British HiFi company Wharfedale has earned a strong reputation in the audiophile world since its inception in 1932, particularly for its innovation in loudspeaker design. Recently, the company has been revisiting some of its classic speaker designs, giving them modern updates and branding them the Wharfedale Heritage Series. The newest addition to this lineup is the Super Linton Heritage, which is simultaneously an update of Wharfedale’s original Super Linton from 1967 and an enhanced version of the current Linton Heritage. To simplify the discussion, from here on I’ll focus on the present-day versions of these speakers and omit the “Heritage” label from model names.
The Wharfedale Super Linton, like the standard Linton, is a three-way, stand-mounted loudspeaker, featuring an eight-inch Kevlar woofer, a five-inch Kevlar midrange driver, a one-inch fabric dome tweeter, and two rear ports. The Wharfedale Super Linton is about two inches taller than the Linton and, according to Wharfedale, offers improvements in cabinet construction and most other components. As of this writing, the Wharfedale Super Linton (buy at Crutchfield) is widely available with matching stands for $2,499 per pair. When this special ends, the price with stands is expected to rise to about $3,000.
After living for decades with more expensive speakers, I was curious to find out how much high-end magic the Wharfedale Super Lintons could provide. What are its strengths? Its weaknesses? Who is it for? Stick with me, and we’ll find out …
What Makes the Wharfedale Super Linton Loudspeaker Special?
- The Wharfedale Super Linton has a new specially-designed bass driver. According to Wharfedale, this enhancement results in more impact at the low end. (As you might guess from my owning four subwoofers, I approve of impact at the low end!) Wharfedale has made enhancements to midrange and treble drivers as well.
- You won’t need a super-powerful audiophile amplifier for the Wharfedale Super Linton, with its relatively high efficiency of 90 dB. With that efficiency and nominal impedance of six ohms (3.9 ohms minimum), the Super Linton can be paired with a wide variety of tube and solid-state power amps. Wharfedale recommends 25 to 200 watts, which encompasses smaller tube amplifiers to midrange solid-state units.
- To fight resonances, the Wharfedale Super Linton’s cabinet is made in a sandwich construction, with layers of MDF bonded by latex damping adhesive. Wharfedale states that this construction has reduced cabinet resonances below audibility.
- Ease of placement is built into the ownership experience with the Wharfedale Super Lintons. With the Super Linton’s moderate bass response, in most rooms it will benefit from placement within a foot or two of the front wall. In many homes, especially when the audio system is in the living room, this will help strengthen the bass response, while maintaining harmony in domestic décor – and domestic relationships.
- Because the Wharfedale Super Linton stand-mount loudspeaker has wide dispersion, more than one listener at a time can enjoy its best sound. Yes, there still is a benefit to listening from the central sweet spot, rather than a seat on either side, but the difference is far smaller than with many other speakers, especially panel speakers, and it’s mostly in less well-defined imaging. The sound is plenty enjoyable when you’re standing or dancing, too.
- The Wharfedale Super Linton is available in three wood veneers. Let’s be honest: most of us want our gear to look as good as it sounds. The Super Linton’s cabinetry is handsome and simple, with the use of wood veneer instead of plastic adding a little touch of luxury at this price point.
- Wharfedale offers a three-year warranty, with numerous service centers around the world.Even though it’s rare for a speaker to fail early, having strong warranty coverage is a nice reassurance.
Why Should You Care About the Wharfedale Super Linton Loudspeaker?
The Wharfedale Super Linton fits into a price range that could appeal to first-time speaker buyers, those stepping up from their first systems, those who want a larger, more dynamic speaker than the small bookshelf models they may have been using, or even those downsizing for one reason or another. From that perspective, the Super Linton boasts many strengths, including relatively flat response through the midrange, minimal boxy colorations, excellent dynamics, and soundstaging and imaging that garnered high praise from my listening panel. For me, another standout characteristic is the speaker’s exceptional treble detail. As such, the Super Linton is a speaker that will benefit from careful system matching and attention to room acoustics, ensuring that its presentation of detail aligns with the user’s preferences.
