning through the diaphragms or cabinet walls.
Why Cabinet Engineering Matters
A loudspeaker cabinet should ideally provide a stable platform for the drive units without announcing itself as another sound source.
Panel vibration and uncontrolled internal reflections can obscure low-level information and blur bass definition, which is why Wharfedale devotes so much attention to the enclosure even in a relatively compact design.
Highly Developed Crossover
Three-way speakers place greater demands on crossover design than simple two-way systems because two separate acoustic handovers need to be controlled.
SUPER DENTON crosses from bass to midrange at 940Hz and from midrange to treble at 4.6kHz.
Air-Core Coils
Wharfedale uses air-core coils within the crossover network.
Because there is no magnetic core to saturate, these components avoid one potential source of non-linearity as current increases.
Polypropylene Capacitors
Polypropylene capacitors are used in the midrange and treble sections of the crossover.
These are chosen for stable electrical behaviour and low losses in signal-critical parts of the network.
Measured and Tuned by Listening
Wharfedale combines computer modelling and acoustic measurement with extensive subjective listening during product development.
The aim is not simply to create attractive graphs but to make sure the final speaker behaves coherently with real music in real rooms.
14.7-Litre Cabinet Volume
The enclosure has an internal volume of 14.7 litres.
That makes the SUPER DENTON only modestly larger internally than the two-way DENTON 85 despite accommodating an additional dedicated midrange driver.
Compact for a Genuine Three-Way
Each speaker measures:
- Height: 360mm
- Width: 246mm
- Cabinet depth: 275mm
- Terminal allowance: 20mm
- Overall depth: approximately 295mm
- Weight: 9.2kg per speaker
Speaker Stands Recommended
Although SUPER DENTON is compact enough to be described as a bookshelf speaker, a good pair of dedicated speaker stands will normally give it the best opportunity to perform.
Stands allow you to control:
- Listening height
- Distance from the rear wall
- Distance from side walls
- Speaker spacing
- Toe-in
- Mechanical stability
Choose a Stable Stand
Each SUPER DENTON weighs 9.2kg and has a 246 x 275mm cabinet footprint before the terminal allowance.
Choose a stand with a suitably sized top plate, good structural rigidity and enough load capacity to support the speaker safely.
Can SUPER DENTON Sit on Furniture?
Yes, provided the surface is sufficiently strong and allows sensible placement.
A stand remains preferable where possible because it separates speaker positioning from the dimensions and location of the furniture.
Can It Go on a Bookshelf?
Physically, yes, if the shelf is deep and strong enough.
Acoustically, a proper stand normally gives greater freedom to manage the bass-reflex system and stereo image.
Rear-Ported Bass Reflex
SUPER DENTON uses a vented bass-reflex enclosure.
The distance from the rear wall therefore influences low-frequency balance.
Give the Port Some Space
Do not assume the speaker must sit metres into the room, but avoid pushing the cabinet tightly against a wall as an automatic starting point.
Experiment with placement and listen for the balance between bass weight and definition.
What If Bass Sounds Too Heavy?
Move the speakers further from the rear wall and corners.
Nearby boundaries reinforce low frequencies and can turn useful warmth into excessive boom if the speakers are positioned too close.
What If Bass Sounds Too Light?
Move the speakers slightly closer to the rear wall in small increments.
Boundary reinforcement can be used constructively as long as clarity is maintained.
Avoid Corners Where Possible
Placing a bass-reflex loudspeaker near both a rear and side wall can produce much stronger reinforcement than using one boundary alone.
If room layout forces a near-corner installation, spend extra time experimenting before judging the speaker.
Toe-In and Stereo Imaging
Start with the mirror-imaged pair positioned symmetrically and angled modestly towards the main listening position.
Then adjust the toe-in in small steps.
- Greater toe-in can strengthen centre-image focus
- Less toe-in can broaden the apparent soundstage
- The ideal setting depends on room reflections
- Keep left and right angles symmetrical where practical
87dB Sensitivity
Wharfedale specifies SUPER DENTON at 87dB sensitivity for 2.83V at one metre.
That is relatively conventional for a compact passive standmount and means amplifier quality and available power both deserve consideration.
25–120W Recommended Amplifier Power
The manufacturer recommends amplifiers rated between 25 and 120 watts per channel.
