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I bought a pair of these speakers about a year ago, also on sale for $500. I've heard these discribed as 'relaxed' or 'rolled off in the treble', but honestly at 67 yrs old my hearing is pretty rolled off too. The build quality of these speakers is incredible for the price and the tonal balance suits me just fine. I'm using them as nearfield monitors for my SMSL-based computer system and I love them.
Same here! I bought a pair when they went on sale. I, too, was surprised at the sound. $500!! While they lacked a bit of the high-end resolution of my Dynaudio Focus 110 ($1400 back in 2007, mind you), they were soi close. I gave them to my son who loves them.
For the other 3 classical music listeners who watched this review, in a small to medium size room, these Denton 80s are brilliant with our genre of choice (aided and abetted by appropriate associated electronics, of course). I've had a pair driven by ICEpower 125ASX2 mono amps in my office system for a few years. Personal opinion: the Denton 80s with their walnut or mahogany front facing speaker panels are much more "premium" looking than the 85s which have black panels. Chacun à son goût.
I agree. The only thing I don't like about my Lintons is the look without grilles. I leave them on, and they're lookers from every angle. Oh: they sound magnificent too:)
Have you heard classical on KEF q350s? I’m debating on whether to keep them or pay more for better speakers, but they are easily the best I’ve heard for orchestral music. Paired with CXA81, they’re a phenom.
Picked up a pair of these for $350 about 5 years ago and they've been one of my favorite audio purchases. They're not the fastest, the mid-bass hump is real and they definitely like plenty of space behind them (really just proper placement in general) but when you get them dialed the midrange is so lush and natural. They're beautiful.
Hey Randy, thanks for that review. I own the Denton 85th Anniversary for about 6 months now and I can confirm your explanations. The build is just exceptional, knock on wood and there is no - absolutely no - resonance or hollow sound. It actually sounds as if you knock on a solid piece of wood. The sound is perfectly balanced for the type of music I´m listening to, mostly Metal, Rock and some oldies but goldies. The base left a few questionmarks for me however... as small speakers they are obviously not predestined for superior bass power, but I was hoping for a little bit more punch. However I think what got me confused is that roll-of you mention, when focussing on the music the bass is clearly present, in a smooth, rolling way and not in the punching way. It´s actually a good fit for metal as most of the bass lines here lie actually in the mid-ranges which are really astonishing. Concerning the heights I just can say I love them. When I decided to keep the Dentons I compared them with a pair of Klipsch RP50M (supposedly the ideal Rock- and Metal speakers) and I found the sound of the Dentons way more balanced, full-sounding and engulfing. The Klipsch heights were starting to hurt my ears after short listening sessions, this never happened with the Dentons so far. For me - in my unperfect listening room - the Dentons are so far the best speakers I tried, and I´m sure I need to spend way more money to find something that might be a bit more appealing to me. Keep on rocking (and drinking coffee)! Chris
Hey. Do you listen to the denton 85's with the grilles on? Ive read a lot saying the treble can be harsh. Im not sure if these people are playing them without. Its said the heritage line are meant to be played with them on. Be interested as im considering them😮
Thank you, man! I bought a pair yesterday and driving them with a wiim amp. It is my first hifi system ever and I am so glad about everything plus they look absolutely gorgeous. Thank you for educating newcomers and making us aware that it's a slippery slope at some point haha
@@px7355 I had a noise too from time to time. When I touched the power cable it became stronger. I found out that my telephone station interfered with that cable. After putting it more far away from the A300 everything was fine. I think getting a shielded power cable might solve your problem.
Wharfedale built so many very good sounding and good looking speakers. I like this brand, I have have made only positive experiences with Wharfedale. Thanks for the review, sir 😊👍
Thank you. Your recommendation of these speakers was right on. I just bought a beautiful pair of the walnut variety from Audio Affair in Birmingham England. Since they were phone orders from out of state the tax was excused and therefore the cost was more than fair. I got them with FedEx delivery for the grand total of $467.00 So happy about the sound, quality and price. I’m not a raging audiophile but I do enjoy the sound and they pair perfectly with my Cambridge Audio AXR100, and CXC v2. I haven’t owned a better sounding or looking pair of speakers since my old Acoustic Research AR-3’s These Dentons sound better than the AR’3’s but figure it may be due to their age disparity. Thank you. Also, I am visiting them.
I bought these new in the UK for £250 a while back and love them! (Limited time deal from an eBay hifi seller) No fatigue from listening all day, and absolutely beautifully made. I couldn’t turn them down at the price so have ended up with a second system in another room with some Elac Debut 5.2’s (thanks for the tip Randy) that I managed to get for £140 on Amazon a few months earlier, and a Douk audio tube amp (same as the Aiyima T9) - again, thanks Randy! The Denton’s sound especially great when listening to vinyl. Really happy to see you review these.
I’ve had a pair for a couple of weeks now, they sounded awful out of the box, but now that they’ve run in, the sound is beautiful. They certainly don’t sound as soft in the treble as I was expecting, very musical, you can just listen to music with them, which is the most important thing. I have Lintons on my main system, so these really are a baby Linton and they do sound better with the speaker cable plugged into the treble terminal.
Great review! You mentioned an aspect that might be worth an extra video (please!): What speakers are best for rooms when you can’t put the far away (or even not away) from the back wall? What when your room forces you to put one speaker near the side wall, too? I would very much appreciate a video on this topic … it drives me crazy having my room as it is and not being able to do changes to the furniture placement.
I bought a pair of these around 5 years ago. They're really nice speakers. I run them with a fully refurbished Marantz 1060. When listening to vinyl, the soundstage is open and the imaging is detailed. They like a small room. They're my favorite bookshelf sized speaker since the KEF LS50.
Picked up a mint condition pair of these second hand recently for £200 (so that's pretty much $200 these days). They really are a beautifully made piece of hi-fi gear and the retro styling reminds me of my Dad's old Wharfedale Dovedale 3s that I grew up listening to - a look I like but that certainly won't be to everyone's taste. They are very much pieces of furniture as well as speakers so if you're after something sleek to slip into a modern aesthetic these definitely won't be the one! Am yet to get the amp I want to pair them with but at that price I couldn't turn them down so bought them in advance of the amp purchase. Hopefully they sound as good as they look!
