Wharfedale Linton Heritage 85th Anniversary Speakers

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by dolsey01, Mar 12, 2019.

  1. bgiliberti

    bgiliberti Will You Be My Neighbor?

    Location:
    USA
    I think we are on the same page. The key to sub integration is that when you turn on the sub, what you notice most is how much much more relaxed and at ease the voices/midrange sound. Not the bass. As you say, the bass should be discreetly reinforced, but just barely noticeable. It’s tricky though, and you have to fight the natural instinct to make the bass extra impressive. Sounds like that’s exactly what you are doing. Of course, my comments are about how to maintain soundstage and convincing imaging. OTOH, If you’re throwing a last days of disco nostalgia party, pump up the sub and have a blast.
     
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  2. Likewise

    Likewise Active Member

    Location:
    Sydney Australia
    Yep! 100%. Funny, I'm actually recording dj sets for a radio show I do at my place next weekend... inviting some crew for a dancefloor so the Wharfedales will definitely get a workout! The delicate sub settings will be out the window that night haha.
     
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  3. Rick58

    Rick58 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Eagle, ID, USA
    I'd like to hear from someone who actually has the Lintons (especially if they use a Parasound A 21 amp to drive them!). I like Yes, Genesis, Rush, et al but also some classical and pop ... some Black Sabbath, too, depending on mood. From what I have read they seem like excellent speakers for me ... but I don't need head banging volume, just moderate. Very tempted to try them some day.
     
  4. Clay B

    Clay B Forum Resident

    Saw a pair of Linton’s at my local store today. Great appearance. Really lovely. I didn’t get a chance to listen but the owner is impressed and I have found his opinions to be consistantly on the money. Should be as he’s heard a lot in his 45 years in the business.
     
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  5. core3m

    core3m Active Member

    Location:
    Poland

    They are deffinitly not slow or muffled speakers. it all depends on our habits - if we live with Klipsch every day, Lintons will be dark, if we live every day with some old big Harebeths/Xavian's, Lintons will be bright.

    The tuning of the Linton is quite consistent in the audible set - apart from the boosted bass, of course.

    Maybe a comparision with headphones will help You. I listened a lot of headphones. Lintons are definitely much brighter and more detailed than the famous "dark" headphones like HD650, Audeze LCD2 Fazor/ 3 and Audioquest etc. They have even more treble than HD600 (but linton's doesnt have hd600 midrange shining).
    On the other hand, they are darker than the Beyerdynamic DT990 Edition, Audiotechnica's W1000Z etc.
    They are something in between - but more towards to relax and warm sound. Compared to the Heresy IV, it will be much less shiny, with a larger but slower bass (but with a smaller kickbass) and a darker treble/upper mids (but the Klipsche has a curved top) with less air but guitars and vocals will be more natural with the Lintons. Separation & air will be better at Kllipsch.

    I cannot agree that the Lintons play music like Rush badly . I even think old rock, heavy metal, progressive music sounds great - because it was badly recorded, and the Lintons focus more on the music as a whole, not the recording flaws.
    The problem starts when the production is too muffled - that's when I use the EQ. It's sometimes happens with new productions with boosted low-mids (some recordings are specially boosted on certain bands to play well on a mobile phone).

    You asked about Dream Theater. In my opinion they are all sounds good/great with Linton's expect "A Dramatic Turn Of Events" (because this album production is muffled).

    With progrock's from 70/80 - Rush, Marillion, Yes, Genesis... it sounds really great. With Metallica - Master Of Puppets, And Justice, Black - great. Iron Maiden - great. Black Sabbath, Massive Attack - Mezzanine, gladiator soundtruck - great.
    It's all depend from production - not from music styles. Linton's doesnt like only muffled productions. With thin/harsh produtions sounds good, with good recordings sound good, with extremly bassy,dark, muffled recordings - it sounds muffled.
     
    Last edited: Aug 26, 2020
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  6. bgiliberti

    bgiliberti Will You Be My Neighbor?

    Location:
    USA
    Great description, super helpful. I'm just a little confused about what you say at the very end, which is all I quoted above to save space. While I have a few recordings that sound dark and muffled, I can't off the top of my head think of a musical group or genre that routinely sounds that way. Can you give a couple of examples?
     
    Last edited: Aug 26, 2020
  7. YtseJammer

    YtseJammer Forum Resident

    Thanks a lot for your feedback, much appreciated.

    I really like your analogy with the headphones since I'm also a headphones guy ;)
     
  8. Crush87

    Crush87 Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    Those of you who experience a "break-in" after a period of time, what do you hear?

    I'm a bit surprised, the Lintons I got today sound darker and more "closed" than my vintage SB-2760 Technics which, believe me I know, are not known to be great speakers. I've had them for decades and I'm sure a big part of this is how used to them I am.
     
