The Denton 1, launched in 1974, was a groundbreaking loudspeaker that blazed a new trail for British loudspeaker manufacturer Wharfedale. Now, this loudspeaker serves as the inspiration for the company's latest Heritage model, the compact Denton 1S, which will be released in various trendy colors.
In the 1960s and 1970s, the various Denton loudspeakers from the British manufacturer Wharfedale were known for their natural, realistic sound from compact enclosures. During this period, various Denton models were launched, including both two-way and three-way systems, the first of which appeared in 1967.
Since 2012, Wharfedale has been paying tribute to the classic Denton line by introducing new loudspeakers inspired by the original Denton models. This series is part of the Heritage Series and is a celebration of the company's rich history of loudspeaker design, which began in Yorkshire in 1932. In the summer of 2026, a new Denton model will be added to this collection. But this model is distinctly different.
The new Denton 1S is inspired by a specific muse: the Denton 1 from 1974. In the early 1970s, new style trends increasingly made their way into the global audio market. Until then, Wharfedale’s Denton models—the original Denton from 1967 and its successors from 1971, the Denton 2 and Denton 3—had a more traditional design featuring a wood veneer. In response to this, Wharfedale’s recently revamped engineering team developed a new Denton loudspeaker that was sold alongside the other models. This loudspeaker had a fashionable, modern appearance, a lower price, and was designed for flexible placement.
The result was the Denton 1, a loudspeaker design that was far ahead of its time. It featured an unusual coaxial full-range driver with two cones on the same axis, which was beneficial for time synchronization and allowed the loudspeaker to be positioned both horizontally and vertically. Instead of the square, wood-veneer finished cabinets of other Wharfedale loudspeakers, everything was housed in a molded white polyurethane (synthetic polymer) enclosure with rounded edges. For its time, the Denton 1 was an innovative and ultra-modern compact loudspeaker, fitting the futuristic interior trends of the early 1970s.
Incidentally, the number ‘1' in the loudspeaker's name refers to the single coaxial driver, not to the chronological order of the launch. The two-way Denton 2 and the three-way Denton 3 were launched before the Denton 1 – a common source of confusion!
The Denton 1 was a bold concept in 1974, but perhaps more remarkable for its strikingly modern design than for its pure sound quality – certainly when compared to the natural warmth of the other Denton models from that era. The new Denton 1S adopts key elements of the Denton 1 – the relative dimensions, the curved cabinet edges, and the use of a coaxial driver – and delivers an entirely new design. It is a tribute to the style and philosophy of the Denton 1, but is in fact a completely different loudspeaker with significantly improved sound quality. Naturally, all components have been radically updated compared to the parts used in the 1970s.
The Denton 1S is designed for versatility. With dimensions of 330 x 236 x 229 millimeters (H x W x D), it is suitable for a wide range of environments, both at home and in the office, and delivers an immersive, full sound experience in a handy size. It is designed to be placed close to the wall and can be wall-mounted if desired. Additionally, it is suitable for placement on stands, shelves, sideboards, desks, and so on.