This gives a useful range from compact integrated amplifiers through to more substantial separates.
Will a 25W Amplifier Work?
Yes. Twenty-five watts sits at the bottom of Wharfedale's recommendation.
It is most appropriate where listening levels and room size are moderate.
Would 40–60W Be a Good Match?
For many normal living rooms, a good-quality amplifier in this region should be a sensible starting point.
Do not assume two amplifiers with the same headline wattage will control the speaker equally well.
Can I Use 80–100W?
Yes. This sits comfortably inside the recommended range and provides additional headroom for dynamic recordings.
Can I Use 120W?
Yes. Wharfedale lists 120W as the upper end of its recommendation.
6O Nominal Impedance
The speaker is specified at a nominal 6O and described by Wharfedale as compatible with 8O amplification.
Its impedance falls to 3.4O, so the amplifier should be comfortable supplying current into a real loudspeaker load rather than being judged by wattage alone.
3.4O Minimum Impedance
The minimum impedance is worth considering when choosing amplification.
A properly designed modern integrated amplifier should not find the SUPER DENTON unusual, but very low-powered or current-limited equipment should be matched with care.
Amplifier Quality Matters
SUPER DENTON is compact, but it is still a sophisticated three-way speaker with a 3.4O minimum impedance. A good amplifier with sensible current delivery is a better investment than simply chasing the largest wattage figure for the least money.
103dB Peak SPL
Wharfedale specifies a maximum peak sound-pressure level of 103dB.
This gives SUPER DENTON considerably more useful output than its relatively compact dimensions might suggest.
What Size Room Suits SUPER DENTON?
Small and medium-sized rooms are its natural environment, although it has enough bass and output capability to work in larger rooms at sensible listening distances.
Good for a Small Room?
Yes, provided there is enough space to keep the rear port from being forced directly against a wall.
Its compact dimensions are a major advantage over LINTON while retaining genuine three-way architecture.
Good for a Medium-Sized Room?
Yes. This is arguably where SUPER DENTON makes the most sense.
It has significantly more bass and scale than its dimensions imply without introducing the physical presence of a much larger Heritage speaker.
What About a Large Room?
It can work, particularly at moderate listening levels, but LINTON or SUPER LINTON will provide greater acoustic scale and greater effortless low-frequency output where the room can accommodate them.
SUPER DENTON or DENTON 85?
The current Wharfedale Heritage range gives customers two distinctly different compact Denton approaches.
DENTON 85
- Two-way standmount
- 165mm Kevlar mid/bass driver
- 25mm soft-dome tweeter
- 88dB sensitivity
- 20–120W amplifier recommendation
- 40Hz bass extension at -6dB
- 13.5L cabinet
- 340mm high
- 9kg per speaker
SUPER DENTON
- Three-way standmount
- 165mm dedicated bass driver
- 50mm soft-dome midrange
- 25mm soft-dome tweeter
- 87dB sensitivity
- 25–120W amplifier recommendation
- 40Hz bass extension at -6dB
- 14.7L cabinet
- 360mm high
- 9.2kg per speaker
The Difference Isn't Deeper Bass
Interestingly, both speakers share a manufacturer-specified 40Hz -6dB bass-extension figure.
The principal reason to choose SUPER DENTON is therefore its dedicated three-way driver architecture rather than simply expecting more low bass.
Choose DENTON 85 If...
- You want the simpler two-way Denton formula
- Your budget is lower
- You prefer the slightly smaller cabinet
- You want a traditional cone-and-tweeter arrangement
Choose SUPER DENTON If...
- You want a genuine three-way compact speaker
- You value a dedicated midrange driver
- You want wider midrange dispersion
- You want a more sophisticated cabinet and crossover design
- You want one of Wharfedale's most unusual current Heritage models
SUPER DENTON or LINTON?
Wharfedale LINTON is the obvious comparison if you have substantially more space.
Both are three-way Heritage speakers, but their physical scale is dramatically different.
SUPER DENTON
- 360mm high
- 246mm wide
- 9.2kg per speaker
- 165mm bass driver
- 50mm dome midrange
- 40Hz bass extension
- 87dB sensitivity
- Compact room-friendly design
LINTON
- 565mm high
- 300mm wide
- 18.4kg per speaker
- 200mm bass driver
- 135mm cone midrange
- 35Hz bass extension
- 90dB sensitivity
- Greater room-filling scale
Why Choose SUPER DENTON Instead of LINTON?
