This is a fantastic way to do a speaker comparison. I love the fact that you ask real people their opinions as well; not just the audio guru employees.
Watched the video properly this morning. Both good speakers & as mentioned before I bought the Wharfedale Linton Heritage speakers with Stands 7 months ago. I love them ( I am listening right now to a recently released David Bowie box set concentrating on his 1970 material ) & a more affordable alternative to the Harbeth HL5
I have heard the KLH, but I do own the Lintons (paired with Leak 130) and I love them! Mainly listen to Vinyl and could not be more happy! Agree with everything you said! Would like to hear the KLH they look like beauties!
Sorry to say, but leak 130 is a bad pairing. You will benefit a lot if you get a better amp. But maybe you don't need it for vinyl if you like the sound..
I've heard both in my space (I bought my model 5s from Just Audio). The lintons are definitely warmer, and the KLH have more clarity. Bass wise i'd almost say the KLH goes lower in my room, but the lintons made "thicker" bass in more quantity if that makes sense, def more texture/bass clarity on the KLH. I went with the model 5's in the end because I can add warmth on the front end to the model 5s, but I can't add clarity to the lintons. That and I use it in a HT setup and dialog clarity was easier with the KLHs.
@@iveseenyourbrain3548 cut the treble and boost the bass a bit. If you don’t have tone controls, you can add a Schiit EQ. Or you can do what I did with the Lintons - wait until YOU break in and get accustomed to them. Luckily, the woofers on the Lintons did loosen up over time. It’s the first speaker I’ve ever owned that really did loosen up and “break in”.
In the uk the model 5 are twice the price of the linton, 2 grand for model 5 and 1100 for the linton including the stands. In the uk the linton have to be the clear winner just for the price alone.
Today and on the continent, the difference is even bigger. 3300-3500 Euro for the KLH, 1200-1300 for the Lintons, both including the stands. Lintons for 900 without stands. That's not even the same world in terms of price.
I have the Lintons. The best description I have seen of them online is someone who said that they DO contain all (or at least 98%) of the detail of most modern hifi speakers--but they make you go find it in their broad and deep soundstage as opposed to serving it directly and involuntarily into your ears. They actually have a LOT of treble and air--so much that many people roll it off. What they don't have is a lot of aggression and bite, and that's where the "warm" name comes from I think. That said, they don't have no bite either. To my ear they have a very normal amount, probably a natural amount. Metallica sounds plenty fine on them. On the bass end, they have very full and even bass, more full than the KLH, though if you actually look at measurements the KLH extend slightly further down (by like just a few Hz) and have a more gradual roll-off, as expected of the 10" woofer. I don't think you'd feel compelled to seek out a subwoofer with either speaker. It's common to bump the Lintons at 1 kHz by just a touch to fill in the mids there (see Erin's review). Though overall they have very fleshed out and even mids, much more so than a standard 2-way. So this is just a tiny tweak. Lastly you can plug the ports and apply some careful EQ to bass frequencies and use them in small rooms and even close to walls with superb results-I do. They're flexible that way. I don't think it's accurate to just say they "sound vintage". They might have a subtle vintage vibe to the sound--I guess because of their broad baffle, large box, 8" woofer, and 3-way design. But they are thoroughly designed with 21st century knowledge. They do not just sound like their 70s counterparts. Lastly just to note it's important to have the grill on since it's not just a grill but contains wave guides. By the measurements at least, the Lintons are a bit more even and neutral than the KLHs.
Awesome work putting the video together!! I’ve owned both speakers for months at a time and VERY impressed!! I’ve had similar but not exact experiences as the review. Basic thoughts after a few months with each speaker. First I love the Lintons. Could live with them forever. But 5s are shockingly good. Just as smooth but a good degree more life and detail to the sound? So far bass is very similar. Little faster and powerful on the 5s? No need for a sub with these. Super TIGHT bass. I had a sub with the Lintons and it helped but with the 5s I turned it off as it barely added anything. Maybe just our room? Bigger at 22x26’ with a slight vaulted ceiling. Lintons have awesome bass but slightly “relaxed” which is better for 70s music? Linton 7/10 KLH. 8/10 Mid range similar tonality. Super easy to listen and life like. But the 5s has better/wider soundstage which makes the mid range feel even more life like. Feels like it reaches a few feet further on the right and left and has ridiculous centre image. Easy to place too. Very smooth. Linton 8/10 KLH. 9/10 Upper mid and treble is where I felt the 5s pull away. The transitions from mid range up into the treble to my ears is perfect. Lintons never loved the treble. It was fine just “boring” and flatter. The 5s are more airy - somewhere in between Lintons and a Klipsch horn. But never fatiguing surprisingly. Linton 5/10 KLH. 9/10 Also I’d say the 5s have excellent center image and 3D qualities. Linton 6/10 KLH. 9/10 Amp pairings I’ve tried the clinical solid state Yamaha AS1200, tubes on the PrimaLuna 100, and the warm solid state Hegel H95 and H120. Honestly both speakers pair awesome with all those amps which have very different characteristics. KLH 5s showed more of the amp differences in my opinion? But not in a bad way. Totally agree with preferred music genres mentioned here that pair better on each. For the price difference of each I’d say the value is identical. Both are unreal and could live with either forever.
