Wharfedale Dovedale – Heritage Loudspeakers (Pair)
Classic British design reborn with modern refinement. The Wharfedale Dovedale – sold as a matched pair – revives one of the brand’s most iconic names in a thoroughly updated 3-way loudspeaker. With a 10" bass driver, dedicated midrange and soft-dome tweeter in a beautifully crafted cabinet, they deliver the scale, warmth and authority of traditional British hi-fi, elevated with today’s engineering.
- Large 3-way standmount design in the Wharfedale Heritage series
- 10" (250 mm) bass driver, 5" (135 mm) midrange and 1" (25 mm) soft-dome tweeter
- Classic wide-baffle cabinet with modern internal bracing and damping
- Designed and engineered for natural, full-bodied, room-filling sound
Product Overview
The Wharfedale Dovedale pays tribute to a classic 1970s model while being completely re-engineered for contemporary systems. The large, wide-baffle cabinet follows the Heritage aesthetic—real-wood veneer, clean lines, cloth grille—yet inside you’ll find modern bracing, carefully judged damping and a sophisticated 3-way crossover using high-quality components.
A 10" bass driver with a rigid yet well-damped cone provides effortless low-frequency extension, while the dedicated 5" midrange unit handles the critical vocal band with minimal coloration. A 25 mm soft-dome tweeter, mounted in a carefully profiled waveguide, ensures smooth, extended treble and well-controlled dispersion. The result is a loudspeaker that preserves the charm of the original Dovedale but with far greater transparency, control and consistency.
Listening Experience
The Dovedale pair offers a rich, expansive and highly involving listening experience. Bass is deep and authoritative, with real physical presence that lends rock, electronic music and orchestral works a satisfying sense of weight and scale. Unlike many slim speakers, the Dovedale moves air effortlessly, making music feel bigger and more relaxed, even at moderate levels.
The midrange is open and communicative, giving vocals a natural body and emotional impact. Acoustic instruments—piano, guitar, strings, horns—are rendered with convincing tone colour and texture. Treble from the soft-dome tweeter is smooth, detailed and unfatiguing, preserving ambience and fine detail without becoming sharp. Imaging is stable and three-dimensional, with the wide baffle helping create a large, coherent soundstage that extends beyond the cabinets.
Recommended Room Size
With their generous cabinet volume and 10" bass driver, the Dovedale are best suited to medium to large rooms where they have space to breathe:
- Dedicated listening rooms and larger living rooms
- Open-plan spaces where compact speakers sound small or strained
- Setups where full-range performance is required without a subwoofer
Placed on their dedicated stands and given some distance from the rear and side walls, they reward you with powerful, even bass and a spacious, effortless presentation.
Amplifier Pairing
The Wharfedale Dovedale have a moderate sensitivity and a nominal 6 Ω impedance, making them suitable for a wide range of quality amplifiers. Manufacturer specifications typically indicate a sensitivity around 89 dB (2.83 V / 1 m), with a recommended amplifier power in the region of 25–250 W per channel.
For optimum control and musicality:
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Integrated amplifiers in the 60–150 W per channel range (into 4–8 Ω) are an excellent match for most rooms.
- Solid-state designs with good current delivery help keep the 10" bass driver tight and tuneful.
- Well-designed valve (tube) or hybrid amplifiers with adequate power can create a wonderfully organic, three-dimensional sound in medium-sized spaces.
Amplifiers from brands such as Audiolab, LEAK, and other high-quality integrateds pair very naturally with the Dovedale’s balanced, slightly warm but detailed character.
Ideal Applications
- High-end two-channel systems focused on musical engagement and realism
- Vinyl-centric setups using quality turntables and phono stages
- Digital-based systems where a full-range, relaxed presentation is preferred over clinical detail
- Heritage-inspired rooms where classic looks and modern engineering must coexist
Technical Specifications
- Type: 3-way large standmount / floorstand-on-stand loudspeakers (pair)
- Bass driver: 1 × 10" (250 mm) cone woofer
- Midrange driver: 1 × 5" (135 mm) cone midrange
- Treble driver: 1 × 1" (25 mm) soft-dome tweeter
- Enclosure: Bass reflex with tuned port; heavily braced wooden cabinet
- Frequency response: approx. 25 Hz – 20 kHz (manufacturer rated)
- Sensitivity: approx. 89 dB (2.83 V / 1 m)
- Nominal impedance: 6 Ω (compatible with 4–8 Ω amplifiers)
- Recommended amplifier power: typically 25 – 250 W per channel
- Construction: Real-wood veneer, classic Heritage styling, removable cloth grilles
- Stands: Designed for use with dedicated Dovedale stands for optimum height and performance
Why Choose the Wharfedale Dovedale (Pair)?
The Wharfedale Dovedale pair is ideal for listeners who love the scale and warmth of classic British loudspeakers, but want the clarity and control of modern designs. With their 3-way architecture, large 10" bass driver, refined soft-dome tweeter and beautifully finished Heritage cabinets, they combine big, effortless sound with timeless looks—making them a long-term centerpiece for serious hi-fi systems.