Space is the obvious reason, but not the only one.
SUPER DENTON's 50mm dome midrange and compact mirror-imaged driver arrangement give it a different acoustic architecture rather than simply making it a smaller LINTON.
Why Choose LINTON Instead?
The much larger 200mm woofer, cabinet and higher 90dB sensitivity give LINTON greater physical authority, particularly in medium and larger rooms.
Its dedicated LP-storage stands also make it a distinctive complete furniture proposition.
SUPER DENTON or SUPER LINTON?
SUPER LINTON takes the Heritage concept considerably further in size, bass performance and price.
It uses a 200mm Kevlar bass driver, 135mm cone midrange and 25mm soft dome in a much larger three-way cabinet, with bass extension to 32Hz and 90dB sensitivity.
Which One Is Right for the Room?
Choose SUPER DENTON if you want the compact option and cannot comfortably accommodate a large Heritage cabinet and stand.
Choose SUPER LINTON when there is enough room for the larger enclosure and you want substantially greater low-frequency scale and headroom.
Good for Vinyl?
Yes. SUPER DENTON's Heritage appearance may naturally invite a turntable pairing, but electrically it is simply a modern passive loudspeaker and works equally well with analogue and digital sources.
A good turntable, phono stage and amplifier can make an excellent system around it.
Good for Streaming?
Yes. Pair the speakers with a suitable streaming amplifier or a conventional integrated amplifier and separate network streamer.
Good for CD?
Yes. The source format does not change the speaker's requirements; use a capable CD player or transport and DAC with suitable amplification.
Good for Rock?
The 165mm dedicated bass driver gives SUPER DENTON useful punch and weight, while the dedicated midrange allows guitars and vocals to occupy their own part of the driver system.
Good for Jazz?
Yes. Bass, piano, brass, percussion and vocals all benefit from the division of labour provided by the three-way arrangement.
Good for Classical Music?
Yes. The wide-dispersion dome midrange can be particularly useful with complex orchestral material, although the larger LINTON models provide greater scale in bigger rooms.
Good for Vocals?
This is one of the strongest arguments for the design.
The 50mm dome is dedicated largely to the region where voices and instrumental harmonics carry much of their character.
Good for Electronic Music?
The published 40Hz bass extension gives the speaker useful weight with electronic music despite the compact enclosure.
A subwoofer remains an option if genuinely deep sub-bass is central to your listening.
Can SUPER DENTON Be Used With a Television?
Yes. Partner the speakers with a stereo or streaming amplifier providing HDMI ARC, HDMI eARC or optical connectivity where required.
Can It Be Used in Home Cinema?
Yes. Wharfedale's current Heritage range also includes a dedicated Heritage Centre speaker, allowing the SUPER DENTON to form part of a matching multichannel system.
Black Oak Finish
Black Oak gives the classic cabinet shape a more contemporary appearance and works particularly well with modern black hi-fi electronics.
Mahogany Finish
Mahogany emphasises the traditional furniture character of the Heritage design, pairing warm wood tones with the inset front baffle and cloth grille.
Walnut Finish
Walnut offers another classic wood option, retaining visible grain while remaining relatively understated in a modern living room.
Hand-Matched Veneers
Wharfedale wraps the cabinet in hand-matched wood veneers rather than relying solely on a printed wood-effect surface.
This gives SUPER DENTON the furniture-grade visual finish expected from the Heritage family.
Traditional Cloth Grille
The inset front baffle is complemented by a traditional cloth grille, reinforcing the visual relationship with earlier Wharfedale loudspeakers.
Grille Engineering
Even the grille structure receives acoustic consideration.
Wharfedale shapes its internal profile to minimise interference caused by reflections around the drive units and grille edges.
Speaker Cable Connections
SUPER DENTON is a conventional passive loudspeaker and connects to the amplifier using speaker cable.
Make sure positive on the amplifier connects to positive on the speaker and negative connects to negative on both channels.
