Short answer: the Boston Acoustics A25 for EQ-friendly directivity, the Wharfedale Super Denton for a compact three-way. The Super Denton packs a 1-inch tweeter, 2-inch dome midrange and 6.5-inch Kevlar woofer into a smaller take on the Linton 85, but ABX comparison exposed scoops around 200-800Hz and in the upper midrange that subdue aggressive material. The A25’s spinorama is decent once you ignore its 900Hz peak and 3kHz dip.
Buy the Wharfedale Super Denton. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the Boston Acoustics A25 is discontinued, so it is only available used.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Wharfedale Super Denton | Boston Acoustics A25 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1499 per pair | $299.98 per pair Discontinued |
| Ranked | #19 of 90 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #34 of 90 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Drivers | 1” soft dome tweeter, 2” soft dome midrange, 6.5” woven Kevlar woofer | 1” Kortec soft dome tweeter, 5.25” ceramic/glass-fiber polymer mid/woofer |
| Sensitivity | 86.6dB (measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) | 85dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | ported, rear |
| Dimensions | 14.2”H x 9.7”W x 10.8”D (360 x 246 x 275 mm) | 10.7H x 7.25W x 8.9D in |
| Weight | 20.3 lbs (9.2 kg) each | 10.1 lbs (4.58 kg) each |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 3 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 8 ohms nominal |
| Frequency Response | 52Hz - 20kHz (±3dB, manufacturer specified); -6dB to 40Hz | 55Hz - 25kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 61Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 90Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 55Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Crossover Frequency | 940Hz, 4.6kHz | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.9 (Erin’s Audio Corner) | 3.53 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Power Handling | - | 10-150W recommended |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | - | 6.19 |
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The Two Speakers In Full
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
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Boston Acoustics A25: $299.98 per pair Discontinued eBay
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama is decent once you ignore a peak around 900Hz and a dip around 3kHz: directivity is good enough that the response can be EQed and won’t be too room-dependent. Cabinet fit and finish is well above its price class, and dynamics were strong with no distortion audible even at high volume on well-recorded material. Discontinued, but the reviewer suggests hunting for clearance pricing on remaining stock. Measured bass extension of 90Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 85dB.
Cons: A crazy port resonance and a tweeter with a steeper rolloff than the woofer both show up in the near-field driver measurements, creating the 900Hz peak and the crossover-region dip. The rear port itself measured audibly distorted up close, though it wasn’t noticeable from normal listening distance in the reviewer’s room. Discontinued.
Full Boston Acoustics A25 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 55Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 90Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 10.7H x 7.25W x 8.9D in |
| Drivers | 1” Kortec soft dome tweeter, 5.25” ceramic/glass-fiber polymer mid/woofer |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 25kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal |
| Power Handling | 10-150W recommended |
| Sensitivity | 85dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.53 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.19 |
| Weight | 10.1 lbs (4.58 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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