You want lush midrange and airy highs, try the Focal Aria 906, but they're $2200. You can get close with the Chora 806 on sale for $599, but they don't quite have the refinement, detail and transparency of the 906.
+1 for the IsoAcoustic stands. I've had good success reducing room resonances using mechanical isolators like appliance pucks under speaker stands. Iso-130s do the same thing for my desktop listening when I want to run bigger speakers.
Thanks for all the reviews Randy! These reviews have helped guide my audio system setup with confidence. It wasn't what I'd call cheap (I usually talk myself into higher $) it is extremely high value and quality. Easily the best audio reviews on YT.
I have had these for 2 years. Excellent speaker for the money and better than the Wharfedale Denton 85th, which on my system displays excessive sibilance. This review by Randy is a very accurate indeed. These can be found in the UK for £349, which is about $388. Not sure how that would translate with tax, import duty and postage to USA. These speakers are even handed, with superb midrange, good bass for size and a non-fatiguing top end.
@cheapaudioman what is your preference between these denton 80th and the evo 4.1's? Will be paired with a powernode & subwoofer in a 12x12' office/listening room.
I bought a pair of these baout a week ago just for 200 euro as second hand but in like new condition. I connected them to Yamaha A-S1100 and i was in shock how good they are. And i can tell you something, my Martin Logan Motion 60XT still disconnected from Yamaha. That mean something. I think Yamaha amplifiers are good partners for Linton and Denton. I will upload some video on my channel to show how they sound with A-S1100 and April Stello Ai500
Long story but I took my old Technics turntable out of a 30 year retirement and had feedback issues with my subwoofers so I tried many ways to isolate it with a pillow being the most effective but it obviously looked stupid so I started looking at other options. I landed on a much more attractive solution with an Isoacoustics turntable platform and am very satisfied with the results.
Kept the Dali Spektor 1's that I auditioned along with two other offerings less than $250. On your reccy. Have really enjoyed the Spektor 1's for more than a year and ordered the Denton 80's today. It's my birthday. I'm near field and am looking forward to the bout of critical listening that's coming. Thanks Randy. /../, EDIT: Tried them for a few days and boxed them back up and returned them. In my case at near field (
I have the 80th and recently auditioned Spektor 2. Quite impressive. I somehow found its nicer than the denton. Was it just me or the yeah it was real. Anyone with the same case?
Thanks for the great review; these are handsome speakers. would you recommend them as a pairing with a warmer sounding EL34 based vintage amp? Or needs more powahhh? (35 wpc, bedroom size space, mostly jazz. It would not be my only speaker, but I’m kind of looking for a well-priced “midrange assassin” to complement my speaker collection.. )
Hey Randy. Thank you for this very insightful review. I'm wandering if you knew of another standmount speaker that possesses the sense of scale a d organic midrange tonality as these. But with greater midrange clarity that these don't have?
love the smooth wharfedale sound. once you get used to them its difficult to enjoy any bright speakers. since i got the diamond 12.1, my jamo c93ii has been collecting dust. had a chance to listen to a pair of Linton once, was amazing. if the denton sound is close, its an amazing deal
I had the same experience with my Lintons coming from my Elac Debut B6. But then I heard the mighty mighty Criton 1TDX. I have not gone back to the Lintons!
Bought my Denton 80ths ( mahogany finish) about 5 years ago for $300 in my country the Philippines. These speakers synergies very well with lively amplifiers like yamaha, pioneer, onkyo, rotel and the like. Pair it up with warm sounding analogue source like vintage sounding shure cartridge and you great warm bass and midrange. Using lean sounding cartridges like a ortofon 2m red or audio technica vm95e, you gain a bit of clarity and clean treble, but lose some of that foreward and warm enveloping character of the Denton
Had my eye on these for a few months, as they have been about half the price of the 85th. I have all different kinds of speakers in my house, but my newest living room speakers are the Polk ES20, and I’ve had them since probably about spring time of this year. I have to say, they look great but, I have yet to hear anything out of them that makes me stand back and go “Man that sounds incredible” they range from so so to pretty good for me. So I’ve been considering replacing them. The more I see on the 80th the closer I am to making the purchase. Thanks for the review. 👍
The 85's seem to have harsh treble from various threads ive read. Some have resorted in tweaking them with a 1ohm resistor on the rear speaker terminals!. What did you decide on...?
Just curious on how you wired these speakers, single or bi-wired? Also, some people are not using the single wire setup on the Wharfedale instruction sheet, any thoughts on wiring setup?
Absolutely Enjoyed this review my fellow audio brethren, being an owner of two sets of large vintage speakers and a pair of beat to hell, flood damaged but perfectly working Boston. CR9’s rescued from trash (💯💯true story😆). The little Dentons sound like a good small bang for buck new compact speakers for my Arsenal! Thanx for the concise informative review!👍🏾👍🏾✌🏽🔥
Nice review Randy. Wharfedale have been absolutely killing it over the past couple of years. I think it's always beneficial using isolation stands/pads for speakers. 👌
How would you compare these to the Denton 85? Have you had the opportunity to listen to those? I currently have the Elac b5 slim which I like but am looking for a little more warmth / body. Thanks in advance for your reply. Love the channel and have been a subscriber since you had under 100 subscribers.....keep it up!!
If they had the classical round dust cap they would be the perfect looking bookshelf speaker ever to me. Really nice vintage look with that wood and that kinda 45 degree angled edges around the front where the grills fit in.
Hey Randy could you call out to Aune for a review of the Aune Flamingo DAC. It can switch between Tube and opamp and is just 219 dollars. Right up your alley!
Damn you Randy, just bought a pair again for the second time! I had these when they were FOTM back in 2017 and returned them only because I felt they needed a sub. I have a REL now so back they come. Great speaker and really do compete with much more expensive speakers. The build quality is almost good as the Ryan R630s I had with a 5K MSRP.
Hey, thanks, great review. These just got on sale in my country and I’m seriously considering getting them as an upgrade to my current “Monitor audio 100”.
I'm looking for speakers to use for desktop near field listening. Awhile back you had a positive review for the Polk Audio ES15 which are now on sale for $250. Do you think the Denton 80ths are significantly better sounding? Certainly better looking in my opinion but are the worth $200 plus more from a sound perspective?
Great review!! Hope we get our DAC, Speaker, Amp etc shoot out reviews again this year! Could imagine this speaker and the B2+ would battle it out nicely.
Hey Randy, Love the channel. Sorry but i have an off topic question. I'm trying to drive to drive the Elac Unifi b52s properly. I have them powered by the Aiyima a07 hooked up to the pre out of my AVR receiver. Should I crank the receiver and control the volume on the Aiyima or crank the Aiyima and control the volume on the receiver?
Hey sir i want to buy VFM speakers Dali Spektor 2 Hi-Fi 100W 6 omn in 250euro the critics are amazing for ''cheap speakers'' i want you to tell me one good amplifier to attach them which wont be too expensive thank you !!!
I am in the position of replacing a late 60's pair of AR4x speakers I inherited from my father. They now need refurbishment, but given the advances in speakers, it seems a new pair makes more sense. For the same money (roughly) I could grab a set of these or go the tower route with some Emotiva T0, both of which you have positively reviewed. I realize it's bookshelf vs tower, but do you have a preference? Aesthetically I love these as they are not unlike my ARs, with the walnut cabinets, and I know they'd be a great option. Thanks!
What really separates good speakers from great imho is a sense of depth/space. There are plenty of acclaimed speakers that do detail, fast transients. dynamivs, open midrange...but have a flat, cardboard like presentation. Sound rarely gets behind the speaker plane.
Good advice. I've had the Denton 80's for going on three years now. I'm a six-foot three-inch person and found these speakers sounded best in my room with 30 inch stands, 18 inches from the back wall and toed in a bit. I had them for a while without a sub-woofer and it sounded fine, but later added a REL to fill out 60 hz and lower and found that superior. They were good and punchy with a NAD class D amp, but more natural in tone now with my new Arcam SA10 A/B amp. The Arcam/Denton combo reminds me of the coherent, music-centered sound of my youth back in the 1970's while listening to vinyl records (even if I'm now using a streamer or cd transport). They might not turn everything into an airy, live, wow occasion (like some horn speakers), but they seem to give the recording just as it is. I don't see a need to pay more for a speaker (bought in June 2020 from Music Direct for $499).
@@dansteinmeyer4369 I went with the HT 1003 for my 15' x 18' listening room. Though supposedly designed for home theater, it blends with the Denton's beautifully for music alone. It is rated to extend down to 24 hz, which is useful when listening to classical music where pipe organs are played.
I too have the Denton 80ths paired to an Arcam SA10 but with the fantastic Arcam CDS27 SACD Network streaming player. The CDS27 goes lower and with the widest liveliest soundstage above all otger DACs I had and still own, with maybe tge exception of my customised Thorens TD160, Rega RB300 and Goldring 1022GX 😎
Good timing for me. I am looking for an upgraded pair of bookshelf speakers to go with my Rega P3 turntable and Rega Brio 3 amp. I currently have an older pair of Boston Acoustic HD7 speakers that I want to update. How do any of you think these speakers and the equally priced Wharfedale 12.2's would compare and work with my system. My listening/living room is about 13.5' wide and about 20' long and I sit in all locations in this room. I am not well versed in audio language but i do appreciate a great sounding speaker and listen to all kinds of music.
I had the original Wharfedale Denton speakers many moons ago with the Linton MKII Amplifier and a Garard Deck. It was my first Hifi back in the early 70's. I replaced them with the Linton XP3 speakers and over the years I have never ever changed my brand of speakers. To be honest the new Denton's look more authentic than the originals with the design they have gone for here as with the rest of the range such as the Linton's, and Airedale's. Not sure if they rereleased the Glendale or Dovedale from this old range of their speakers. The best Wharfedale speakers I ever had for many stereo setups I had over the years were the Wharfedale E90 Pro. They were built when they were still part of the Rank organisation and they were used in Rank Cinema Houses. Those things were 300-watt speakers and weighed 128lb each the grills were also made of steel. I had those for over 20 years before I sold them. One of the main reasons why I sold them was because since the 90's I became a surround FREAK! and I thought that with a 5.1 setup they were unbalanced by having smaller speakers on the rears. The other good thing about a 5.1 setup is that you don't really need big speakers because the sub can compensate for that. I ended up getting the Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 range back in 2005 with the SW250 Subwoofer and am still using them today and am well happy enough with the results enough not to change them.
Ah, I understand that all the UA-camrs generally like to review smaller speakers (easier on the shipping and your backs), but for those of us with rooms around 13 feet x 25 feet and larger, often floorstanders can provide more scale of sound and more dynamics. But, the question is, would you or could you get that and better imaging by combining such bookshelf speakers like these Dentons and a sub?
I like bookshelves and a sub. with towers you get what you get with the bass. with a sub, one like an svs, you can really tailor the bass to what you need. with imaging it depends a lot on your room and how much stuff is in it and how close to a wall things are. I've heard some great floor standers and some meh for soundstage. it's all dependent on the speaker and one doesn't always do better than the other.
Great review Randy. I bought my first pair of Denton speakers three years ago. I like them so much I bought another pair a year later. They are the traditional, relaxed English sound. They sound very similar to my 1970s Wharfedale Linton 3s. Think of a mahogany paneled library, a tartan robe, Earl Grey tea with warmed milk, and a meerschaum pipe. Sherlock Holmes will listen to these at the end of a long day.
Just sold my pair of vintage Linton 3. Sealed box and paper cones makes for a very nice sound. Linton 3 was the buyers first speakers back in the 70's and he was now putting together his old time nostalgic system.