Switch the Amplifier Off Before Connecting
Make or change speaker-cable connections with the amplifier switched off. Check carefully that loose strands of conductor cannot bridge the positive and negative terminals.
Recommended SUPER DENTON Setup Routine
- Unpack the matched mirror-imaged pair carefully and retain the packaging.
- Identify the intended left and right speaker orientation.
- Use rigid, stable speaker stands with suitable top plates.
- Place the stands symmetrically around the main listening position where practical.
- Begin with useful space between the rear bass ports and the wall.
- Avoid pushing the speakers hard into room corners.
- Position the speakers at an appropriate height for seated listening.
- Start with a modest amount of toe-in.
- Switch the amplifier off before connecting speaker cables.
- Check positive and negative polarity carefully on both channels.
- Begin playback at a sensible level.
- Use familiar vocal recordings to assess centre-image focus.
- Adjust toe-in in small increments.
- Play familiar bass-rich material.
- If bass is too strong, move the speakers further from nearby walls.
- If bass is too lean, experiment with slightly greater boundary reinforcement.
- Listen from more than one seating position to assess dispersion.
- Spend time optimising placement before making major equipment changes.
Who Are SUPER DENTON Speakers For?
They are particularly well suited to:
- Small and medium-sized listening rooms
- Customers who want a compact three-way loudspeaker
- Listeners attracted to Wharfedale Heritage styling
- Customers who do not have room for LINTON
- Vinyl-based stereo systems
- Streaming systems
- CD-based systems
- Listeners who value vocal and midrange clarity
- Customers wanting generous bass from a compact cabinet
- Rock, jazz, classical and acoustic music systems
- Customers comparing DENTON 85, SUPER DENTON and LINTON
Key Features
- Wharfedale SUPER DENTON
- Wharfedale Heritage Series
- Three-way standmount loudspeaker
- Bass-reflex enclosure
- Compact three-way design
- Denton 3-inspired concept
- Matched mirror-imaged pair
- Offset driver arrangement
- 165mm bass driver
- 6.5-inch woven Kevlar bass cone
- Premium cast bass chassis
- Dedicated bass driver
- 50mm dome midrange
- 2-inch soft-dome midrange
- EVO-inspired midrange technology
- Wide midrange dispersion
- Dedicated midrange rear enclosure
- 25mm soft-dome tweeter
- 1-inch tweeter
- Ceramic tweeter motor
- Tweeter rear chamber
- 940Hz lower crossover
- 4.6kHz upper crossover
- Air-core crossover coils
- Polypropylene capacitors
- Multilayer cabinet construction
- High-density particle-board inner layer
- MDF outer layer
- Resonance-damping adhesive
- Critically positioned bracing
- Long-hair fibre damping
- 14.7L cabinet volume
- 87dB sensitivity
- 25–120W recommended amplification
- 103dB peak SPL
- 6O nominal impedance
- 8O compatible
- 3.4O minimum impedance
- 52Hz–20kHz frequency response
- 40Hz bass extension at -6dB
- 360mm height
- 246mm width
- 275mm cabinet depth
- 295mm overall depth including terminals
- 9.2kg per speaker
- Hand-matched veneers
- Traditional cloth grille
- Acoustically shaped grille structure
- Black Oak finish
- Mahogany finish
- Walnut finish
- Suitable for dedicated speaker stands
- Suitable for vinyl systems
- Suitable for streaming systems
- Suitable for CD systems
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Wharfedale SUPER DENTON current?
Yes. SUPER DENTON remains a current model in Wharfedale's Heritage Series.
Is it called SUPER DENTON Anniversary Edition?
No. Wharfedale's official product name is SUPER DENTON.
Is SUPER DENTON a three-way speaker?
Yes. It uses separate bass, midrange and treble drivers.
How many drivers are in each speaker?
Three: a 165mm bass driver, 50mm dome midrange and 25mm tweeter.
What inspired the SUPER DENTON?
Its compact three-way philosophy takes particular inspiration from the Wharfedale Denton 3 introduced in 1971.
Is it a recreation of the 1971 Denton 3?
No. The concept references Wharfedale's history, but the cabinet, drivers and crossover are modern designs.
What is the bass driver made from?
Black woven Kevlar.
How large is the bass driver?
165mm or 6.5 inches.
Is it a dedicated bass driver?
