Wharfedale Linton 85th Anniversary Review

HiFi Guy

All Things Audio
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For those unaware, England’s Wharfedale is one of the oldest (if not the oldest) manufacturers engaged exclusively in music reproduction, having established themselves in 1932. Western Electric in the US predated them by three years, but they were actually a division of American Telephone and Telegraph, founded in 1885. England’s own Garrard goes even farther back to 1722 as jewelers, and they branched out into the manufacture of gramophones in 1915. The House of Garrard (the jewelers) still exist today, as do Garrard (the turntable manufacturers) now owned by SME. Wharfedale is now owned by China’s IAG Group. Design and engineering is accomplished by a team in Huntington England and distribution is handled by MoFi Distribution in the US.

The Linton name dates back 1965 and was revived to celebrate Wharfedale’s 85th anniversary.
Despite the vintage name and appearance, the $1199/pair Linton 85th Anniversary is a fully fleshed out modern design. Both the 8” woofer and 5” midrange drivers sport cones made of woven Kevlar- the same material used for bulletproof vests. Why? Because it is both very lightweight yet very stiff- both good performance attributes. To top it off is a 1” fabric dome tweeter with a metal cover for those with small children who prefer to run their speakers without the stylish grilles. Added are Butyl rubber surrounds to the woofers and midranges for longevity. The tweeters are offset mounted- there is a left and right speaker, which are designed to be placed with the logo on the grille outward- the left speaker will have the logo to the left and vice versa. The shipping boxes are clearly marked so one knows which is which.

The book matched finish is perfect. They look vintage, minus the scratches and water stains from drinks placed atop them that one often finds on a genuine vintage speaker.

Around back are a pair of high quality binding posts along with a pair of ports. The ports allow for higher efficiency (90 dB in this case) and also allow for deeper bass output for any given cabinet volume versus a sealed design. The Lintons are designed to be used with amplifiers rated from 25-200 watts and are a 6 ohm design. There are two available finishes: Red Mahogany and Walnut. The review samples were sent in Walnut, which I found to be quite attractive.

Also available are an “optional” matching pair of 17” stands, priced at $299 per pair. I say “optional” because I really see them as required. They place the tweeters at the proper height for a seated listener and are very robustly built of steel and wood. The bottom shelf is absolutely perfect for record storage- something all of us struggle with to varying degrees. With the Linton’s quad of rear ports, they need some breathing room at the rear- one can’t (or at least shouldn’t) put these on bookshelves. Don’t even think of placing these on the same surface as the turntable- acoustic feedback will certainly be the result. I can’t imagine any stand manufacturer offering a better alternative. I see the Lintons with their matching stands as a $1498 system, and that’s how thery were auditioned. Also included are a set of floor protectors so the spiked stands won’t damage fine flooring.
 
Setup

My system is in my signature and although there have been a couple of changes over the last year (Grado Gold3 cartridge and Sutherland Duo phono preamp) my system has remained pretty stable- certainly stable enough to properly evaluate the Lintons. Because the Lintons are rated at 6 ohms and dip below 4 ohms in the bass, I used the 4 ohm taps on my PrimaLuna Dialogue HP integrated amp.

The Lintons are designed to be towed in towards the listening area, which is what I did. In my small listening room, I was able to place the speakers 2 feet out from the wall behind them.

Listening

I was offered a pair of run in Lintons, but I opted for a fresh pair to hear what an actual buyer might experience. These sound decent out of the box, but 125-150 hours make all the difference.They pulled double duty in my system. All music listening was exclusively via vinyl, but they also got a fair amount of Netflix duty, which also assisted with break in.

Once broken in, one can’t help but notice that the Lintons have absolutely astounding bass. Ive been amazed with not only how deep these can go, but their ability to do it with finesse. If I didn’t know, I’d never guess that the Lintons use an 8” woofer. One night, I had put my Zu Souls back in place for comparison. I pulled the 3 LP “Best of Depeche Mode” off of the shelf. From the opening notes of “Personal Jesus” I missed the punch an impact of the Lintons. I cued the arm up and put the Lintons back in place. It wasn’t just better, it was perfect. I don’t think I’ve ever heard Depeche Mode sound better.

A few days ago I listened to the tri color Jamaican flag RSD reissue of Peter Tosh’s “Legalize It”. Usually, as with much reggae, one notices the electric bass, as it offers the propulsion of the genre. And it’s still there with the Lintons, but I found myself drawn to the percussion, which previously I had not noticed as much. The Lintons seem to be able to highlight something in many recordings that wasn’t as obvious with other speakers.