Hey Randy . I just made the Neil's Mod to the Sony CS5 and I'm still in shock!!, sounds Awsome!!!. Do you think that this Wharfedale can sound a lot a way better. Just a little bit better or almost the same as the Sony's ?. Because I love the look of that Wharfedale, but shipped to my country can go up to US700. Do you think that in sound ,the wharfedales are a big improvement to the mod Sony's. Or do you recommend a cheaper option to the mod sony's? . I just want to have another pair of good speakers, but not sure if I'm gonna be happy spending almost US700 to hear something not better than the mod sony's. I know that the price includes the most beautiful speakers I ever see in my life, but in a sound perspective what do you think?. Thanks Randy
Love the review, ive had these for about 5 years now, but they have been in storage for the past 3. I absolutely love them! I will be pulling them back out in the very near future.
How do these compare to Wharfedale EVO4.1. I am looking for something small and currently have a NAD 7240PE that belonged to my father. The receiver has a sentimental value and still works flawlessly. At some point I would like to stream audio too so I am looking for something that packs a punch, detailed, crystal clear vocals and without fatigue. I am so torn now between this one and the 4.1.
@@vincentpedalino618 I also have a NAD T760 that is working perfectly. Knock on wood both NAD receivers are working well but the 7240PE has a lot of sentimental value. I just can’t decided which
@@vincentpedalino618 I also have a NAD T760 working well but knock on wood both receivers have been working without any issues. I’m just torn between these speakers and the Evo 4.1. The size is important bc I don’t want a huge heavy speaker for my bedroom. What I have downstairs is already big and heavy. Eventually I will get a audio streamer like the Bluesound POWERNODE since it fits within my budget for audio streaming.
I'm running a pair of old Wharfedales (W30D) for my main PC sound. They have acoustic controls on the backs for the 3" Mylar dome tweeters that let me adjust the treble for just the right amount of airiness (has no effect on the 8" woofer). The Denton and some other newer speakers could probably benefit from such controls.
I have these speakers paired with my PS Audio Sprout100 and they really sound great. My friends say that the Dentons are a poor man's Harbeth. I wonder if that's true lol. How does this compare to the Harbeths?
Ahhh, the Wharfedale Denton. My first ever hi-fi system had a pair of dentons, back in the early 70's. I'm pretty sure they cost me around GBP 35. Happy days! They sounded great, but I mistreated them badly.
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I bought a pair of these speakers about a year ago, also on sale for $500. I've heard these discribed as 'relaxed' or 'rolled off in the treble', but honestly at 67 yrs old my hearing is pretty rolled off too. The build quality of these speakers is incredible for the price and the tonal balance suits me just fine. I'm using them as nearfield monitors for my SMSL-based computer system and I love them.
They're British design, made in China under very strict QC. I love my Lintons:)
Noice, looking at these myself! Hope to get some on sale too!
Same here! I bought a pair when they went on sale. I, too, was surprised at the sound. $500!! While they lacked a bit of the high-end resolution of my Dynaudio Focus 110 ($1400 back in 2007, mind you), they were soi close. I gave them to my son who loves them.
For the other 3 classical music listeners who watched this review, in a small to medium size room, these Denton 80s are brilliant with our genre of choice (aided and abetted by appropriate associated electronics, of course). I've had a pair driven by ICEpower 125ASX2 mono amps in my office system for a few years. Personal opinion: the Denton 80s with their walnut or mahogany front facing speaker panels are much more "premium" looking than the 85s which have black panels. Chacun à son goût.
I heard these at a friend's house just off the powernode and they sounded damn good, both on and off axis. Great speakers!
I agree. The only thing I don't like about my Lintons is the look without grilles. I leave them on, and they're lookers from every angle. Oh: they sound magnificent too:)
Have you heard classical on KEF q350s? I’m debating on whether to keep them or pay more for better speakers, but they are easily the best I’ve heard for orchestral music. Paired with CXA81, they’re a phenom.
Picked up a pair of these for $350 about 5 years ago and they've been one of my favorite audio purchases. They're not the fastest, the mid-bass hump is real and they definitely like plenty of space behind them (really just proper placement in general) but when you get them dialed the midrange is so lush and natural. They're beautiful.
How much space? I have a small apartment and that’s the biggest problem with speakers compared to headphones.
Hey Randy,
thanks for that review. I own the Denton 85th Anniversary for about 6 months now and I can confirm your explanations. The build is just exceptional, knock on wood and there is no - absolutely no - resonance or hollow sound. It actually sounds as if you knock on a solid piece of wood. The sound is perfectly balanced for the type of music I´m listening to, mostly Metal, Rock and some oldies but goldies. The base left a few questionmarks for me however... as small speakers they are obviously not predestined for superior bass power, but I was hoping for a little bit more punch. However I think what got me confused is that roll-of you mention, when focussing on the music the bass is clearly present, in a smooth, rolling way and not in the punching way. It´s actually a good fit for metal as most of the bass lines here lie actually in the mid-ranges which are really astonishing. Concerning the heights I just can say I love them. When I decided to keep the Dentons I compared them with a pair of Klipsch RP50M (supposedly the ideal Rock- and Metal speakers) and I found the sound of the Dentons way more balanced, full-sounding and engulfing. The Klipsch heights were starting to hurt my ears after short listening sessions, this never happened with the Dentons so far.
For me - in my unperfect listening room - the Dentons are so far the best speakers I tried, and I´m sure I need to spend way more money to find something that might be a bit more appealing to me.
Keep on rocking (and drinking coffee)!
Chris
Hey. Do you listen to the denton 85's with the grilles on? Ive read a lot saying the treble can be harsh. Im not sure if these people are playing them without. Its said the heritage line are meant to be played with them on. Be interested as im considering them😮
0:53 how you pronounced Wharfedale right there made me laugh. I completely didn’t expect that. That was funny. Thanks for the laugh. 😂
Thank you, man! I bought a pair yesterday and driving them with a wiim amp. It is my first hifi system ever and I am so glad about everything plus they look absolutely gorgeous. Thank you for educating newcomers and making us aware that it's a slippery slope at some point haha
I love the Dentons and the Lintons. Both beautiful speakers by Wharfedale.
