Short answer: the Philharmonic Ceramic Mini. It ranks #2 of 34 bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $900; the Wharfedale Super Denton ranks #9 and costs $1499, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Philharmonic Ceramic Mini offers: Gorgeous looks and finish options for the price. Watch for: Somewhat limited output capability for its size - audible woofer compression (“flopping”) around 95dB at 3 meters for a stereo pair, so keep to moderate levels or pair with a subwoofer for home theater use.
What the Wharfedale Super Denton offers: 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. Watch for: 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.
Buy the Philharmonic Ceramic Mini. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Wharfedale Super Denton and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| Philharmonic Ceramic Mini | Wharfedale Super Denton | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $900 | $1,499.00 |
| Ranked | #2 of 34 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #9 of 34 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 51Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 61Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 36Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 12" x 8.5" x 11.3" (305 x 216 x 286 mm) | 14.2"H x 9.7"W x 10.8"D (360 x 246 x 275 mm) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (3.2 ohms min, 15 ohms max) (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 6 ohms nominal, 3 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 5.25" ceramic woofer, 1" ceramic dome tweeter | 1" soft dome tweeter, 2" soft dome midrange, 6.5" woven Kevlar woofer |
| Sensitivity | 82dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) | 86.6dB (measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 17 lbs / 7.7 kg | 20.3 lbs / 9.2 kg (20.2 lbs) each |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 20kHz (+1.5/-3dB, Manufacturer specified, ported) | 52Hz - 20kHz (±3dB, manufacturer specified); -6dB to 40Hz |
| Crossover Frequency | 2kHz (Linkwitz-Riley 4th order) | 940Hz, 4.6kHz |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported |
| Country of Origin | USA (Vienna, Virginia) | - |
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The Two Speakers In Full
Philharmonic Ceramic Mini: $900 Philharmonic Audio
Pros: Gorgeous looks and finish options for the price. Very low midrange distortion for the size, well under 1% above about 400-500Hz. Excellent on-axis linearity. Mild, pleasant bass bump around 100Hz that adds welcome warmth without being excessive. Wide soundstage and dispersion (~70-80 degrees horizontally). Clean cabinet and port with no measured resonances. A great value combination of looks and performance at this price.
Cons: Somewhat limited output capability for its size - audible woofer compression (“flopping”) around 95dB at 3 meters for a stereo pair, so keep to moderate levels or pair with a subwoofer for home theater use. A mild diffraction-related dip around 4-6kHz can cause occasional sibilance on some vocal tracks. Measured sensitivity (82.2dB average) runs a bit below the manufacturer’s claimed 84dB, so it needs more amp power than the spec alone suggests. Needs a subwoofer for real bass authority below about 40Hz.
Full Philharmonic Ceramic Mini review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 36Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 51Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Country of Origin | USA (Vienna, Virginia) |
| Crossover Frequency | 2kHz (Linkwitz-Riley 4th order) |
| Dimensions | 12" x 8.5" x 11.3" (305 x 216 x 286 mm) |
| Drivers | 5.25" ceramic woofer, 1" ceramic dome tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 20kHz (+1.5/-3dB, Manufacturer specified, ported) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (3.2 ohms min, 15 ohms max) (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 82dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 17 lbs / 7.7 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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Wharfedale Super Denton: $1,499.00
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.
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 |
| 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) |
| Weight | 20.3 lbs / 9.2 kg (20.2 lbs) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons