It's funny tho, because I mentioned this very same complaint about the LS50 in my post a few weeks back, I find that they distract me from the music and make me focus on the recording or engineering, it's good to know I'm not the only one! I may very well enjoy the Lintons when I get a chance to listen to them... My local hi-fi shop speaks highly of them too... As for the left brain right brain thing, I totally get that, my brother who has the LS50s is an engineer, while I'm very right brained (graphic designer) so the statement (and stereotype he's illustrating) make perfect sense to me!
Can u tell me how far apart they are? What’s your distance from MLP? Toe in or straight ahead? If toe in, approximately how much? Just roughly. Thank you. Will help me start off in the right direction to optimising my speakers.
Mid-range driver to mid-range driver = 6ft 6in Mid-range driver to MLP = 7ft Front baffle to back wall = 22in toe-in = almost 100% direct... drivers crossing perhaps 1ft behind listener. The room is open on the left and half open behind.... so I listen more to the speakers than the room. What striked me first with the lintons is how deep they go, how good double bass sounds, how big they sound, and imaging capabilities.
Interesting demo- definitely listen with a good set of phones if you can- and loudly to really amplify the differences. The Lintons sounded better than expected and quite good at first but then after you hear the LS5os / then the Lintons again etc- the differences become apparent. At first the LS50s sound deflated by comparison most likely because of their lower sensitivity. But then you notice the definition in the bass line, the lack of excessive high end "tizz", the more balanced, less fatiguing sound. Then you hear the piano- and winner! What a golden sounding piano. The LS50s piano representation and then later the lead guitar- and wow. No contest. then you listen when the going gets busy and the LS50s are able to maintain composure and separation of instruments. The Lintons sound like recessed boom tizz speakers with excessive bass that lacks definition, a recessed midrange and extended fatiguing treble, the classic definition of boom-tizz. They also started to struggle when the music became busy. Just an awful jumbled mess. Better than I thought and many will probably like them but no comparison to the Ls50s- which did not distract me from the music at all. The Lintons in this setting failed to let me focus on the music because they sounded so poorly.
These are either fantastic or they suck. Hopefully they are fantastic but there were some bad demo set ups.
To be honest the guy doing that dem hasn't got a particularly great amp. Would like to hear Linton's with something that exerts more control. Accuracy of the LS50 is your perception. When I heard them at shows they just sounded too clinical and not something I could live with long term. The sound is certainly smaller than the Linton though they obviously excel in certain areas and it depends on how important that is to you. I don't find the excessive precision of some modern hi-fi to be natural and the more 'sloppy' sound of the Linton (possibly amp dependent) is more natural to me and certainly would find that sound to have longer term listenability. I'm amazed you like LS50 as well as Harbeth as they to me are the polar opposite in sound. Here is video of what was heard at Bristol show (UK) which I didn't attend, so really can't comment if this is representative! Daft Punk seem to have taken over from Dire Straits as show favourites!
I’ll take Brothers in Arms or Money for Nothing any day over that! Really like the Lintons though, would love to hear them some day.
For some reason, I just found out a few days ago that is Daft Punk. I just assumed it was some stupid Robin Thicke song. I like the TRON Soundtrack, but the rest of it doesn’t do it for me. And of course in the copycat audio snob zone, the same **** music gets played over and over again.
I appreciate the effort made by people making these sound demo videos and it's nice to see speakers in action but I've yet to see one that really gets over the problem of cheap mikes in rooms full of reverb and early reflections, then mangled by Youtub. Not sure they're useful to appraise a speaker even in comparison to another.
Thank u so much. However I didn’t get the last part about the toe in. U mean to say you have toed them in so much that they face your listening position? Strangely my speakers sound best when they have zero toe in, ie firing straight forward. Also, I think I have my speakers maybe too wide from each other. Will measure up tomorrow. Does the speaker and the listening position have to form an equilateral triangle? Or is that a myth?
Aren't the tweeters offset to one side? You might try swapping left and rights as they sit now and then try the toe-in.
That one is by a professional reviewer and vlogger and I'm sure he doesn't use a cheap microphone. The better videos do have good enough sound to show general differences between speakers. Not the same as being there or having them at home obviously. Limitations of show environment are obvious in this one. Youtube HD mangles the sound a lot less than many think. You don't get any idea of such things as soundstaging.
On the toe-in, yes I like them directly facing me or slightly behind the listening position.. .that's true for all the speakers I have owned... In my experience, the equilateral triangle is the start. But it's not a bad thing to bring the speakers more together with less toe-in in my book! I just like to get more direct sound than indirect. That's just me....
I hadn’t honestly noticed that. Will give it a try. However, the speakers were marked L and R when they came in. Also, do you guys use those soft lil small black half ball cups between the speaker and the stand that came with the speakers?
The LS50s sound cold and analytical with certain amplification that made the rounds during audio shoes a few years ago (cough, parasound). With better amplifiers they shine - especially tube amps.
sounding much better but with my full range headphones there is too much bass and the midrange is still recessed and colored. I would still take the '50s over them. I need clarity and transparency in the midrange.
Here's another review full of praise for the Linton Heritage Speakers. The Wharfdale Linton Speakers – Reviews | TONEAudio MAGAZINE I will be looking for new speakers in the fall and the Lintons are pretty high on my list of speakers that I want to listen to.
From a consumer choice perspective, it may not be a bad thing to have a large speaker on the market that has somewhat recessed mids and (over-) friendly bass. There's lots of choice already today in speakers that feature a spotlight on forward mids.
I'm convinced Harbeth owners will be wondering why they spent so much? Not to mention those who spent £2.5K on modern LS3/5A such as Falcon. Here are some better sounding videos -
Also this show video. Certainly relaxed and entertaining if not the ultimate in hi-fi sound. Tempted to take a punt on these as they are better than a good many pricier speakers. Even if not the ultimate destination they are likely keepers like my 25 yr old Missions.