I am really happy with these speakers. I paired them with a Topping DAC and a SMSL A300 Class D Amp. It's a perfect match.
I also got the smsl a300, but mine seem to have a bit of background noise, how's yours?
@@px7355 I had a noise too from time to time. When I touched the power cable it became stronger. I found out that my telephone station interfered with that cable. After putting it more far away from the A300 everything was fine. I think getting a shielded power cable might solve your problem.
These speakers are beautiful. I really dig the retro look.
This is one of the best reviews you have done. Seriously. This and the Warfdale Linton.
Nothing better than a cup of coffee and watching ur vid before the chaos of the day starts.
appreciate that, man.
Nothing like working for 2 hours then pretending to work for 15 mins while I watch a CAM vid, ha!
That’s exactly what I’ve been doing🤣☕️👨🏻
Almost sounds like you are paraphrasing “Just a little lovin’ “ lyrics!
I still love my Lintons. I thing Wharfedale is giving you a great value for money
Wharfedale built so many very good sounding and good looking speakers. I like this brand, I have have made only positive experiences with Wharfedale. Thanks for the review, sir 😊👍
Thank you. Your recommendation of these speakers was right on. I just bought a beautiful pair of the walnut variety from Audio Affair in Birmingham England. Since they were phone orders from out of state the tax was excused and therefore the cost was more than fair. I got them with FedEx delivery for the grand total of $467.00
So happy about the sound, quality and price.
I’m not a raging audiophile but I do enjoy the sound and they pair perfectly with my Cambridge Audio AXR100, and CXC v2.
I haven’t owned a better sounding or looking pair of speakers since my old Acoustic Research AR-3’s
These Dentons sound better than the AR’3’s but figure it may be due to their age disparity.
Thank you.
Also, I am visiting them.
I bought these new in the UK for £250 a while back and love them! (Limited time deal from an eBay hifi seller) No fatigue from listening all day, and absolutely beautifully made. I couldn’t turn them down at the price so have ended up with a second system in another room with some Elac Debut 5.2’s (thanks for the tip Randy) that I managed to get for £140 on Amazon a few months earlier, and a Douk audio tube amp (same as the Aiyima T9) - again, thanks Randy! The Denton’s sound especially great when listening to vinyl. Really happy to see you review these.
I’ve had a pair for a couple of weeks now, they sounded awful out of the box, but now that they’ve run in,
the sound is beautiful.
They certainly don’t sound as soft in the treble as I was expecting, very musical, you can just listen to music with them, which is the most important thing.
I have Lintons on my main system, so these really are a baby Linton and they do sound better with the speaker cable plugged into the treble terminal.
Great review! You mentioned an aspect that might be worth an extra video (please!): What speakers are best for rooms when you can’t put the far away (or even not away) from the back wall? What when your room forces you to put one speaker near the side wall, too? I would very much appreciate a video on this topic … it drives me crazy having my room as it is and not being able to do changes to the furniture placement.
that's a great idea. thank you
@@cheapaudioman you’re welcome. I have to thank very much for catching up this idea!
How I wish you would have compared the Wharfedale Denton to the Wharfedale diamond 12.2, I'm trying to find comparisons to make a decision.
Great review, looking forward to your 85th edition one.
I bought a pair of these around 5 years ago. They're really nice speakers. I run them with a fully refurbished Marantz 1060. When listening to vinyl, the soundstage is open and the imaging is detailed. They like a small room. They're my favorite bookshelf sized speaker since the KEF LS50.
@@jimmydelux hi. Can you be more specific on size of your room? Ill get an idea if theyl suit myn. Cheers
Picked up a mint condition pair of these second hand recently for £200 (so that's pretty much $200 these days). They really are a beautifully made piece of hi-fi gear and the retro styling reminds me of my Dad's old Wharfedale Dovedale 3s that I grew up listening to - a look I like but that certainly won't be to everyone's taste. They are very much pieces of furniture as well as speakers so if you're after something sleek to slip into a modern aesthetic these definitely won't be the one! Am yet to get the amp I want to pair them with but at that price I couldn't turn them down so bought them in advance of the amp purchase. Hopefully they sound as good as they look!
Thats a strong price! 👍
You want lush midrange and airy highs, try the Focal Aria 906, but they're $2200. You can get close with the Chora 806 on sale for $599, but they don't quite have the refinement, detail and transparency of the 906.
I just sent back some KEF LS50 meta's.
Bought these instead and saved a fortune. Very happy.
Thanks for the review mate.
After a year, how are you finding these?
@@CM-dw3gh still great 👍
@@jackiechan8840 are they able to hold their own at relatively loud volume? (-16db approx)
@@CM-dw3gh I'd say so. I don't even turn subwoofer on most of the time.
+1 for the IsoAcoustic stands. I've had good success reducing room resonances using mechanical isolators like appliance pucks under speaker stands. Iso-130s do the same thing for my desktop listening when I want to run bigger speakers.
Thanks for all the reviews Randy! These reviews have helped guide my audio system setup with confidence. It wasn't what I'd call cheap (I usually talk myself into higher $) it is extremely high value and quality. Easily the best audio reviews on YT.
I have had these for 2 years. Excellent speaker for the money and better than the Wharfedale Denton 85th, which on my system displays excessive sibilance. This review by Randy is a very accurate indeed. These can be found in the UK for £349, which is about $388. Not sure how that would translate with tax, import duty and postage to USA. These speakers are even handed, with superb midrange, good bass for size and a non-fatiguing top end.
I have my pair in the master bedroom, paired with a ML 8 inch sub and it's perfect.
I'm getting the same thing... found anyway to reduce the sibilance?
I’ve owned these for years. They’re in my bedroom setup. Love them. Lentons in the main setup. Guess I have a type.
me too...
@cheapaudioman what is your preference between these denton 80th and the evo 4.1's? Will be paired with a powernode & subwoofer in a 12x12' office/listening room.
I bought a pair of these baout a week ago just for 200 euro as second hand but in like new condition. I connected them to Yamaha A-S1100 and i was in shock how good they are. And i can tell you something, my Martin Logan Motion 60XT still disconnected from Yamaha.
