Bookshelf Speakers — Wharfedale Denton 1S

The Denton 1S is a compact standmount from Wharfedale's Heritage Series that revives the idea behind the Denton, a small hi-fi speaker the company first introduced in 1967 as a less traditional alternative to the large wooden cabinets of the period. The new model takes the coaxial point-source layout of the original Denton 1 and was developed under Peter Comeau, Director of Acoustic Design. It went on sale in May 2026 at USD 999 per pair, in matte black, matte white or matte blue.

Key specs that matter

A single coaxial unit carries both drivers - a 25 mm silk dome tweeter placed at the centre of a 165 mm cone of polypropylene in an improved formulation. The two-way bass reflex enclosure has 11.5 litres of internal volume. Wharfedale quotes 50 Hz to 20 kHz at plus or minus 3 dB and a 45 Hz point at minus 6 dB. Sensitivity is 88 dB at 2.83 V and 1 m, peak output 95 dB SPL, and impedance 8 ohm nominal with a 4.5 ohm low. The cabinet is 330 mm high on its plinth, 236 mm wide and 254 mm deep including terminals, and weighs 6.8 kg. The woofer uses a 44 mm voice coil and is rated to handle 100 W.

Engineering and use context

Mounting the tweeter concentrically inside the cone places both sources on one axis, which Wharfedale says makes the output time-aligned and phase coherent. The crossover was voiced so that the two sections of the coaxial driver behave as one unit. Cabinet walls are multi-layer panels with internal bracing and controlled damping, with the bass reflex vent located on the back. On the back panel a Brilliance EQ switch changes the treble balance for two placements, out in free space or close to a wall. A threaded insert on the rear allows wall mounting, and Wharfedale lists the model as a bookshelf and wall-mount speaker. The front uses a classic cloth grille and the retro badge is now finished in contrasting silver. Wharfedale's standard warranty is three years.

Pairing

The recommended amplifier range is 30 to 100 W. A minimum impedance above 4 ohm and moderate sensitivity point to a conventional solid-state integrated amplifier or a receiver rather than very low-powered designs, and the wall option makes the pair usable where no stands fit.

Alternatives

The Wharfedale DIAMOND 12.2i is a conventional two-way standmount with a separate Klarity bass driver and dome tweeter.