Yes. The separate dome midrange takes over at 940Hz.
What type of midrange does it use?
A 50mm or 2-inch soft-dome midrange driver.
Why use a dome midrange?
A dome can provide wide dispersion through the important upper-midrange region while remaining lightweight and responsive.
Does the midrange have its own enclosure?
Yes. Wharfedale provides dedicated rear loading for the midrange unit.
What type of tweeter does it use?
A 25mm soft-dome tweeter.
Does the tweeter use technology from DOVEDALE?
Wharfedale says its ceramic motor system and rear chamber inherit design traits from DOVEDALE.
What are the crossover frequencies?
940Hz and 4.6kHz.
What crossover components are used?
Wharfedale highlights air-core coils and polypropylene capacitors in the midrange and treble circuits.
Are the speakers mirror imaged?
Yes. The pair is matched and mirror imaged, with one speaker intended for each stereo channel.
Why are the midrange and tweeter offset?
The arrangement helps Wharfedale keep the enclosure compact and scatter reflections from the cabinet edges.
Does left and right orientation matter?
Yes. Set the supplied mirror-imaged pair up symmetrically in its intended left and right configuration.
Is SUPER DENTON rear ported?
Yes. It uses a bass-reflex enclosure.
Can it go close to a wall?
It can, but wall distance affects bass balance. Start with some breathing room and adjust by listening.
What should I do if the bass sounds boomy?
Try moving the speakers further from the rear wall and corners.
How low does SUPER DENTON play?
Wharfedale specifies bass extension to 40Hz at -6dB.
What is the frequency response?
52Hz to 20kHz within +/-3dB.
Does it need a subwoofer?
Not necessarily for normal stereo music. A subwoofer is useful when substantially deeper bass is required.
What is the sensitivity?
87dB for 2.83V measured at one metre.
What amplifier power does Wharfedale recommend?
25 to 120 watts per channel.
Will a 25W amplifier work?
Yes. Twenty-five watts is the lower end of Wharfedale's recommendation.
Can I use a 50W amplifier?
Yes. A capable 50W integrated amplifier is comfortably within the published range.
Can I use a 100W amplifier?
Yes.
Can I use a 120W amplifier?
Yes. 120W is the upper end of the manufacturer's recommendation.
What is the nominal impedance?
6O, with Wharfedale describing it as compatible with 8O systems.
What is the minimum impedance?
3.4O.
Is SUPER DENTON difficult to drive?
It does not require extreme amplification, but the 3.4O minimum means a properly designed amplifier with useful current delivery is desirable.
What is the peak SPL?
103dB.
How large is each speaker?
360mm high, 246mm wide and 275mm deep before allowing for the rear terminals.
What is the overall depth?
Approximately 295mm including Wharfedale's 20mm terminal allowance.
How much does each speaker weigh?
9.2kg.
What is the cabinet volume?
14.7 litres.
Does SUPER DENTON need speaker stands?
A rigid pair of speaker stands is recommended for the best placement, listening height and mechanical stability.
Can I use generic stands?
Yes, provided their top plates, stability and load capacity are suitable for the 9.2kg cabinet.
Can I put them on a sideboard?
Yes if it is rigid and allows sensible positioning, although separate stands provide greater freedom.
Can SUPER DENTON sit on a bookshelf?
It can if the shelf is sufficiently strong and deep, but a stand normally provides better positioning flexibility.
Should I toe them in?
A modest inward angle is a useful starting point. Adjust according to image focus, tonal balance and room reflections.
Is SUPER DENTON good for a small room?
Yes. Its compact size is one of its principal advantages, although the rear port still benefits from sensible clearance.
Is it suitable for a medium-sized room?
Yes. This is arguably its ideal application.
Can it work in a large room?
Yes at sensible levels, but LINTON and SUPER LINTON provide greater scale for larger spaces.
What is the difference between DENTON 85 and SUPER DENTON?
DENTON 85 is a two-way design. SUPER DENTON adds a dedicated 50mm dome midrange to create a genuine three-way speaker.
Does SUPER DENTON have deeper bass than DENTON 85?
Wharfedale specifies both at 40Hz bass extension at -6dB, so the main difference is the three-way architecture rather than deeper published bass.
