Напольная акустика — Wharfedale D330

The D330 is a 2.5-way floorstanding loudspeaker in the D300 Series by the British company Wharfedale. It was launched at a price of GBP 499 per pair and is offered in black, rosewood, walnut and white finishes. Wharfedale backs it with a three year standard warranty that grows to six years when the owner registers the product within 90 days of purchase.

Key specs that matter

Two 130 mm black woven Kevlar cones share the lower frequencies, one working as the bass driver and the other covering the midrange as well, while a 25 mm soft dome takes treble above a crossover point of 3.2 kHz. The maker quotes a response of 40 Hz to 20 kHz within 3 dB and bass extension down to 37 Hz at -6 dB. Sensitivity is 88 dB for 2.83 V at 1 m and the peak level is 100 dB SPL. Nominal impedance is 4 ohm, with a minimum of 4.1 ohm, and Wharfedale advises 25 to 120 W of amplifier power.

Engineering and use context

In a 2.5-way design both drivers play the bass, but only one of them also reproduces the midrange below the tweeter, which lets a slim cabinet use two small cones for low frequency output. The bass reflex enclosure holds 34.7 litres. The D300 Series uses a P-EQ pressure equalisation port derived from the slot-loaded distributed port of the Diamond 11 Series. Low frequencies leave from the base of the speaker through curved openings shaped to smooth and regulate airflow, and then enter the room through a gap between the cabinet and its plinth, which keeps both the front baffle and the back of the cabinet free of a vent. Height on the plinth is 965 mm, width is 200 mm and depth with terminals is 338 mm, and each unit weighs 16 kg net. The shipping carton measures 425 x 310 x 1090 mm with a gross weight of 19.1 kg. Using the same woven Kevlar cone for both lower positions keeps the two drivers matched in material and size, and the tweeter is a soft fabric dome rather than a metal type. Wharfedale adds that the nominal rating remains compatible with amplifiers specified for 8 ohm speakers.

Pairing

Because the minimum impedance stays close to the low nominal rating, the amplifier or receiver should be rated for low-impedance loads. Inside the recommended power guidance a compact stereo integrated amplifier or a receiver driving a front pair both qualify. The moderate sensitivity means moderate power is enough in a 20 m2 room.

Alternatives

The Wharfedale Crystal 4.3 belongs to the three-way Crystal 4 Series with a separate 125 mm Kevlar midrange and a 165 mm polypropylene bass cone.