Wharfedale Denton 80th Anniversary, a non-professional review

I have coming in Friday. Can't wait to try them in my office system. Currently running Klipsch KG 2.5 recapped with Crites tweeters that I like. Yamaha AS501S to drive them. They should look perfect in this room as I recently did a mahogany wainscoting and cabinet remodel in here. Hope the sound works. I figure I'll try something new after 20+ years with the current speakers, which I do like.
 
I have a pair of Dentons arriving next week; at $399, I couldn't resist giving them another shot.

I'm planning to use them with a recapped Pioneer SX-780, which has two sets of speaker outputs. Would there be any benefit/harm in bi-wiring the Dentons (using the A & B speaker outputs on the Pioneer), or should I just use them with the jumpers in place, connected to one set of outputs?
The Denton's are rated at 6 ohms and connecting them to the SX-780 that way could present a dangerously low impedance load. Bi-wiring would be separate connections at the speaker end and common connection ( A outputs ) at the receiver end.
 
The Denton's are rated at 6 ohms and connecting them to the SX-780 that way could present a dangerously low impedance load. Bi-wiring would be separate connections at the speaker end and common connection ( A outputs ) at the receiver end.

Thanks!

I've been doing some reading up on the subject, and it would seem that the relative benefits of bi-wiring are, uh, controversial.
 
Thanks!

I've been doing some reading up on the subject, and it would seem that the relative benefits of bi-wiring are, uh, controversial.
Yes indeed on the bi-wiring, now bi-amping is a completely different matter. You would of course need different gear and two stereo amplifiers or one four-channel amplifier, but I digress. I suggest that you just utilize the basic connection method with your receiver and remember that your new speakers will require a break-in period. How long? I have no idea but it may be covered in the owners manual that comes with the speakers.
 
Yes indeed on the bi-wiring, now bi-amping is a completely different matter. You would of course need different gear and two stereo amplifiers or one four-channel amplifier, but I digress.

Oh yeah, absolutely.

I suggest that you just utilize the basic connection method with your receiver and remember that your new speakers will require a break-in period. How long? I have no idea but it may be covered in the owners manual that comes with the speakers.

My understanding is the hemp cone drivers will need something like 100 hours to fully break-in. :)
 
Oh yeah, absolutely.



My understanding is the hemp cone drivers will need something like 100 hours to fully break-in. :)
Sometimes it's hard to be patient when we get some new gear. It's okay to play them even when you're not there to speed up the process. Some folks reverse the polarity of one speaker, place them face to face and cover them with a blanket, other people break them in simply by listening to them. Are you planning to use them on their own or with a subwoofer ?
 
Sometimes it's hard to be patient when we get some new gear. It's okay to play them even when you're not there to speed up the process. Some folks reverse the polarity of one speaker, place them face to face and cover them with a blanket, other people break them in simply by listening to them.

I'm planning to do exactly that - wire one out of phase and point them at each other while I'm away at work, and then listen to them properly in the evenings.

Are you planning to use them on their own or with a subwoofer ?

No subwoofer for now, as I only own one and it's in the other room. Down the road, I'm not sure.
 
Got em! Breaking them in with Chet Baker. Sounds good so far. Can't wit till they are broken in. Definitely an upgrade from my old but beloved KG 2.5s.

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Wow, my Dentons are due to arrive tomorrow, assuming the weather doesn't interfere. I didn't expect them so quickly.
 
The Dentons arrived today! And wouldn't you know it... tonight the old Pioneer receiver I was planning to use with them decided to suddenly develop distortion in one channel.

So what else could I do? I disconnected the LS50's and put the Dentons in their place, hooked up to the 4 ohm taps on my Fisher X-100. I am immediately liking what I'm hearing, and considering how universally praised the LS50s are, that says something about the Dentons. I'm going to keep them there for a while and get them broken in, and then it will be interesting to swap the LS50s back in for a real comparison. But right off the bat, I'm liking these speakers a lot, more than I expected actually.

I should also mention the mahogany veneer on this particular pair of Dentons was a big surprise. I briefly had another set of Dentons here a while ago for evaluation, and that pair looked pretty much like the images you see all over the web - reddish with a sort of striped grain. The pair I just received is decidedly brown, and with an impressive burl all over. It looks quite spectacular! (I'll try to take some photos in the AM, when the light is better.)
 
Check out the insanely nice veneer on these speakers!

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Here's some interesting info. I contacted Wharfedale on whim, to inquire about the unusual veneer on my Dentons. As I suspected, the veneer on my speakers is not mahogany, but walnut!

Thank you for the image.

This is actually another finish of Denton – Walnut.

We actually have one image on Facebook that shows this finish. Please see attached.

This information is missing from our official website, but we will make sure to update this on our new web that is currently under construction.

May I know which country you are located in?

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I do seem to recall that I liked the Dentons better when they were bi-wired. (I had Kimber 8TC bi-wire and Nordost Blue Heaven II.) Perhaps I need to get another set for my home office/desk and try them again...
 
I have a little under 10 hours on my Dentons, and they're just starting to reveal what they are capable of... and yet, they're only just starting to break in a little.

My impressions so far:
  • They go deeper than expected, so much so that I haven't turned on the sub and will probably remove it altogether. Bass is detailed, tight and impactful too.
  • Their 'scale' is quite large, and the soundstage extends well beyond the cabinets. Big sound from small boxes!
  • They manage to be at once buttery smooth, and yet not at all dull or slow. They do not sound rolled-off to me.
  • Their tonal character is exceptionally natural and well-balanced.
  • They mate well with my 14wpc Fisher tubes, but require higher volume to really open up.
The elephant in the room is why were these speakers not a successful product? Why has it taken 4+ years to exhaust the limited production run, at a 50-60% discount?
 
I got my Dentons on Friday purchased from Amazon for $399. Price already back up to $499. While I was waiting for my speakers to arrive I found this thread and read it from the beginning. Interesting that I also got the beautiful Walnut Veneer. I use these with a Harmen Kardon 3490 stereo receiver that is rated to 120 watts at 8 ohms and 150 watts at 4 ohms RMS. After a 2 day break in I think they sound fantastic! I have never enjoyed bright speakers. These are smooth and rich sounding but remain detailed with out any harshness on top. They can play very loud and still remain smooth. My wife who thinks her boom box sounds good remarked how beautiful these speakers look and sound. I had my previous speakers, Advent Heritage towers, for 25 years. I plan to have these just as long if I last another 25 years.
 
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