Wharfedale Linton & Stands Package Black Oak

The Wharfedale Linton occupies a special place in the company's Heritage Series range, sitting alongside other reissued classics such as the Denton. Wharfedale, one of Britain's oldest loudspeaker manufacturers, founded in 1932, launched the original Linton in 1965. It remained in production in various forms through the 1970s, becoming a respected and relatively accessible hi-fi speaker of its era. The current model, relaunched in 2019, is a faithful reimagination of that classic design, built using contemporary techniques and materials whilst preserving the character and proportions that made the original so well regarded. The result is a speaker with an unmistakable retro identity and wood-veneered cabinet, updated to deliver performance worthy of a modern high-end system.

Design and Build

The Linton is a three-way standmount loudspeaker, a configuration that has become a rarity at any price point in the modern era. Its wide-baffle cabinet allows for a substantial bass driver: an 8-inch (200mm) black woven Kevlar cone, mounted on a rigid die-cast chassis. Above this sits a 5-inch (135mm) midrange driver, also featuring a woven Kevlar cone, housed within its own internal sub-enclosure to keep it acoustically isolated from the bass section. High-frequency duties are handled by a 1-inch (25mm) soft-dome tweeter with a high-flux ferrite magnet. The crossover is set at 630Hz and 2.4kHz. The cabinet volume of 57.6 litres gives the bass driver ample space to deliver its specified frequency response of 40Hz to 20kHz (+/-3dB), with a bass extension point of 35Hz at -6dB. Each speaker weighs 18.4kg and carries a nominal impedance of 6 ohms with a sensitivity rating of 90dB (at 2.0V, 1 metre). The recommended amplifier power range is 25 to 200 watts. Wharfedale supplies the Linton with hand-matched wood veneers across all available finishes, giving the speakers a level of fit and finish that reinforces their premium character.

Sound Quality

The Linton's three-way architecture, generous cabinet volume and high sensitivity combine to deliver a sound that is notably large in scale. The bass is deep and well-defined, benefiting from the dedicated 8-inch Kevlar driver and the volume of the cabinet. The midrange is clear and open, courtesy of the isolated midrange driver, which prevents low-frequency energy from colouring the critical vocal and instrumental range. The soft-dome tweeter provides smooth, extended treble without brightness or fatigue. Together, the result is a sound that reviewers have consistently described as involving and natural, with a musicality that keeps listeners engaged across a wide range of musical genres. The wide baffle and three-way design mean the Linton images well and presents a convincingly natural scale, particularly with acoustic music, jazz and classical material.

The Stand Package

This listing is for the Wharfedale Linton and Stands Package, which includes a pair of Linton speakers together with the matching Wharfedale Linton stands. The stands are designed specifically for the Linton, positioning each speaker at the correct ear-level height for a seated listener. The frame uses a rigid metal construction for effective vibration damping, finished with wood-veneered panels at the top and bottom to complement the finish of the speakers. A practical and design-considered detail is the open shelf built into the stand's structure that can be used to store vinyl records. The Linton Stands Package ensures the speakers are sited optimally without the need to source third-party stands, and the resulting visual combination presents a coherent, period-correct aesthetic that many listeners find a significant part of the Linton's appeal.