At the other end of the spectrum, the Super Linton favors clear, articulate bass over added warmth. At least, that’s what I experienced in my room, with its extensive bass trapping. Again, care in positioning and system matching will help tailor the speaker’s presentation to your tastes.
In summary, the Wharfedale Super Linton is a noticeably well-made speaker, with retro looks that belie its modern sound. For audiophiles prioritizing dynamics, detail, imaging, and articulate bass, all at a moderate cost, the Super Linton could be a great choice.
Some Things You Might Not Like About the Wharfedale Super Linton Loudspeaker
- As always, a subwoofer or two will extend the bass to truly full range. Especially if you listen to bass-heavy genres, supplementing the Super Linton with one or more subs will add impact, evenness, and extension to the bass. This is hardly a fault, as almost every setup will benefit from a properly integrated sub (or subs) which, besides adding extension, can be placed to counteract room nulls. I can see an audiophile buying and enjoying the Super Lintons, then adding a subwoofer later when circumstances allow.
- The Super Linton has no adjustments on its back panel. I remember fondly the tweeter controls on the back of my college friends’ AR4 speakers, as I was the one usually asked to adjust them, by ear, when the owners had screwed them up. Because each room and each listener is different, such driver-level controls can be useful. The Super Linton is hardly alone in omitting them, as they have become increasingly rare. Regardless, audiophiles who want to tweak their sound are in a sort of golden age, as we have equalization options available in devices such as the WiiM and Bluesound NODE streamers, software such as Roon and JRiver Media Center, and hardware such as the Schiit Loki line.
Listening to the Wharfedale Super Linton Loudspeakers …
In positioning the Super Lintons in my room, I initially put them where I’ve placed panel speakers, including my reference JansZen Valentina P8 (read the reviews here) and the Magnepan MG-2.7i. Finding the bass a bit lacking, I moved the Super Lintons closer to the front wall for more boundary reinforcement. They ended up about 18 inches from the wall (11 inches from the GIK 6A acoustic panel mounted there), 88 inches between centers, and 106 inches from my listening position. In that position, the bass was lean rather than full, but a slight boost around 50 Hz, caused by proximity to the front wall, helped the lower octaves sound nicely balanced. I toed the speakers in by about 15 degrees, which gave a more mellow treble balance than aiming them straight at my ears.
For this review, the reference system included an Auralic Aries G1 streamer, an Anthem STR DAC/Preamp, and the Buckeye Hypex NCx500 Stereo Power Amp. The latter (at $995) seemed a likely pairing, and the more expensive Benchmark AHB2 and Orchard Audio Mono Ultra Premium amps, which I swapped in from time to time, gave similar results. No subwoofers were connected, just the Super Lintons’ full range.
In this age of microphones and Autotune, not every singer has a powerful and well-controlled voice. One who does – in spades – is Linda Ronstadt, and she uses that voice to great effect in “It’s So Easy” on her album Simple Dreams (40th Anniversary Edition). On this track, the Super Lintons seemed to emphasize the head tones in Ronstadt’s voice a little more than other setups, her chest tones a little less. The effect was not unpleasant, just a little different from what I’m used to. It’s hardly a quiet track, and a member of the listening panel observed happily that the Super Lintons’ presentation was “well-organized, even with busy recordings,” a sentiment I wholeheartedly seconded. We all noticed the excellent imaging, with the backup singers located behind Ronstadt and each instrument firmly placed. The speakers’ detailed presentation was especially noticeable in the percussion parts, which truly sounded – for lack of a better word – percussive. We all were moving our feet and enjoying the vocal fireworks of this amazing singer, and when we turned it up louder than I usually do, the sound stayed well organized.
Henry Cowell was an American avant-garde composer of the early twentieth century who influenced many, including John Cage. His “Ostinato Pianissimo” for percussion is a great audiophile demo recording: it’s short, humorous, and in the release Percussion Music by the New Jersey Percussion Ensemble, very well-recorded. I have used this track often to demonstrate the micro dynamics and tonal shadings possible with a great HiFi. Heard through the Super Lintons, those qualities were heard in abundance. There was clarity, with depth, detail, and percussive energy at all volumes, even when the music was soft. This was a fine job by the Super Lintons.