Is SUPER DENTON bigger than DENTON 85?
Yes, but only modestly. SUPER DENTON is 360mm high versus 340mm for DENTON 85.
What is the difference between SUPER DENTON and LINTON?
LINTON is much larger, with a 200mm bass driver, 135mm cone midrange, 90dB sensitivity and 35Hz bass extension.
Which is better for a small room, SUPER DENTON or LINTON?
SUPER DENTON is normally easier to accommodate because it is significantly smaller and produces less deep-bass energy.
Which is better for a large room?
LINTON or SUPER LINTON will generally provide greater scale and low-frequency authority.
What is the difference between SUPER DENTON and SUPER LINTON?
SUPER LINTON is a substantially larger three-way Heritage speaker with a 200mm woofer, 135mm cone midrange, 90dB sensitivity and bass extension to 32Hz.
Is SUPER DENTON good for vinyl?
Yes. Pair it with a suitable turntable, phono stage and amplifier.
Is it good for streaming?
Yes. Use a suitable streaming amplifier or a conventional amplifier with a separate network streamer.
Is it good for CD?
Yes.
Is SUPER DENTON good for vocals?
Its dedicated 50mm dome midrange is specifically relevant to the vocal region and is one of the design's distinguishing features.
Is it good for rock?
Yes. The dedicated 165mm bass driver provides useful punch while the separate midrange handles guitars and vocals.
Is it good for jazz?
Yes. Its three-way architecture suits the combination of bass, drums, piano, brass and vocals found across many jazz recordings.
Is it good for classical music?
Yes. The wide-dispersion midrange and three-way architecture suit complex acoustic material particularly well.
Is it good for electronic music?
Yes. Its 40Hz bass extension is strong for a compact speaker, although a subwoofer can extend genuinely deep electronic bass further.
Can SUPER DENTON be used for TV sound?
Yes. Pair it with suitably equipped amplification.
Can it be used for home cinema?
Yes. Wharfedale's current Heritage range includes a matching Heritage Centre speaker for multichannel systems.
Are the cabinets real wood veneer?
Wharfedale describes them as hand-matched wood veneers.
What finishes are available?
Black Oak, Mahogany and Walnut.
Are the grilles removable?
Yes. The traditional cloth grilles form part of the Heritage styling and use internal shaping designed to minimise acoustic interference.
Are these active speakers?
No. SUPER DENTON is passive and requires an external amplifier.
Do they have Bluetooth?
No. Bluetooth functionality would need to be provided by the amplifier or source.
Do they have WiFi?
No.
Do they need mains power?
No. The speakers receive power from the connected amplifier through speaker cable.
Should I audition SUPER DENTON before buying?
Yes. Its dedicated dome midrange and unusual compact three-way architecture give it a different presentation from both DENTON 85 and the larger LINTON models, so a direct comparison is worthwhile.
Related Wharfedale Products and Audio T Guides
Why Buy Wharfedale SUPER DENTON From Audio T?
SUPER DENTON occupies an unusual place in Wharfedale's range. It is compact enough to compete with ordinary two-way standmounts but uses a genuine three-way driver layout, and its 3.4O minimum impedance means amplifier matching deserves a little more consideration than simply comparing headline wattage figures.
Audio T can demonstrate SUPER DENTON with suitable amplification, compare it with the larger LINTON and SUPER LINTON models and help with speaker stands, positioning and system matching so the loudspeaker works properly in your room rather than simply looking good in the brochure.
- In-store Wharfedale demonstrations
- SUPER DENTON demonstrations
- DENTON versus SUPER DENTON advice
- SUPER DENTON versus LINTON comparisons
- SUPER DENTON versus SUPER LINTON comparisons
- Three-way speaker demonstrations
- Amplifier matching advice
- Streaming amplifier matching
- Turntable system matching
- CD and streaming system planning
- Speaker stand advice
- Speaker positioning guidance
- Room-size matching
- Toe-in and stereo-imaging setup
- Bass optimisation advice
- Speaker cable advice
- Subwoofer matching where required
- Part-exchange options
- Home demonstration options where available
- Ongoing after-sales support
Contact your local Audio T store to arrange a demonstration of the Wharfedale SUPER DENTON or compare it with other speakers in the Wharfedale Heritage range.