I’ve kept these far longer than is customary for a review, and for that I apologize. However, there is a silver lining. I initially thought the high frequencies were rolled off. Actually, they aren’t- they are actually quite neutral and natural sounding. It’s going to be recording dependent though. Someone that wants a brighter presentation most likely won’t be happy. The flip side is that they are forgiving- less than stellar recordings become far more listenable. And great recordings still sound fantastic.

As I write this paragraph, I’m listening to a long out of print Classic Records pressing of Led Zeppelin’s fourth album, which was cut from the original master tapes. This album is a tour de force, but honestly doesn’t sound as good to me as do their two previous albums. It a bit brighter, especially in comparison to II- with John Paul Jones’ masterful bass work. There’s less emphasis on the bass on the forth release: Jones’ mandolin on “Battle of Evermore” has to be the most beautiful track on the album. I really noticed the echo added to Robert Plant’s vocals on the track as well.

I’ve listened to just about every genre of music with the Lintons, and they do a fantastic job with everything from EDM (Sofi Tukker) to classical (too many titles to list). I never found myself wishing for more or less of anything once I became acclimated to their lack of brightness. These are the perfect speakers for those who want to listen to music as opposed to listening to their gear.

Dynamics: This is the one area where the Lintons lagged a bit behind my Zus. There is something special where a (mostly) single driver speaker excels. The smallest volume shift in a performance becomes obvious, something I’ve never heard a converntional multi way speaker with its associated crossover do.

One of my favorite things about the Lintons is that they don’t require one to crank the volume to hear everything. They sound rich and full with the volume way down low- the bass doesn’t disappear. I normally wake up long before my wife and use headphones until she awakens. This totally changed with the Lintons in house- it’s been “all speakers, all the time.”
 
Conclusion

A totally positive review? Perhaps, but the Lintons certainly deserve it. This review was one of the most difficult I have ever written for two reasons. First, It was difficult to find something about them that I didn’t like, and even that was minor in comparison to their many positive traits. The second? This is how this review went: “I’ll start writing tomorrow. Today, I’ll listen to more music”. Rinse and repeat. For months. They are that enjoyable.

To say that I am totally besotted with the Lintons would be an understatement. They are a great choice for someone that wants to upgrade their system from entry level speakers. They also make sense for someone who may have purchased one (or more) “forever” components and needs to complete their system without breaking the budget. If you are looking for a pair of “forever” speakers without the usual price range that entails, put these at the top of your list. These, had they been manufactured in England, would be a compelling choice at $4500 a pair. At $1498 with the stands, they aren’t a gift. They are a steal.
 
I normally wake up long before my wife and use headphones until she awakens. This totally changed with the Lintons in house- it’s been “all speakers, all the time.”
Ha! I've been awaiting your Grado Hemp review, now I understand. Great stuff as always, thanks for sharing.
 
Conclusion

A totally positive review? Perhaps, but the Lintons certainly deserve it. This review was one of the most difficult I have ever written for two reasons. First, It was difficult to find something about them that I didn’t like, and even that was minor in comparison to their many positive traits. The second? This is how this review went: “I’ll start writing tomorrow. Today, I’ll listen to more music”. Rinse and repeat. For months. They are that enjoyable.

To say that I am totally besotted with the Lintons would be an understatement. They are a great choice for someone that wants to upgrade their system from entry level speakers. They also make sense for someone who may have purchased one (or more) “forever” components and needs to complete their system without breaking the budget. If you are looking for a pair of “forever” speakers without the usual price range that entails, put these at the top of your list. These, had they been manufactured in England, would be a compelling choice at $4500 a pair. At $1498 with the stands, they aren’t a gift. They are a steal.
Appreciate the detailed thoughts and analysis! I’m currently running Wharfedale Diamond 225s so I’ve been anticipating the Lintons review.

I’ve been relatively satisfied with but have been thinking about potential upgrade paths to a set with improved lower end that wouldn’t overpower my small listening space (a picture of which I’ve posted somewhere in these threads). This sounds like a set I should consider.

To be clear though, you don’t prefer them to your Souls, right? I know you cite one record that sounded preferable to your ears but overall you’re going to take your Souls 9/10 times, yes?

Thanks again.
 
Appreciate the detailed thoughts and analysis! I’m currently running Wharfedale Diamond 225s so I’ve been anticipating the Lintons review.

I’ve been relatively satisfied with but have been thinking about potential upgrade paths to a set with improved lower end that wouldn’t overpower my small listening space (a picture of which I’ve posted somewhere in these threads). This sounds like a set I should consider.

To be clear though, you don’t prefer them to your Souls, right? I know you cite one record that sounded preferable to your ears but overall you’re going to take your Souls 9/10 times, yes?

Thanks again.
It’s probably 50/50. I think the Lintons are easier to live with for most people though.
 
