Wharfedale Linton Heritage 85th Anniversary


These are fun speakers.  They are musical and smooth. An absolute pleasure to hear with tubes.

I cannot believe how well made they are at this price point.  I'd like to wheel in a pair of Harbeths or Spendors (classic type) to have a shootout.  The stands are well executed.  Everything feels substantial and high end.  Color me impressed.  


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I have had them installed for about 3 weeks now (see pics in my system), and they have about 70 hours of low to moderate playtime.
To me, they are all about low registers - very strong and dynamic from bass to lower-midrange; they retain the Denton 80th signature sound but with more extreme, detail, dynamics, imaging, and bigger soundstage of course, commensurate to their size.  
They can sound too muffled to some, with a recessed mid/upper medium and treble, yet they are capable of giving good detail and they do image really well, even if they lack air.  Of course, this is with my integrated (marantz pm8400).
I think their forte is imaging, dynamics without fatigue, and the size of the soundstage (I am used to 2-way with 5"1/4 woofers).  The sound character is really a matter of taste.  It works for some music (jazz, classical, electronics), but can lack clarity and air with rock and pop.
They are really laidback.
Hello!
I am seriously considering buying Lintons for my tube amplifier (iFi Audio Retro Stereo 50). On the speakers specification page it is said that their sensitivity is 90 dB at 2.0V @ 1m. Usually sensitivity is measured at 2.87V @  1m. Does it mean that Lintons will have more than 90 dB at this level? If so, they are in the same league as some horn speakers.
Will appreciate your thoughts on this.
Thank you!
I questioned that too. This has to be a typo.  It is more likely 90db @ 2.87v/1m .  
Compared to the other speakers I have, totem hawk and denton 80th, the Linton are clearly more efficient, and dynamic.
Thank you!
Even 90db @ 2.87v/1m is not bad.
My Polks LSIM 703 are 88 dB and they play quite nicely with iFi Audio Retro Stereo 50 but, maybe, too bright sometimes.
+1 on chrisr view.  They do lack a bit of air so they sound better in my more lightly furnished rooms. Or they open up with certain preamp tubes if I’m running a tube amp. 

At at some pint I’d like to open them up and see the crossover capacitor values. I’m thinking the caps might be generic or inexpensive caps rebranded. I have to remember what price class these are in and not too expect Class A performance from such a budget component.  The looks and fit and finish suggest a more expensive product.