Short answer: the Klipsch RP-500M II on value, the Wharfedale Super Denton for a compact three-way. They rank #18 and #19 of 90 bookshelf speakers, with the Super Denton at $1,499 against the RP-500M II’s $389.99. The Super Denton pairs a 1-inch soft dome tweeter and 2-inch dome midrange with a 6.5-inch Kevlar woofer, but mid-range and upper-midrange scoops both showed up in direct ABX comparison, subduing aggressive material.
Buy the Klipsch RP-500M II. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $1,109.01 less than the Wharfedale Super Denton.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Klipsch RP-500M II | Wharfedale Super Denton | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $389.99 per pair | $1499 per pair |
| Ranked | #18 of 90 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #19 of 90 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 67Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 61Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 1530Hz | 940Hz, 4.6kHz |
| Dimensions | 13.6”H x 6.8”W x 10.6”D (344.4 x 173 x 270.5 mm) | 14.2”H x 9.7”W x 10.8”D (360 x 246 x 275 mm) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal, 3.3 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 6 ohms nominal, 3 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 85dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 86.6dB (measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 5.25” Cerametallic™ cone woofer with Faraday rings, 1” LTS Titanium diaphragm tweeter with Hybrid Cross-Section Expanded Tractrix® horn | 1” soft dome tweeter, 2” soft dome midrange, 6.5” woven Kevlar woofer |
| Weight | 13 lbs (5.9 kg) each | 20.3 lbs (9.2 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.22 | 5.9 (Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.84 | - |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Frequency Response | - | 52Hz - 20kHz (±3dB, manufacturer specified); -6dB to 40Hz |
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How Klipsch RP-500M II compares with other leading options:
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- Ascend Sierra 1 v2 vs Klipsch RP-500M II
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Klipsch RP-500M II
- Arendal 1961 Monitor vs Klipsch RP-500M II
- Klipsch RP-500M II vs Moondrop M4P MTM
Prices on this page were last checked October 2, 2026 at 10:18 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Klipsch RP-500M II: $389.99 per pair Amazon eBay
Older model: the Klipsch RP-500M (ranked lower, rated 3.4/5).
Pros: Major mid-range clarity improvement over the original RP-500M: about a 5dB fill-in between 1-3kHz in the estimated in-room response, giving a noticeably more resolved, detailed midrange. More neutral and linear overall than its sibling RP-600M II, which carries about 2-3dB more high-frequency energy and a touch more bass but less overall balance. Very precise soundstage imaging and instrument placement. Distortion through the midrange is cleaner than the previous generation. Measured bass extension of 67Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 85dB.
Cons: Klipsch’s quoted sensitivity (around 92-93dB) uses an unconventional in-room-based rating rather than the standard anechoic measurement; on an anechoic basis it measures closer to about 85dB, in line with typical bookshelf speakers this size, so it isn’t the outlier in efficiency the spec sheet implies. Horizontal dispersion of about ±40-50° is narrower and more directive than the reviewer’s preference for a wider, more enveloping soundstage. Toeing the speaker out to widen the soundstage or soften on-axis brightness comes at some cost to imaging precision. Slightly less clean in the tweeter region than the midrange, likely tied to crossover placement, though not considered a dealbreaker. Low-frequency output is limited: measured around 95dB at 4 meters for the pair before the woofers started to unload, so a subwoofer is recommended for anyone wanting real bass rather than stepping up to a larger model.
Full Klipsch RP-500M II review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 67Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 1530Hz |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 13.6”H x 6.8”W x 10.6”D (344.4 x 173 x 270.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 5.25” Cerametallic™ cone woofer with Faraday rings, 1” LTS Titanium diaphragm tweeter with Hybrid Cross-Section Expanded Tractrix® horn |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal, 3.3 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 85dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.22 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.84 |
| Weight | 13 lbs (5.9 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Klipsch RP-500M II vs Wharfedale Diamond 12.1
- Klipsch RP-500M II vs Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G
- Klipsch RP-500M II vs Radiant Acoustics Clarity 4.2
- Klipsch RP-500M II vs Revel M105
- Klipsch RP-500M II vs Moondrop M4P MTM
- Klipsch RP-500M II vs KEF Q150
- Klipsch RP-500M II vs Arendal 1961 Monitor
- Klipsch RP-500M II vs Wharfedale Diamond 220
- See all 39 comparisons
Wharfedale Super Denton: $1499 per pair Crutchfield eBay
Pros: A 3-way design with a 1” soft dome tweeter, a 2” soft dome midrange offset to the side of a centered 6.5” woven Kevlar woofer: a more compact alternative to Wharfedale’s own Linton 85 with a similar overall character. Measured sensitivity around 86.6-87dB with on-axis linearity within about ±3dB. No cabinet or box resonances turned up in impedance testing, and there are no spike feet to install. Harmonic distortion looks good at both 86dB and 96dB, with about 20dB of usable dynamic range up to 96dB before compression starts to affect the midrange more noticeably near 102dB. Because bass rolls off starting around 60Hz, placing it closer to a wall (about 1-2 feet) than usual boosts low-end punch without the midbass bloat a deeper-extending speaker would get from the same placement. In the reviewer’s own comparison, its estimated in-room response actually measured more linear than the pricier Linton 85’s, despite being a bit less linear on-axis. Measured bass extension of 61Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 86.6dB.
Cons: A mid-range scoop from about 200-800Hz and a separate upper-midrange scoop were both audible in direct ABX comparison against a reference-neutral speaker, giving aggressive-sounding material a more subdued character. A resonance around 660-700Hz shows up in measurement, though the reviewer couldn’t reliably hear it with real music in his own blind-ish A/B testing. The offset tweeter-and-midrange layout makes horizontal off-axis response noticeably asymmetric (response drops as much as 8dB more to one side than the other at wider angles) so the reviewer recommends aiming the speakers directly at the listener (not toed out, which loses upper treble) and suggests sidewall absorption to control uneven reflections. Must be listened to with the grille on: measurements are noticeably worse with it off (wider 2-4kHz dip, extra treble bump). Horizontal soundstage width felt a bit narrower than the reviewer personally prefers, likely related to the same offset driver layout. Multitone distortion gets high in the midrange at 96dB/1m, a concern mainly in larger rooms where you’d need to play louder.
Full Wharfedale Super Denton review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 61Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 940Hz, 4.6kHz |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 14.2”H x 9.7”W x 10.8”D (360 x 246 x 275 mm) |
| Drivers | 1” soft dome tweeter, 2” soft dome midrange, 6.5” woven Kevlar woofer |
| Frequency Response | 52Hz - 20kHz (±3dB, manufacturer specified); -6dB to 40Hz |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 3 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 86.6dB (measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.9 (Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 20.3 lbs (9.2 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Wharfedale Super Denton vs Wharfedale Diamond 12.1
- Wharfedale Super Denton vs Elac Carina BS243.4
- Wharfedale Super Denton vs Radiant Acoustics Clarity 4.2
- Wharfedale Super Denton vs Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G
- Wharfedale Super Denton vs Revel M105
- Wharfedale Super Denton vs KEF Q150
- Wharfedale Super Denton vs Aalto Speakers Aalto 1 EVO
- Wharfedale Super Denton vs Wharfedale Diamond 220
- See all 42 comparisons