Conclusion

A totally positive review? Perhaps, but the Lintons certainly deserve it. This review was one of the most difficult I have ever written for two reasons. First, It was difficult to find something about them that I didn’t like, and even that was minor in comparison to their many positive traits. The second? This is how this review went: “I’ll start writing tomorrow. Today, I’ll listen to more music”. Rinse and repeat. For months. They are that enjoyable.

To say that I am totally besotted with the Lintons would be an understatement. They are a great choice for someone that wants to upgrade their system from entry level speakers. They also make sense for someone who may have purchased one (or more) “forever” components and needs to complete their system without breaking the budget. If you are looking for a pair of “forever” speakers without the usual price range that entails, put these at the top of your list. These, had they been manufactured in England, would be a compelling choice at $4500 a pair. At $1498 with the stands, they aren’t a gift. They are a steal.
Great review. I’m curious if you tried hooking it up to the 8ohm taps at all. If so, what were your impressions?
 
Great review. I’m curious if you tried hooking it up to the 8ohm taps at all. If so, what were your impressions?
Hooking up a 6ohm speaker to an 8ohm tap is something you can sometimes get away with, but it's not advisable.
Whenever possible you should use a tap with an equal or lower rating than your speakers. Knowing that these do dip into 4ohms, it could potentially be stressing an amp on an 8ohm tap.
 
Hooking up a 6ohm speaker to an 8ohm tap is something you can sometimes get away with, but it's not advisable.
Whenever possible you should use a tap with an equal or lower rating than your speakers. Knowing that these do dip into 4ohms, it could potentially be stressing an amp on an 8ohm tap.
How does it stress the amp?
 
How does it stress the amp?
The math is easier if we look at 4 ohm load hooked up to an 8 ohm tap. The idea is to match the load to the amplifier- that’s what the transformer does.

If you connect a 4 ohm load to an 8 ohm tap, you are in effect asking the amp to put out twice the current that it is designed for.

It is perfectly acceptable to run an 8 ohm speaker on a 4 ohm tap, but not the other way around.

To answer your question, I did not try the 8 ohm taps with the Lintons.
 
The math is easier if we look at 4 ohm load hooked up to an 8 ohm tap. The idea is to match the load to the amplifier- that’s what the transformer does.

If you connect a 4 ohm load to an 8 ohm tap, you are in effect asking the amp to put out twice the current that it is designed for.

It is perfectly acceptable to run an 8 ohm speaker on a 4 ohm tap, but not the other way around.

To answer your question, I did not try the 8 ohm taps with the Lintons.
Thanks for the explanation. I ask because the Herb Reichert said he preferred the sound he got from the speakers when hooked up at 8ohms. I didn’t realize that was a no-no for a 6ohm speaker.
 
Thanks for the explanation. I ask because the Herb Reichert said he preferred the sound he got from the speakers when hooked up at 8ohms. I didn’t realize that was a no-no for a 6ohm speaker.
6 ohms isn’t too much of a mismatch. But keep in mind that impedance varies by frequency. If the Lintons never went below 6 ohms, I would have tried both. Because they dip below 4 ohms in the bass (which puts a bigger strain on the amplifier) I decided to play it safe.

Stereophile also recommended using 4 ohms on my amp whenever possible, citing lower distortion.
 
What styles/genres do you prefer with the Lintons vs Souls?
It’s not really genres. It’s recording quality.

The Souls sound amazing with top notch recordings, but show average and poor recordings for what they are. The Lintons present great recordings differently from the Souls, but are far more enjoyable with lesser ones.

If I had to break it down:

Bass: Lintons by a country mile.

Midrange: Souls

Treble: Lintons- I alluded to the Zus being a little hot on the highs in my review. The Lintons really show this. Especially with classical and jazz, the Lintons sound closer to what I’ve heard live.

Dynamics: Souls
 
It’s not really genres. It’s recording quality.

The Souls sound amazing with top notch recordings, but show average and poor recordings for what they are. The Lintons present great recordings differently from the Souls, but are far more enjoyable with lesser ones.

If I had to break it down:

Bass: Lintons by a country mile.

Midrange: Souls

Treble: Lintons- I alluded to the Zus being a little hot on the highs in my review. The Lintons really show this. Especially with classical and jazz, the Lintons sound closer to what I’ve heard live.

Dynamics: Souls
Does the difference mostly come down to the Souls using a single full range driver vs a quality speaker with crossovers?
 
Does the difference mostly come down to the Souls using a single full range driver vs a quality speaker with crossovers?
No. Theoretically the cabinet volume is larger on the Soul, as is the driver- 10.3 vs 8”. All things being equal (and they never are in audio) one could reasonably expect the Zu to outperform the Linton. That’s not the case.
 
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