Short answer: the Wharfedale Super Denton for a three-way design, the Diamond 220 for a smoother on-axis response. The Super Denton is a compact 3-way with a 2-inch dome midrange and 6.5-inch Kevlar woofer, but its mid-range and upper-midrange scoops are audible in ABX testing. The Diamond 220 is smooth on axis once its grille is removed, a huge improvement over the stock grille’s 5kHz comb filtering, though it rolls off below 200Hz.
Buy the Wharfedale Super Denton. It is rated higher for sound quality and still sold new, while the Wharfedale Diamond 220 is discontinued.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Wharfedale Super Denton | Wharfedale Diamond 220 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1499 per pair | $299 per pair Discontinued |
| Ranked | #19 of 90 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #28 of 90 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Drivers | 1” soft dome tweeter, 2” soft dome midrange, 6.5” woven Kevlar woofer | 5” (130mm) woven Kevlar woofer, 1” (25mm) tweeter |
| Sensitivity | 86.6dB (measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) | 86.9dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review; 86dB manufacturer specified) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | ported, bottom-firing into secondary enclosure |
| Dimensions | 14.2”H x 9.7”W x 10.8”D (360 x 246 x 275 mm) | 12.4”H x 6.9”W x 8.9”D (315 x 174 x 227 mm) |
| Weight | 20.3 lbs (9.2 kg) each | 11.7 lbs (5.3 kg) each |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 3 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 8 ohms |
| Frequency Response | 52Hz - 20kHz (±3dB, manufacturer specified); -6dB to 40Hz | - |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 61Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 117.2Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 58.0Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Crossover Frequency | 940Hz, 4.6kHz | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.9 (Erin’s Audio Corner) | 3.40 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | - | 6.64 |
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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
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
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- Wharfedale Super Denton vs Wharfedale Diamond 12.1
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- Wharfedale Super Denton vs Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G
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Wharfedale Diamond 220: $299 per pair Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i. It’s likely to perform similarly, though we don’t have measurements to confirm that yet.
Pros: Amir found the on-axis response smooth once the grille is removed, calling grille removal “a huge improvement” since the stock grille caused unusually strong comb filtering around 5kHz. Good horizontal dispersion from the waveguide-loaded tweeter and controlled distortion. After some EQ (a room mode filter and treble shelf), the reviewer called it “a truly hifi speaker” where “every audiophile track..sounded very good,” and said he was “happy to recommend” it for the budget class. Measured bass extension of 117.2Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 86.9dB.
Cons: Response rolls off below 200Hz, so a subwoofer is recommended for full-range use. Some port rattling was noted at high volumes, traced to vibration rather than the woofer itself. Best performance requires removing the grille and applying the reviewer’s EQ filters. Discontinued, with only limited remaining stock available direct from Wharfedale.
Full Wharfedale Diamond 220 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 58.0Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 117.2Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 12.4”H x 6.9”W x 8.9”D (315 x 174 x 227 mm) |
| Drivers | 5” (130mm) woven Kevlar woofer, 1” (25mm) tweeter |
| Impedance | 8 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 86.9dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review; 86dB manufacturer specified) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.40 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.64 |
| Weight | 11.7 lbs (5.3 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, bottom-firing into secondary enclosure |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs Polk Audio XT15
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs KEF Q150
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs Boston Acoustics A25
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs Wharfedale Diamond 12.1
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs Klipsch RP-500M II
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs Revel M105
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs JBL Studio 530
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