@Shane P the Yamaha brought out more details than blueprints for a space shuttle! It was too intense for us and a bit fatiguing but at the same time very impressive if that’s your thing. PrimaLuna had imax like 3D holographic soundstage. Bass was weaker and not as much slam as solid state but for long term listening I’d go with the evo 100 all day every day as it’s so life like sounding. But we have 3 little boys so went with the Hegel as it’s in between the other two for convenience but still a warmer sound (the kids said the tube amp looked like an evil toaster oven and was too scary looking. 😂) In a few years will switch to a tube amp for sure.
Awesome review. I wonder if the previous gen Yamahas(A-S1100 or 2100) would fare better as they were supposed to be more tube-like than the newer 1200 and 2200).
@@MH-rl9ep my buddy has the AS1100 and I couldn’t hear any difference between it and the 1200/2200 series? They aren’t cold or warm sounding. Neutral and extremely clean - and hyper detailed and punchy to my ears. They give a very intense and direct sound - in a good way if you like that style.
Wow, sounds like the ying and the yang of my two sets of floor speakers. I have a pair of 1970 Wharfedale W70E’s and a pair of 1992 Polk Monitor 10 series 2, both sets mint with upgraded customized crossover networks in mid 2019. The description of the Littons sound a lot like my Monitor 10’s and the description of the KLH M5’s sound a lot like my W70E’s, although the W70E’s have a beautiful bottom end, as they are acoustic suspension with 15 inch woofers, but balanced sounding full range. My Polks don’t quite do a kick drum as realistically as the W70E’s, but I find that cutting 100 Hz bass shelf about 7 dB from the amplifier gives me the best “balanced” sound for the monitor 10’s at higher volumes because the bass gets to be a little bit too much for my taste and takes definition away from the overall sound. I’ve attributed this problem to the nature of the passive radiator type design of the monitor 10. The one thing the 10 series 2 tend to do well is hide or mask deficiencies in the source material and are more forgiving than the W70E’s which allow you to hear everything that’s there. I tend to lean one way or the other depending on the source material quality and/or genre of music I’m listening to.. 🥳🥳
This is really one of the best audio videos. Excellent product selection, reasons for your choice broken down realistically, and other opinions in the same video really helps. Unfortunately, I have to "touch" the product sometimes to really decide. I think I would be happy either way, but "if" the exterior looks and feels cheap, that would bother me. In a perfect world, deliver them both to my audio room for an afternoon and I could decide.
I’ve tested both in my place. I bought the Lintons and returned them because of the lack if clarity and the discolouration they add to the music. What people call warm to me it is dull. To my ears the vocals sounded pitchy. Later on my boss bought the KLHs and he lent them to me for a couple of weeks. I loved them. I think it’s not even fair to compare the Lintons to them. The difference is huge. The KLHs are way more neutral, balanced with a way better clarity. As soon as they will be in stock again I will buy them with the walnut finish.
Same here... I found the Lintons to lack clarity on the higher frequencies and the center image wasn’t as strong as I am used to with my jbl 530s, plus I found the mids to be a bit forward. The lintons are beautiful speakers but wasn’t my cup of tea.
I've tested both models in the shop and I completely agree. I thought I like warm sound, but the KLH were miles ahead of the Lintons in clarity, slam, airiness, musicality. Top to bottom I preferred them!