That mean something.
I think Yamaha amplifiers are good partners for Linton and Denton.
I will upload some video on my channel to show how they sound with A-S1100 and April Stello Ai500
Which do you like better? The Denton or the Diamond 12.2?
I am literally listening to Heart on these speakers right now. Got them 4 years ago and didn't realize you could still buy them. Highly recommended.
nice
Long story but I took my old Technics turntable out of a 30 year retirement and had feedback issues with my subwoofers so I tried many ways to isolate it with a pillow being the most effective but it obviously looked stupid so I started looking at other options. I landed on a much more attractive solution with an Isoacoustics turntable platform and am very satisfied with the results.
Kept the Dali Spektor 1's that I auditioned along with two other offerings less than $250. On your reccy.
Have really enjoyed the Spektor 1's for more than a year and ordered the Denton 80's today. It's my birthday.
I'm near field and am looking forward to the bout of critical listening that's coming. Thanks Randy. /../,
EDIT: Tried them for a few days and boxed them back up and returned them.
In my case at near field (
I have the 80th and recently auditioned Spektor 2. Quite impressive. I somehow found its nicer than the denton. Was it just me or the yeah it was real. Anyone with the same case?
@@Dets6 The Dentons ended up ultra fatiguing for my ear. Returned almost immediately. The Dali house sound is nice.
Thanks for the great review; these are handsome speakers. would you recommend them as a pairing with a warmer sounding EL34 based vintage amp? Or needs more powahhh?
(35 wpc, bedroom size space, mostly jazz. It would not be my only speaker, but I’m kind of looking for a well-priced “midrange assassin” to complement my speaker collection.. )
Hey Randy. Thank you for this very insightful review. I'm wandering if you knew of another standmount speaker that possesses the sense of scale a d organic midrange tonality as these. But with greater midrange clarity that these don't have?
love the smooth wharfedale sound. once you get used to them its difficult to enjoy any bright speakers. since i got the diamond 12.1, my jamo c93ii has been collecting dust. had a chance to listen to a pair of Linton once, was amazing. if the denton sound is close, its an amazing deal
I had the same experience with my Lintons coming from my Elac Debut B6. But then I heard the mighty mighty Criton 1TDX. I have not gone back to the Lintons!
@@4thewinir344 nice, will definitely try them if i have the chance
Bought my Denton 80ths ( mahogany finish) about 5 years ago for $300 in my country the Philippines. These speakers synergies very well with lively amplifiers like yamaha, pioneer, onkyo, rotel and the like. Pair it up with warm sounding analogue source like vintage sounding shure cartridge and you great warm bass and midrange. Using lean sounding cartridges like a ortofon 2m red or audio technica vm95e, you gain a bit of clarity and clean treble, but lose some of that foreward and warm enveloping character of the Denton
Same amount i got them for here in the Philippines. Amazing value for the money😊
Great video thanks, I was going to wait for the Mahoney to come in to stock, but the walnut grew on me as video went on.
Had my eye on these for a few months, as they have been about half the price of the 85th.
I have all different kinds of speakers in my house, but my newest living room speakers are the Polk ES20, and I’ve had them since probably about spring time of this year.
I have to say, they look great but, I have yet to hear anything out of them that makes me stand back and go “Man that sounds incredible” they range from so so to pretty good for me.
So I’ve been considering replacing them.
The more I see on the 80th the closer I am to making the purchase.
Thanks for the review. 👍
The 85's seem to have harsh treble from various threads ive read. Some have resorted in tweaking them with a 1ohm resistor on the rear speaker terminals!. What did you decide on...?
Just curious on how you wired these speakers, single or bi-wired? Also, some people are not using the single wire setup on the Wharfedale instruction sheet, any thoughts on wiring setup?
If you really want to hear these shine, listen to Coltrane with Johnny Hartman on vinyl. If the first track doesn't get you, I don't know what will
I have just ordered some in walnut new for £279, gets delivered tomorrow, to go along with a Yamaha a-s501 also arriving tomorrow
Absolutely Enjoyed this review my fellow audio brethren, being an owner of two sets of large vintage speakers and a pair of beat to hell, flood damaged but perfectly working Boston. CR9’s rescued from trash (💯💯true story😆). The little Dentons sound like a good small bang for buck new compact speakers for my Arsenal! Thanx for the concise informative review!👍🏾👍🏾✌🏽🔥
Nice review Randy. Wharfedale have been absolutely killing it over the past couple of years.
I think it's always beneficial using isolation stands/pads for speakers. 👌
agree. Some of my favorite speakers
@@cheapaudioman 100% man.
Hi Randy, which speakers do you like better?
These or your Elac debut B6s?
How would you compare these to the Denton 85? Have you had the opportunity to listen to those? I currently have the Elac b5 slim which I like but am looking for a little more warmth / body. Thanks in advance for your reply. Love the channel and have been a subscriber since you had under 100 subscribers.....keep it up!!
If they had the classical round dust cap they would be the perfect looking bookshelf speaker ever to me. Really nice vintage look with that wood and that kinda 45 degree angled edges around the front where the grills fit in.
Hi. What is the color of those speakers? It’s walnut?
Just got a new pair of these. Upgrade from Dali Spektor 1's. They sound fantastic!
Hey Randy could you call out to Aune for a review of the Aune Flamingo DAC. It can switch between Tube and opamp and is just 219 dollars. Right up your alley!
great suggestion
Given your review, I bet John Mayer's "Where the Light Is" album would sound amazing, especially the first few acoustic songs.
I have these speakers for my room and they're very good. It's the original version.
Would love to see a comparo for under $600 speakers including the css kit speakers. I am looking to build my first kit and the css might be it.
Damn you Randy, just bought a pair again for the second time! I had these when they were FOTM back in 2017 and returned them only because I felt they needed a sub. I have a REL now so back they come. Great speaker and really do compete with much more expensive speakers. The build quality is almost good as the Ryan R630s I had with a 5K MSRP.
Randy, you finally reviewed my Speakers! Love it with my Arcam SA10 amp and Wiim mini
Rock on!
