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Wharfedale Heritage Centre
Wharfedale expanded its Heritage Series with the introduction of the Heritage Centre, a dedicated centre-channel loudspeaker designed to integrate seamlessly with models such as the Linton, Super Linton, Super Denton, Dovedale and Aston in multichannel home cinema systems. Developed in response to growing demand from users building AV setups around Wharfedale's retro-inspired stereo speakers, the new model brings the tonal character and driver architecture of the Heritage range into the crucial dialogue channel position at the front of a surround system.
While the Heritage Series was originally conceived for stereo listening, its expressive midrange presentation and wide dispersion characteristics have made it a natural candidate for multichannel applications. The Heritage Centre addresses the missing link in such configurations by providing a purpose-built centre speaker engineered to maintain tonal consistency across the front soundstage when paired with existing Heritage models.
The speaker adopts a three-way configuration similar in concept to other Heritage designs, combining a dedicated midrange dome with twin bass drivers and a fabric-dome tweeter. The 50 mm midrange unit handles the critical presence band between 900 Hz and 2.7 kHz, enhancing vocal projection and dialogue intelligibility, while a 25 mm fabric-dome tweeter with a damped rear chamber lowers the resonance frequency below the crossover region to ensure smooth high-frequency extension without harshness. Bass and lower midrange output are provided by two 165 mm woven Kevlar drivers adapted from those developed for the Super Denton, tuned in combination with the enclosure and twin rear-firing reflex ports to deliver the full-bodied tonal balance associated with the Heritage Series.
Cabinet construction follows Wharfedale's established Heritage approach, using layered materials to control resonance rather than relying on a single enclosure structure. An inner layer of high-density particle board is bonded to an outer MDF layer with a resonance-damping adhesive, supported by carefully positioned internal bracing and acoustic damping material designed to reduce cabinet coloration and maintain clarity across a wide range of programme material including film soundtracks, television and music playback.
Externally, the Heritage Centre is finished in real-wood veneer options including walnut, mahogany and black oak, hand-polished and lacquered to a satin finish to ensure visual consistency with current Heritage Series loudspeakers. Measuring 550 x 250 x 300 mm and weighing 14 kg, the cabinet provides sufficient internal volume to support its four-driver array while remaining compact enough for typical AV furniture placement.
The crossover network is tuned to integrate the drivers at 900 Hz and 2.7 kHz, contributing to stable dispersion and consistent tonal matching across the front channels. Sensitivity is specified at 90 dB with a nominal impedance of 6 ohms and recommended amplifier power between 25 W and 150 W. Frequency response is rated at 54 Hz to 20 kHz within ±3 dB, with bass extension to 47 Hz at -6 dB.
According to Peter Comeau, Wharfedale's Director of Acoustic Design, the Heritage Centre was developed using the same crossover engineering, driver matching and enclosure tuning principles applied across the Heritage range, ensuring natural tonality and strong vocal intelligibility while maintaining the depth and scale associated with the series' stereo models. The Wharfedale Heritage Centre will be available from late May with a suggested retail price of £649, completing the Heritage Series as a coherent platform for both stereo listening and multichannel home cinema systems. Info and photos by Wharfedale.