Same here. The lack of transparency with the Lintons is a deal breaker for a lot of audiophiles. The Lintons are easy to listen to, but they don't dig into a recording and engage the listener as well as the KLH. Wharfedale designed a vintage sounding speaker. I prefer the much improved speakers like my Magnepans and Kefs. The KLH are vintage LOOKING, but they are audiophile all the way and ultimately more versatile.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS DON'T COUNT... as much as the impressions after six months of ownership of a product. And my impressions my Lintons continue to be extremely high. Unlike any previous speaker (or almost any HiFi component, come to think of it), slight imperfections in sound quality get annoying such that long listening sessions become irritating. That simply has not happened with this speaker [and I have had many]. This video was one of the HiFi reviews that influenced me to buy the speaker. It continues to echo what I think about this speaker, after six months of ownership. The ONLY thing that people could say is 'wrong' with this speaker is its possibly old-fashioned appearance; but I hate all the gimmicky-looking speakers anyway, so its not a problem for me.
In my experience, the Lintons are far from “warm” sounding. They have great midrange and treble detail - they are just not made to melt your face. I’m fact, compared to live music, they are possibly bright sounding. The whole boosted high thing is super annoying to me. I would never own a Focal or B&W for this reason. I dislike the Elac sound, but, ironically, am fine with the RP600M. In other words, they can keep their “tinkle”, though bells and such are perfect on the Lintons. I do love the Linton bass. It has loosened up, but is not bloated and can be modulated with placement from the back wall. On the grilles, don’t get me started! They were designed to sound best with them on. Leave them alone unless you want some diffraction and high end edginess.
A little late to the party, but you did a good job here. Linton's are, like you mentioned, a warmer sounding speaker. Listen to them all day. The fact that the Linton's are about 1k less expensive didn't hurt. Put the savings towards better amp.
Re klh bass, putting the speaker closer to the rear wall can help. There is a simple calculation that can predict what frequencies will be reinforced. The one person said the linton bass was "better". That is a not a fair adjective. Some people don't like ported speakers because while they put out more bass, the bass quality, assuming both have been optimized, won't be as clear compared to sealed cabinets. Quantity vs. Quality.
Amazing. Not a single mention of Soundstage and Imaging. Two of the most important aspects of any speaker that I audition. But they were described as having a "vintage" sound, and god knows, most vintage speakers had no imaging capabilities whatsoever, so perhaps that's why it didn't factor in at all...
I was waiting for this, and what a great comparison this turned out to be 😄 Told me exactly what I needed know and I want to say round 3 helps to put all the other remarks into perspective for those who are like me and just don't really know how all the descriptive terms used to describe the sound translate into an understanding about the listening experience. But everybody can understand "works well with subtle jazz, not so much with gritty rock" and understand the rest of the video from there.
Let us know your opinions on the KLH Model 5 & Wharfedale Linton's below! Also wat did you like or dislike about this battle video! We will be putting the best comments and questions in our follow up video!
I favor acoustic suspension bass over ported bass any day. Once I save enough for a full sized Shitt Audio system. The Vidar Freya Gungnir Lokius with KLH Model 5 in South African Mahogoney Add a Innuos streamer all coming in at $7500.
I've had the lintons about 3 years. I would prefer magnet grille,but hey ! They say they are designed to be listened to with the grills on. The waveguide? Built into the grill Helps with imaging they say. But I hate to cover up the cool-looking speakers with the grill. I love their sound. Yes, a trip in time with their sound. They go low but I like it a little lower , so now there is a REL Classic 98 sharing the floor. Very happy.
Wharfedale wants you to keep the grill on, it's specifically designed to help with the sound of the Lintons and are not supposed to be used with them off. I have them and it's the first time a speaker made my jaw dropped, for the price you just can't beat them.
I've finally reached a point in my life where I can put together a nice stereo. I've always wanted one. About 10 years ago I stumbled across a stupid cheap deal on a Pioneer SX-1250. The previous owner told me it doesn't come on. I had been planning on tearing the thing apart because I was interested in learning about repairing electronics. Broken was fine by me. Before I started I figured I should probably check things out on the internet to ensure I was breaking a very nice unit. I found out that it's considered a very nice unit. I've had that receiver in a closet ever since. Now I'm looking at putting things together. I plan on taking the Pioneer to a good electronics shop for a recap/repair. The thing is I don't know beans about audiophile gear. I have no idea what to pair the Pioneer with. I really liked what you were saying about the Lintons - vintage sound and all. I lean towards classic rock, but am getting into classical as well. I plan on using the system for vinyl. Would the Lintons be a good pairing for my SX-1250?
@@sandlmv8301 thanks for the confirmation. Got the receiver back and it's currently paired with a set of Klipsch kg4 speakers. Sounds pretty damned good.
@@skippythetubrat Glad you enjoy it. Both the Klipsch and the Pioneer are pretty bright and detailed. I imagine you might have to back the treble off a little at higher volumes. That amp and speaker combo would go VERY loud. Don't ever part with that amp. Top investment but also a very good sounding unit. Keep it serviced every few years. What repairs were needed to get it up and running? Also, the Lintons would be a great pairing for that amp because they're a warm sounding speaker but still have good detail and dynamics. If you could find a vintage pair of jbl's like the L100 for under $500usd that would be a great pairing as well. JBL L5 or L7 would be even better. Not as sort after, more modern design but still vintage and VERY good quality drivers. I'd go for the L7 any day of the week. L100 vs L5 I'd probably need to hear side by side but I imagine the L5 would win. The JBL L7 for around the $600-$700usd mark would be well worth considering. Especially in the walnut version. If you want to stick with Klipsch go for the rf7 series 2 or 3, and also the Polk Lsim 707. They were on sale alot recently at stupid low prices but may be all gone. They were the Polk flagship before the newer legend series. Also the JBL studio 590 on sale, but probably all gone. any of these speakers will give you a hard to beat system for life. If you can still find the Polk Lsim 707 or JBL studio 590 in the states on sale then run for them, preferably the 707's fast. Cheers.
@@skippythetubrat if you're in Australia 'skippy' then you can only dream about the speakers I've mentioned! And just save for the Lintons. I'd certainly look for some second hand focal aria 948 before parting with $2750aud for new speakers. Even though the Lintons are worth the money and also look the business.
Danny at GR Research did his rundown on the Lintons and was really disappointed with the very cheap internals, said the crossovers were made with the cheapest parts possible, and the sound he charted wasn't good at all.
I haven't watched the video yet but I bought the Wharfedale Linton Heritage speakers with Stands Xmas 2020 & I am very happy with them. Very easy to listen to with all types of music.
This was awesome, finally a very detailed speaker comparison. Request you to do a similar comparison between Kef r3 & wharfedale Evo 4.2 if you also happen to think it's an interesting faceoff
Great review. I may try a pair of KLHs. I have a pair of Lintons. Love them. Remind me a little of my vintage L100s. Sound great with the Leak Stereo 130 and also with vintage solidstate Mcintosh preamp. Also really great in a Mid century modern looking stereo setup. However the KLHs have that vintage linen and would look right at home also.
Been considering the linton/Leak combo myself. Audiophiles sneer at the Stereo 130 because it's a "chip amp" which cracks me up because, in the world of headphone amplifiers, which I'm more familiar with, solid state op-amp based designs are considered superior by many because they measure so well. I've heard the Stereo 130 is pretty lean and exacting. Is that true? I feel like it might make it a good pairing with a warmer speaker for that reason
most anticipated review of my year! I have the Linton's in my main system. The amp is the Yamaha AS 1200. I've been contemplating the Model Five's but they are sold out everywhere till August? I am still considering the Klipsch Heresy IV's. I also have a Sansui AU 9500 that would mesh well with the Model Fives I imagine. Had them hooked up to some original Fives and they sounded amazing
I have tried the Heresy 4’s compared to my Heresy 3’s. The 4’s are simply too bright overall. And I tried every position and configuration possible. My two cents. 👍
I work in hifi in Croatia. I haven't heard the klh speakers but we do sell alot of the lintons. As for the lintons, the best way to describe them is that they are a classic vintage British speaker with modern bass. They have a big sound with a deep stage, tight and fast, however they are not revealing. They are a speaker where everything sounds good and acceptable and they are non fatiguing. But you should get them with their stands as they look great with them. End game speaker...no. Easy listening and enjoyable speaker yes
One thing I can say is this, the Model 5's love power. The more the better, I tried a 150 wpc Class D, SVS SoundBase, and then the XTZ Edge A2-400, which is pushing well over 250 wpc to these 6 ohm speakers. At 4ohms, the XTZ is pushing 420 wpc, so it is pumping some power to the Model 5's. The addition of the XTZ amplifier took the Model 5's to a new level, the soundstage is incredible, I would say it doubled, the sound is just nuts, it envelops you, to the point I was snapping my head to see what the hell is going on behind me, it was the speakers! Feed the Model 5's with the clean and neutral power from the XTZ amp, and you will never look back. I am feeding the speakers with 10ga copper cable. I am using the Cambridge Audio CXN v2 streamer/DAC as a source. The DAC on the Cambridge is solid, I find it difficult to justify adding a separate DAC, as the dual Wolfsons in the Cambridge, along with the ani-jitter topography along with the solid built in preamp ability, I think any improvements would be minimal at best. I also added my two SVS SB3000 subs to the mix, they run off of the RCA outputs of the Cambridge unit. The amp is using the balanced XLR's. The addition of the SB3000 subs take all of this to a new level. Very happy!
