Short answer: the Wharfedale Super Denton for better sound quality, the Polk T15 for the lower price. The Wharfedale Super Denton ranks #19 of 87 bookshelf speakers at $1499. The Polk T15 ranks #78 at $125, $1374 cheaper.
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. 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. 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. 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.
What the Polk T15 offers: Extremely affordable 2-way design that actually measured better at +/-20 degrees vertical off-axis than directly on-axis. In near-field desktop use, the reviewer found the T15 “didn’t sound that horrible,” partly because nearby desk reflections mask the frequency response dip. Watch for: Spinorama analysis reveals what Amir called a “horrific drop in upper mids/lower treble region of 3 to 6 kHz,” likely from tweeter-woofer phase cancellation directly on-axis. Measured impedance ranges from 4-8 ohms, contradicting the specified 6-8 ohm range, and there’s a distortion peak around 400Hz. On- and off-axis response “vary a ton,” making listening position unusually important. The reviewer recommends saving up for the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR instead: “I can’t justify recommending the Polk T15 even though subjective performance was not horrible.”
Buy the Wharfedale Super Denton if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Polk T15 if the price matters more than sound quality.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Polk T15. It ranks near the bottom of the 87 bookshelf speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Wharfedale Super Denton | Polk T15 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1499 | $125.00 |
| Ranked | #19 of 87 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #78 of 87 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Drivers | 1" soft dome tweeter, 2" soft dome midrange, 6.5" woven Kevlar woofer | 0.75" tweeter, 5.25" woofer |
| Sensitivity | 86.6dB (measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) | - |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | - |
| Dimensions | 14.2"H x 9.7"W x 10.8"D (360 x 246 x 275 mm) | 10.63H x 6.5W x 7.25D in |
| Weight | 20.3 lbs / 9.2 kg (20.2 lbs) each | 8.2 lbs / 3.74 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 | 60Hz - 24kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 61Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 88.6Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 58.1Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Crossover Frequency | 940Hz, 4.6kHz | - |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Klipsch RP-500M II vs Q Acoustics 5020
- Dynaudio X14 vs JBL Control 1 Pro
- Arendal 1961 Monitor vs Klipsch RP-500M II
- Dynaudio X14 vs Polk T15
- Wharfedale Super Denton vs Micca RB42
Prices on this page were last checked August 25, 2026 at 6:19 AM 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
Wharfedale Super Denton: $1499 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.
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 |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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- Wharfedale Super Denton vs Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G
- Wharfedale Super Denton vs Revel M105
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- See all 35 comparisons
Polk T15: $125.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: Extremely affordable 2-way design that actually measured better at +/-20 degrees vertical off-axis than directly on-axis. In near-field desktop use, the reviewer found the T15 “didn’t sound that horrible,” partly because nearby desk reflections mask the frequency response dip.
Cons: Spinorama analysis reveals what Amir called a “horrific drop in upper mids/lower treble region of 3 to 6 kHz,” likely from tweeter-woofer phase cancellation directly on-axis. Measured impedance ranges from 4-8 ohms, contradicting the specified 6-8 ohm range, and there’s a distortion peak around 400Hz. On- and off-axis response “vary a ton,” making listening position unusually important. The reviewer recommends saving up for the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR instead: “I can’t justify recommending the Polk T15 even though subjective performance was not horrible.”
Full Polk T15 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 58.1Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 88.6Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 10.63H x 6.5W x 7.25D in |
| Drivers | 0.75" tweeter, 5.25" woofer |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 24kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal |
| Weight | 8.2 lbs / 3.74 kg each |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons