Wharfedale Denton news |
|
WHARFEDALE DENTON RETURNS Classic ʻbookshelfʼ speaker revived and refreshed in celebration of Wharfedaleʼs 80th anniversary
Huntingdon, England -- Wharfedale, Britainʼs most famous loudspeaker brand, celebrates its 80th anniversary this year. To mark the occasion, one of Wharfedaleʼs best-loved speakers from decades past is returning in enhanced, limited edition form. Introduced in 1967, the Denton exemplified Wharfedaleʼs twin edicts of quality and value, balancing fine craftsmanship, natural sound quality and affordability inside a compact loudspeaker that was bought in its millions right across the globe. Successive Denton designs ran until the late 1970s, at which point the famous Denton name was confined to loudspeaker history... until now! Re-imagined by legendary loudspeaker designer Peter Comeau, the Denton 80th Anniversary Edition remains true to its illustrious namesake whilst making the most of modern materials and manufacturing techniques to deliver a speaker that is fully equipped for the 21st Century. +44 (0) 1480 447700
A MODERN CLASSIC The Denton 80th Anniversary Edition is a two-way speaker in the classic bookshelf tradition, beautifully hand veneered in mahogany by Wharfedaleʼs cabinet makers with an inset front baffle and traditional tungsten grey cloth grille.
These drive units are united by a highly researched crossover that is near inaudible to the listener, resulting in a coherent, seamless musical output that is both thrilling and natural in its rendition of any source material. The original Denton was well known for its warm, rich and natural sounding character and the 80th Anniversary Edition retains that character but imbues it with an open, detailed performance that will entice you to explore your whole music collection. “Iʼve always had tremendous admiration for the original Denton – itʼs one of the reasons I became a loudspeaker designer,” said Peter Comeau, Director of Acoustic Design at Wharfedaleʼs parent company IAG. “Reviving this famous speaker and remodelling it for modern-day music lovers has given me enormous pleasure. In voicing the new Denton I had in mind the original, which sounded musical but with a pleasing touch of warmth. The ferrite magnet tweeter gives a cleaner, smoother treble than Neodymium designs.” Finished in a deep, rich mahogany wood veneer with a recommended retail price of £499.95 per pair, this very special loudspeaker is available from July in strictly limited quantity – a cornerstone of British hi-fi history, recreated for a new generation to treasure. KEY FEATURES Balanced veneered ʻsandwichʼ cabinet walls: The cabinet walls utilise Wharfedaleʼs clever ʻsandwichʼ construction of differing wood materials to reduce panel resonance, control internal sound transmission and, aided by structural internal bracing, diminish coloration. The chosen veneers are balanced inside and out and are hand-finished in mahogany in the classic tradition. Inset front baffle: The front baffle is firmly locked into the cabinet by a deep inset. This contributes to the speakerʼs traditional look and, more importantly, to its excellent sound quality, as it reduces cabinet vibration and provides a stable platform for the drive units. High-performance bass/mid unit: To make the most of the strong front baffle, the main drive unit chassis has been enhanced with a massive flange that is secured using six screws, thus improving its stability. The carefully designed surround of the woven Kevlar cone helps to yield a clean high-frequency acoustic roll-off, thus enhancing the ability of the bass/mid unit and tweeter to work as a cohesive whole. 2 Low-profile chassis: The bass/mid unit features an open chassis structure to reduce reflection from rear cone movements, allowing air to move freely from the driver, which in turn results in an overall even response with very low distortion. Formed from injection-moulded alloy in a shape pioneered by Wharfedale, the chassis itself provides substantial damping of ring waves. Rear-firing twin reflex ports: The speakerʼs twin reflex ports are positioned to the rear of the cabinet, to reduce the effects of audible distortion. These ports extend the bass to below 45Hz, contributing to an impressive sense of sonic scale. Ferrite-powered treble motor system: With the use of a high-strength 70mm Ferrite magnet, the concentration of the magnetic field is directed precisely within the area of voice coil excursion for an ultra- linear performance. The mounting plate has a profiled cross-section to optimise the dispersion of high frequency sound so it integrates flawlessly with the bass/mid driver and produces the fastest and most linear response possible. Advanced computer-modelled crossover: The Denton 80th Anniversary Editionʼs crossover is based on phase-perfect Linkwitz-Riley filters, modelled in Wharfedaleʼs advanced crossover simulation software and then fine-tuned by ear to achieve the optimum sonic balance. Traditional front grille: The front grille has been designed to ensure it has no adverse effect on the speakerʼs performance. The cloth chosen for the grille not only emphasises the traditional look but also enhances the sonic performance. Offset bi-wire terminals: Utilising the same offset terminal block as high-end Wharfedale speakers, the gold-plated contact areas and bridging strips allow firm connections with the best possible connectivity, while the offset pattern makes allowance for heavy-duty cables and a wider range of cable connection options.
Specifications – Wharfedale Denton 80th Anniversary Edition Description/format Two-way vented-box/standmount High-frequency drive unit 25mm textile dome Bass/mid drive unit 125mm woven Kevlar cone Frequency response 44kHz – 24kHz ±3dB Crossover frequency 2.3kHz Sensitivity (1W@1M) 86dB Nominal impedance 6 Ohms Recommended amp power (RMS) 20 – 100W Dimensions (HxWxD) 320x200x275mm (inc. grille and feet) Net weight 7.9kg |
Underneath the traditional exterior, however, the Denton is up to date and utilises a mixture of traditional and advanced technology. The bass unit features Wharfedaleʼs innovative woven Kevlar cone mounted on a rigid die-cast chassis, this combination delivering a rich, detailed bass/midrange output with superb dynamic performance. High frequencies are handled by a woven textile soft dome tweeter with a high-flux ferrite magnet, engineered for smooth, detailed HF extension.