  9. bgiliberti

    bgiliberti Will You Be My Neighbor?

    Location:
    USA
    Well, I looked at you profile, and one problem could be that you don't have an amp.
     
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  10. Crush87

    Crush87 Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    Mortal sin to power with a freshly refurbished Marantz 2238b?

    Even if everyone is running an integrated amp with these, I'm still comparing my two pairs of speakers with the same receiver so my original question I would think is still valid
     
  11. bgiliberti

    bgiliberti Will You Be My Neighbor?

    Location:
    USA
    You list the Marantz as a "Tuner" on your profile.
     
  12. Crush87

    Crush87 Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    Okay. Fixed.
     
  13. bgiliberti

    bgiliberti Will You Be My Neighbor?

    Location:
    USA
    This is pretty obvious, but have you made sure that your hi-filter button on the receiver is not engaged, and that your tone controls are flat or defeated?
     
  14. maglorine

    maglorine Forum Resident

    Location:
    Fairport,NY
    I heard the bass fill out a bit. It was leaner and drier at first. I don't know your other speakers but the Lintons have never sounded dark or closed in my system compared to anything I've had in the last decade.

    Like a previous post mentioned, you can find both darker and brighter speakers out there. I agree. These are balanced slightly on the relaxed side as they never come across as strident, but they are not mellow or soft sounding. Many tracks are positively dynamic.
     
    Rick58 likes this.
  15. Crush87

    Crush87 Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    Yes everything is flat
     
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  16. bgiliberti

    bgiliberti Will You Be My Neighbor?

    Location:
    USA
    I think you are just used to the others. Give yourself a few days to adjust.
     
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  17. cliff_forster

    cliff_forster Crabby Dad Tech

    Location:
    Baltimore Hon
    Mine continued to change after a couple hundred hours. The 8" isn't high excursion but it's tight and fast. It seems to need a lot of time to really loosen up and fill out. I'd say at 50 hours or so you are hearing the deepest notes, but what continues to happen is that driver really starts to blend in with the 5" which is really forward at the beginning. I don't have a perfect scientific measurement but I'd say 200 hours of playing content a bit above normal listening level and it's finally broken all the way in. The biggest change after 50 hours is what it sounds like with less power. At first you need to give the Linton's some juice to get any low bass, but over time it gets better where you don't have to drive them nearly as hard to get them to play with some energy.
     
  18. maglorine

    maglorine Forum Resident

    Location:
    Fairport,NY
    This. Exactly this.
     
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  19. bgiliberti

    bgiliberti Will You Be My Neighbor?

    Location:
    USA
    But, I understand his concern to be a "dark" sound, not weak bass, or a too forward midrange. My guess is that the JBL's had a beamy old fashioned tweeter, so his ears just have to adjust to the wide dispersion of a modern tweeter. It's much better, but like any new piece of gear, your brain/auditory system has to adjust to really get the benefit.
     
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  20. maglorine

    maglorine Forum Resident

    Location:
    Fairport,NY
    I hear you. You’re right. It comes down to room, associated equipment, or as you point out- preferences.

    More break in isn’t going to cause the Lintons to “brighten up”. Cliff accurately described the changes I experienced and that wasn’t one of them. So if you think they’re dark now the speaker isn’t going to change in that aspect. The listener might change though! Only time will tell.
     
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  21. James Bennett

    James Bennett Forum Resident

    your 9 year old sounds awesome. :D
     
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  22. AlecA

    AlecA Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Hampshire, USA
    Finally pulled the trigger for these. Pairing them with the Audiolab 6000A Play. Even though these are considered bookshelves, I think they will be the biggest box speakers I've ever owned!

    The speakers will be here Wednesday, amplifier will be here Friday. Hoping that they will work well in my overly bright living room (not much I can do with room treatments for a variety of reasons)

    I've got the Wharfedale Denton 80th in my office, and I love the sound signature.
     
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  23. maglorine

    maglorine Forum Resident

    Location:
    Fairport,NY
    Congrats. Interested to hear both your initial and later impressions and how they compare to your Dentons. I made the same transition and it wasn’t exactly what I expected, but it was happily ever after.
     
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  24. AlecA

    AlecA Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Hampshire, USA
    I'm interested to hear in what way was it not as you expected?

    I know that I have to temper my expectations and get through the "break in" period. And there's always the playing with the setup and placement. Plus, I'll have a new amplifier and CD/SACD player with their own additions to the equation.

    It should be fun!
     
  25. maglorine

    maglorine Forum Resident

    Location:
    Fairport,NY
    I thought it would sound like an upsized Denton. It really doesn’t. More comments upthread from myself and others.
     

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