Hey, thanks, great review. These just got on sale in my country and I’m seriously considering getting them as an upgrade to my current “Monitor audio 100”.
This or the RP600m 1st edition? Pros and cons of each.
Hey Randy, great review as usual...how would you compare these against those kit CSS Audio Torii speakers? Thx
great question. they have a lot in common. I was hoping someone would ask. the Torris beat them on bass presence for sure but they're awful similar
@@cheapaudioman A comparison video would be awesome 😉
I'm looking for speakers to use for desktop near field listening. Awhile back you had a positive review for the Polk Audio ES15 which are now on sale for $250. Do you think the Denton 80ths are significantly better sounding? Certainly better looking in my opinion but are the worth $200 plus more from a sound perspective?
These are some of the best speakers under 500usd for vocals. I agree with all things mentioned in this review☺️
Great review!! Hope we get our DAC, Speaker, Amp etc shoot out reviews again this year! Could imagine this speaker and the B2+ would battle it out nicely.
they're coming
@cheapaudioman I AM SO EXCITED. Your speaker shootouts are so much fun but then again so are all of your videos so I guess it’s a win win!!!
@@cheapaudioman hey, speaking of Emotiva, you hear about their new C-series line?
Hey Randy, Love the channel. Sorry but i have an off topic question. I'm trying to drive to drive the Elac Unifi b52s properly. I have them powered by the Aiyima a07 hooked up to the pre out of my AVR receiver. Should I crank the receiver and control the volume on the Aiyima or crank the Aiyima and control the volume on the receiver?
How do you like this compared to the Elac DBR62 and Uni-fi 2.0?
Hey sir i want to buy VFM speakers Dali Spektor 2 Hi-Fi 100W 6 omn in 250euro the critics are amazing for ''cheap speakers'' i want you to tell me one good amplifier to attach them which wont be too expensive thank you !!!
I am in the position of replacing a late 60's pair of AR4x speakers I inherited from my father. They now need refurbishment, but given the advances in speakers, it seems a new pair makes more sense. For the same money (roughly) I could grab a set of these or go the tower route with some Emotiva T0, both of which you have positively reviewed. I realize it's bookshelf vs tower, but do you have a preference? Aesthetically I love these as they are not unlike my ARs, with the walnut cabinets, and I know they'd be a great option. Thanks!
What really separates good speakers from great imho is a sense of depth/space. There are plenty of acclaimed speakers that do detail, fast transients. dynamivs, open midrange...but have a flat, cardboard like presentation. Sound rarely gets behind the speaker plane.
Good advice. I've had the Denton 80's for going on three years now. I'm a six-foot three-inch person and found these speakers sounded best in my room with 30 inch stands, 18 inches from the back wall and toed in a bit.
I had them for a while without a sub-woofer and it sounded fine, but later added a REL to fill out 60 hz and lower and found that superior. They were good and punchy with a NAD class D amp, but more natural in tone now with my new Arcam SA10 A/B amp. The Arcam/Denton combo reminds me of the coherent, music-centered sound of my youth back in the 1970's while listening to vinyl records (even if I'm now using a streamer or cd transport).
They might not turn everything into an airy, live, wow occasion (like some horn speakers), but they seem to give the recording just as it is. I don't see a need to pay more for a speaker (bought in June 2020 from Music Direct for $499).
Which REL did you add, if you don't mind me asking....I was thinking of a similar setup.
@@dansteinmeyer4369 I went with the HT 1003 for my 15' x 18' listening room. Though supposedly designed for home theater, it blends with the Denton's beautifully for music alone. It is rated to extend down to 24 hz, which is useful when listening to classical music where pipe organs are played.
@@stephenbailey9969 Thanks very much! So many REL models…
I too have the Denton 80ths paired to an Arcam SA10 but with the fantastic Arcam CDS27 SACD Network streaming player. The CDS27 goes lower and with the widest liveliest soundstage above all otger DACs I had and still own, with maybe tge exception of my customised Thorens TD160, Rega RB300 and Goldring 1022GX 😎
@@nocturnal1970 Good to know. Thanks!
How do these compare to Polk reserve series? I have the 80’s and was wondering if polks will be a big upgrade.
Good timing for me. I am looking for an upgraded pair of bookshelf speakers to go with my Rega P3 turntable and Rega Brio 3 amp. I currently have an older pair of Boston Acoustic HD7 speakers that I want to update. How do any of you think these speakers and the equally priced Wharfedale 12.2's would compare and work with my system. My listening/living room is about 13.5' wide and about 20' long and I sit in all locations in this room. I am not well versed in audio language but i do appreciate a great sounding speaker and listen to all kinds of music.
I had the original Wharfedale Denton speakers many moons ago with the Linton MKII Amplifier and a Garard Deck. It was my first Hifi back in the early 70's. I replaced them with the Linton XP3 speakers and over the years I have never ever changed my brand of speakers. To be honest the new Denton's look more authentic than the originals with the design they have gone for here as with the rest of the range such as the Linton's, and Airedale's. Not sure if they rereleased the Glendale or Dovedale from this old range of their speakers.
The best Wharfedale speakers I ever had for many stereo setups I had over the years were the Wharfedale E90 Pro. They were built when they were still part of the Rank organisation and they were used in Rank Cinema Houses. Those things were 300-watt speakers and weighed 128lb each the grills were also made of steel. I had those for over 20 years before I sold them.
One of the main reasons why I sold them was because since the 90's I became a surround FREAK! and I thought that with a 5.1 setup they were unbalanced by having smaller speakers on the rears. The other good thing about a 5.1 setup is that you don't really need big speakers because the sub can compensate for that. I ended up getting the Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 range back in 2005 with the SW250 Subwoofer and am still using them today and am well happy enough with the results enough not to change them.
Ah, I understand that all the UA-camrs generally like to review smaller speakers (easier on the shipping and your backs), but for those of us with rooms around 13 feet x 25 feet and larger, often floorstanders can provide more scale of sound and more dynamics. But, the question is, would you or could you get that and better imaging by combining such bookshelf speakers like these Dentons and a sub?
