Short answer: the XMechanik Mechano23 DIY. It ranks #6 of 87 bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $48; the Wharfedale Super Denton ranks #19 and costs $1499, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the XMechanik Mechano23 DIY offers: The bass alignment is unusually well damped, with a measured Q of 0.336, among the lowest of any speaker in this catalog, so the -3dB point at 77.6Hz rolls off cleanly instead of building into a resonant bump the way many small ported designs do. On axis deviation measures a tight 0.195dB average, and Audio Science Review’s independent Klippel NFS review called the predicted in room response nearly perfect, with directivity matching that beats some commercial designs costing many times more, all from about $200 in parts. Watch for: This is a true DIY project. There is no assembled unit to buy, drivers come from Madisound, the crossover kit comes separately from EZ Speaker Solutions, and the birch plywood cabinet has to be built and finished by hand. Listening window smoothness measures a moderate 0.47 and the sound power directivity index has more variation (standard deviation 4.02) than the tightest speakers in this catalog, so off axis energy isn’t quite as evenly controlled as the excellent on axis figures suggest.
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.
Buy the XMechanik Mechano23 DIY. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Wharfedale Super Denton and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| XMechanik Mechano23 DIY | Wharfedale Super Denton | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $200 per pair DIY parts | $1499 per pair |
| Ranked | #6 of 87 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #19 of 87 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Enclosure | ported | - |
| Drivers | Scan-Speak Discovery H2606/9200 1" horn loaded textile dome tweeter, SB Acoustics SB13PFCR25-4 5" fiber cone woofer | 1" soft dome tweeter, 2" soft dome midrange, 6.5" woven Kevlar woofer |
| Dimensions | 11.4"H x 6.9"W x 10.4"D (290 x 174 x 263 mm) | 14.2"H x 9.7"W x 10.8"D (360 x 246 x 275 mm) |
| Sensitivity | 85.1dB @ 2.83V/1m (measured, Audio Science Review) | 86.6dB (measured by Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 77.6Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 61Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 42.4Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 41Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Port Tuning | Approximately 45Hz | - |
| Cabinet Material | 18mm Baltic birch plywood | - |
| Country | Design origin: United States (ASR forum); assembled by buyer | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.70 | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.16 | - |
| Woofer Cabinet | - | ported |
| Weight | - | 20.3 lbs (9.2 kg) each |
| Impedance | - | 6 ohms nominal, 3 ohms minimum (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Frequency Response | - | 52Hz - 20kHz (±3dB, manufacturer specified); -6dB to 40Hz |
| Crossover Frequency | - | 940Hz, 4.6kHz |
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The Two Speakers In Full
XMechanik Mechano23 DIY: $200 per pair DIY parts Madisound (Tweeter) Madisound (Woofer) eBay
Pros: The bass alignment is unusually well damped, with a measured Q of 0.336, among the lowest of any speaker in this catalog, so the -3dB point at 77.6Hz rolls off cleanly instead of building into a resonant bump the way many small ported designs do. On axis deviation measures a tight 0.195dB average, and Audio Science Review’s independent Klippel NFS review called the predicted in room response nearly perfect, with directivity matching that beats some commercial designs costing many times more, all from about $200 in parts. Measured bass extension of 77.6Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 85.1dB.
Cons: This is a true DIY project. There is no assembled unit to buy, drivers come from Madisound, the crossover kit comes separately from EZ Speaker Solutions, and the birch plywood cabinet has to be built and finished by hand. Listening window smoothness measures a moderate 0.47 and the sound power directivity index has more variation (standard deviation 4.02) than the tightest speakers in this catalog, so off axis energy isn’t quite as evenly controlled as the excellent on axis figures suggest.
Full XMechanik Mechano23 DIY review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 42.4Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 77.6Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Cabinet Material | 18mm Baltic birch plywood |
| Country | Design origin: United States (ASR forum); assembled by buyer |
| Dimensions | 11.4"H x 6.9"W x 10.4"D (290 x 174 x 263 mm) |
| Drivers | Scan-Speak Discovery H2606/9200 1" horn loaded textile dome tweeter, SB Acoustics SB13PFCR25-4 5" fiber cone woofer |
| Enclosure | ported |
| Port Tuning | Approximately 45Hz |
| Sensitivity | 85.1dB @ 2.83V/1m (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.70 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.16 |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- XMechanik Mechano23 DIY vs Ascend Acoustics HTM-200SE2
- XMechanik Mechano23 DIY vs Arendal 1961 Monitor
- XMechanik Mechano23 DIY vs KEF LS50 Meta
- XMechanik Mechano23 DIY vs Ascend Sierra 1 v2
- XMechanik Mechano23 DIY vs Philharmonic Ceramic Mini
- XMechanik Mechano23 DIY vs Ascend Acoustics Luna V2 Mini-Monitor Titan
- XMechanik Mechano23 DIY vs Aalto Speakers Aalto 1 EVO
- XMechanik Mechano23 DIY vs Audio First Fidelia
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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 |
| 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) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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