About to buy a pair of Wharfedale Denton 80th Anniversary monitors. Talk me out of it.

I'm right about to purchase a pair of Wharfedale Denton 80th Anniversary speakers from Music Direct to use in my second system. Every review I can find, both professional and user, are off the charts perfect in terms of what I'm looking for. The measurements and graphs published by the UK audiophile mags look unbelievable. Seems like the only complaint about these is that they sound too dark, too warm, or too vintage-y. That's exactly the sound I want. Users and reviewers claim rich sound, smooth integration between mid and tweeter, surprising bass impact, liquid midrange, warm tonal balance, well-defined mid-bass, combined with finesse and good insight into the music. So what's the real story? Is this just another cheap sounding, yelpy, small-scale, speaker lacking refinement or is it truly a "poor-man's Harbeth"?

 

A friend of mine just bought them and really likes them a lot. He's a big bucks gear kind of guy so if he's impressed they've got to be a bargain.

Get them!

 

Very attractive. Nice, warm sound. Not the last word in detail. Get stands. I have them in my second system and like them. For $500 they are worth it. $1000? Probably not. But they sound far from cheap. I'm running a $250 NAD 320bee into them right now.

 

Get them . I have had a pair for almost a year-bought them when the price was halved at Music Direct. I like vintage gear so I have a bias. These speakers sound wonderful and have great looks and build quality. I love their sound with my EL84 Jolida amp. I don't know about audiophile terms of description but I will say they aren't bright or thin and seem well balanced to me.

 

Ps-they are rear-ported so need some space from the back wall and yes-put them on stands 24-28 inches high and place near the room corners slightly toed in.

 

That's good to know that they have the potential to be driven by low watt tube amps. I was concerned about that.

 

For $500 the anniversary Dentons are a good deal. If you are going to use them in a medium to small room then they seem like a good match. I like their old style looks and the reviews I've read suggest that these are good speakers.

Scott

 

Looking forward to receiving mine. I will post some review-type comments when they arrive and I have a chance to run them through the obstacle course. I found a lightly used pair for $400, which I am happy about because I don't have to wait to break them in.

 

I wouldn't bother with super low power single-ended amps but 20 plus tube watts is fine as I have found out. And they also do take to my vintage Sansui 9090DB. Or my Denon A100.

 

My NAD is rated 50wpc. Never feels like the Dentons are underpowered.

 

Wow; you just talked ME out of buying them EVER

 

For $500, one of the great hifi bargains of all time. They're the antidote to bright modern minimonitors! Gorgeous midrange, too. Are they a poor man's P3ESR? No. But in some ways, I prefer them to the P3's I had.

Don't buy them! (Well, you asked.)

 

I'm posting a separate review for the Dentons right now. They deserve a separate thread:

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/review-wharfedale-denton-80th-anniversary-speakers.472821/