I like bookshelves and a sub. with towers you get what you get with the bass. with a sub, one like an svs, you can really tailor the bass to what you need. with imaging it depends a lot on your room and how much stuff is in it and how close to a wall things are. I've heard some great floor standers and some meh for soundstage. it's all dependent on the speaker and one doesn't always do better than the other.
@@cheapaudioman thanks, good to know it isn't all one way or the other...Bookies and a sub might be the better ticket then.
Great review Randy. I bought my first pair of Denton speakers three years ago. I like them so much I bought another pair a year later. They are the traditional, relaxed English sound. They sound very similar to my 1970s Wharfedale Linton 3s. Think of a mahogany paneled library, a tartan robe, Earl Grey tea with warmed milk, and a meerschaum pipe. Sherlock Holmes will listen to these at the end of a long day.
Agree. I think "M" may have a pair as well. Bulldog approved.
Just sold my pair of vintage Linton 3. Sealed box and paper cones makes for a very nice sound. Linton 3 was the buyers first speakers back in the 70's and he was now putting together his old time nostalgic system.
Got this for $100 used. Best 100 bucks spent ever.
wow
Nice deal
2:00 fresh vinyl is one of my favorite things to smell in THE WORLD.
Love mine.
Running with Fork v3 / ifi Blue Zen.
Hey Randy . I just made the Neil's Mod to the Sony CS5 and I'm still in shock!!, sounds Awsome!!!. Do you think that this Wharfedale can sound a lot a way better. Just a little bit better or almost the same as the Sony's ?. Because I love the look of that Wharfedale, but shipped to my country can go up to US700. Do you think that in sound ,the wharfedales are a big improvement to the mod Sony's. Or do you recommend a cheaper option to the mod sony's? . I just want to have another pair of good speakers, but not sure if I'm gonna be happy spending almost US700 to hear something not better than the mod sony's. I know that the price includes the most beautiful speakers I ever see in my life, but in a sound perspective what do you think?. Thanks Randy
Love the review, ive had these for about 5 years now, but they have been in storage for the past 3.
I absolutely love them!
I will be pulling them back out in the very near future.
I wonder how these stack up against the new mission 770? Their both really sharp.
Very nice looking speaker plus they sound as good as they look, differently seems like a winner.
FOR
I’ve owned these for 6 years. They are so damn EXCELLENT 🎉 Grab them while you can. I bought both Mahogany and the Walnut. Love ‘em !
Any chance you've heard the dbr62 and can compare?
@@MrLoudLove I stand firm on these... Thx
How do these compare to Wharfedale EVO4.1. I am looking for something small and currently have a NAD 7240PE that belonged to my father. The receiver has a sentimental value and still works flawlessly. At some point I would like to stream audio too so I am looking for something that packs a punch, detailed, crystal clear vocals and without fatigue.
I am so torn now between this one and the 4.1.
@@vincentpedalino618 Yeah it’s a great unit and now I’m on what to get - Wharfdale 4.1 or Denton.
@@vincentpedalino618 I also have a NAD T760 that is working perfectly. Knock on wood both NAD receivers are working well but the 7240PE has a lot of sentimental value. I just can’t decided which
@@vincentpedalino618 I also have a NAD T760 working well but knock on wood both receivers have been working without any issues. I’m just torn between these speakers and the Evo 4.1. The size is important bc I don’t want a huge heavy speaker for my bedroom. What I have downstairs is already big and heavy.
Eventually I will get a audio streamer like the Bluesound POWERNODE since it fits within my budget for audio streaming.
I got the kef q150, sound a bit too bright and tired listen to it at long period of time. Is this one is an “upgrade”
Beautiful speaker. The front baffle makes me think of my vintage Pioneer speakers. Ca99 a I think
Nice review. Have to ask though retired for many years and company doa have you ever tried the Boston cr9s ??
By the way, when cutting and working with Walnut wood, it has a wonderful sweet smell.
Really like the Wharfedale Denton and Linton house sound so smooooth.
I'm running a pair of old Wharfedales (W30D) for my main PC sound. They have acoustic controls on the backs for the 3" Mylar dome tweeters that let me adjust the treble for just the right amount of airiness (has no effect on the 8" woofer). The Denton and some other newer speakers could probably benefit from such controls.
I have these speakers paired with my PS Audio Sprout100 and they really sound great. My friends say that the Dentons are a poor man's Harbeth. I wonder if that's true lol. How does this compare to the Harbeths?
Have you had the chance to pair these with the Gjallerhorn? If so, really would love to hear your thoughts on that setup
what camera/lighting do you use? quality is really good
Sony full frame. lens is a tamron 17-28mm and lighting is godox 60watt and 150 watt with a couple of soft boxes. Thank you for noticing!
@@cheapaudioman which camera
@@SlotHits777 A7r3. I used to shoot photography. If I was buying new now it would be the A7iv that I would get
@@cheapaudioman thx
What's the difference between the 80th and 85th
85th is newer and larger
How do these compare to the Polk R100 or R200?
Great speakers great review as usual.
Nothing best than dubstep and rock to test speakers. 🔥
500 USD that's only 400 in real money, what a gorgeous speaker for that money, cool tip!
Ahhh, the Wharfedale Denton. My first ever hi-fi system had a pair of dentons, back in the early 70's. I'm pretty sure they cost me around GBP 35. Happy days! They sounded great, but I mistreated them badly.
35.... wow.
I found an online "value calculator" -- in 1974 or so that would have been over £350 in today's money
It looks like a beautiful speaker and $500 is a nice price. If you like the midrange, this is it. Great job.
Steve! Lots of deals today with Prime Day. Break out the credit card
I've tried them with the Rotel A11 - lovely combo.
Nice review, I considered them recently even for $1000. But ended up getting Elac Unifi Reference. Curious how do they compare?
Were you able to compare these to the Unifi's? I currently have the Denton's but thinking about upgrading
@@colinchang1543 Unfortunately no.
Might be time for a Saturday Speaker Shootout. I'd be interested to how it matches up against the Elac UB52.