Few singers have had a voice as velvety as Ella Fitzgerald, or one that could find each syllable precisely on pitch, whether in a ballad or an up-tempo song. On “Stormy Weather” from Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Harold Arlen Songbook, Fitzgerald’s voice was at its peak. The Wharfedale Super Lintons presented that voice vividly. Fitzgerald’s voice was firmly centered, the muted trumpets on the right were extra brassy, and the horns on the left were smooth. The soundstage extended beyond the speakers. Everyone listening enjoyed how the Super Lintons did with this track, even though the recording does show its age.
Will the Wharfedale Super Linton Hold Their Value?
Wharfedale, a well-established audiophile manufacturer, is now part of the International Audio Group. Wharfedale’s longevity and reputation mean that most audiophiles either know Wharfedale by name or have listened to Wharfedale speakers. Given the buzz about the Heritage Series – which offers products that exceed expectations at their price points – I’d expect that a used pair of Super Linton loudspeakers would find a buyer without much difficulty.
What is the Competition for the Wharfedale Super Linton Loudspeaker?
In this price range, the Super Linton’s specified bass extension (-6 dB point of 32 Hz) is exceptional, especially for stand-mounted speakers, so I looked at floorstanding speakers, too, and considered speakers at up to around $3,000. Prices are per pair and, unless stated otherwise, do not include stands.
When I’ve heard Sonus faber speakers at dealerships and audio shows, I’ve enjoyed their elegant looks and natural tonality. The Sonus faber Sonetto II G2 ($2,749; buy at Crutchfield) is a two-way bookshelf speaker with a six-and-a-half-inch woofer and a one-and-one-sixth-inch tweeter. The dedicated stands are $899, and less costly third-party stands are available. The Sonus faber Lumina V ($2,999; buy at Crutchfield), a floorstanding speaker, was reviewed by Michael Zisserson, who praised their musicality and Italian craftsmanship. In this price range, either Sonus faber model (or both) would be worthy of audition. Sonus faber offers an eight-year warranty, contingent on product registration.
We reviewed the Mobile Fidelity SourcePoint 8 speakers (buy at Crutchfield), and found their midrange to have a “seductive quality,” as per the reviewer. At the time of this writing, MoFi has them on sale at $2,199 per pair, including stands. The SourcePoint 8 uses Mobile Fidelity’s (read the review) proprietary eight-inch Twin-Drive concentric driver, including a one-and-one-quarter-inch soft dome tweeter. Like the Super Lintons, it is finished in real wood veneers. The MOFI SourcePoint speakers have been acclaimed widely and, as they were engineered by the renowned speaker designer Andrew Jones, I’d surely want to audition them.
A British speaker with a more modern, luxurious appearance, the Quad Revela 1 ($2,995 including stands) distinguishes itself by using a true ribbon tweeter, along with a proprietary six-and-a-half-inch bass-midrange driver. (For more about ribbon tweeters, see my review of the Magnepan 2.7i.) In his review of the Revela 1, Eric Forst declared himself “instantly impressed.” Quad’s history and reputation make it a top-tier speaker manufacturer, and that gives us another worthy speaker to audition in this price range.
Final Thoughts on the Wharfedale Super Linton Loudspeaker …
The Wharfedale Super Lintons are dynamic, image well, and are relatively neutral through the midrange. They have what I’d describe as a modern tonal balance, with no treble roll-off until nearly 20 kHz, and a touch of extra sparkle in the very high frequencies. Along with that, there is no special emphasis of the lower midrange. In my room, those characteristics gave a presentation that emphasized treble detail over ease, and bass snap over warmth. I enjoyed the detail, and at times reached for the treble control on my preamp to dial it back a little. Each speaker’s tonal balance will be different in each room, and with each combination of associated audio gear – that is the objective side. On the subjective side, your reaction to a speaker will be shaped by your personal tastes and priorities as an audiophile and music lover. If imaging, detail, and dynamics are what float your boat the highest, the Super Lintons will be hard to beat in this price category.
Our starting question was how much audiophile magic the Wharfedale Super Lintons might offer. My answer is: quite a lot indeed, and more than you might expect. I was particularly impressed by their imaging and dynamics. Are they right for you? Only an audition can tell, but these speakers are worthy of consideration.