Wharfedale has heaps more money to spend on bulk production and testing/tweaking/refining. Klh's are a good start for the new company takeover, but they're not bettering the Lintons at an extra 50% of the price, Not even close. If you're looking for a nice full sound with Plenty enough detail without sitting there and analysing and just enjoying, the Linton's are the choice.
70´s style was cleaned on 2nd hand on-line sites and now brands followed the trend and started to appear what were considered ,old and bad speakers to be fashion again ,incredible good it´s my opinion towers are not the best way of making speakers but i had for my telecaster in 68 a speaker tower style with several woofers ,now not modern speakers that emulate what was done in the 50´s and 60´s i bought mine from an old guy at the time, that sold me everything of his guitar equipment
Reposted from another comparison video: I had to get beyond the look of the Model 5's, but did get them into my home along with a pair of borrowed Linton's. Both are solid designs. But the difference for me was when I went to higher end amps. The KLH was insanely transparent at the price point. NuPrime, Rogue, Manley and even my Cambridge EVO 150 sounded superbly musical with the 5's. The Linton's did less when it came to transparency. The 5's handled female vocals with greater realism and detail. They were also less kind to some older recordings, which is a price you'll pay for that capability. The Linton's were less transparent, both to the same vocals as well as my different sources. Hooking up the the Model 5's to a Rogue Cronus Magnum III sent them to a level that surprised me. With the same amp the Linton's took less advantage of the excellent Rogue power. After some extended listening I determined that the Model 5's are good enough to exploit higher end electronics while the Linton's can't. Moving out of my listening room and into a common "against the wall" placement situation, the Linton's were in trouble. They sounded like boxes and the mid base muddied, unless I pulled them out. But the Model 5's performed even better in some respects. Overall it was no contest. The Model 5's are serious audiophile speakers for under 3K. The Linton's sound more like an entry level design. A lot will depend on your space, but the Model 5's are more tunable and likely earn some years in any given system. I like them as much as my Magnepan .7's (mated to a pair of SVS SB3000 subs), but in different ways. My buddy, who runs Magnepan 3.7's, was equally in favor of the model 5's. They're just more musical and reveal much more in a recording.
Although they look similar, the price difference is too drastic for them to compete. The KLH model 5 as a pair with stands is $2500 vs Lintons with stands at $1700 but the Lintons see more sales promotions and have been $1500. I own the Linton and happy with them. I cannot imagine paying a lot more for slightly better articulation and less bass.
@@rockroll4553 I had both. Ran with Manley, Rogue, EVO 150 class D. KLH is a more balanced and detailed presentation. The Lintons sounded veiled and bottom heavy with a muddy midrange when against the wall. The KLH, with the added detail, also managed to create a solid bit of imaging with a deeper soundstage, very apparent with the Rogue Cronus Magnum III. The Lintons saw minimal benefit from better pairings and performed like a lower end speaker. The Lintons were kinder to poor recordings, but so is my car stereo. KLH created a vintage speaker with an audiophile approach. Wharfedale went for a more rolled off vintage sound, smooth, but just not the high-end experience of better speakers. The KLH pair also did better at filling a room with sound. It's simply the higher end product here.
I haven't hear those speakers but from I can see Lintons have Midrange speaker closed in the tube so it doesn't interact with cabinets resonance. The only problem is that this kind of procedure make mid range a bit dull and I can see the same build in 1990 Magnat speakers like Magnat 1.4 or Ribbon. Bass is overwhelming the mids making especially vocals sound dull and lost in the recording. Maybe I'm wrong but I can see that playing with difrent type of amps can help especially when you can cranc up mids and treble a bit to bring air to the speaker
They're a good compromise between Bookshelf and Floorstanding speaker, sure they're heavy but easier to carry around nonetheless. Those woofers on the 5's are so much bigger tho, we're looking at 10" vs 8" so naturally they should produce more Bass and Air movement.
I am very satisfied with my Lintons. Of course, they should play with very good Amp. In my oppinion, the Valve Amps are the best Choice for Lintons. Simple, you can not that kind of speakers match with cheep 400 to 800 eur Amp.
I have 5 pairs of various sized Technics speakers from the early to mid 90's. Not the best speakers, but they have held up well and the surrounds are still like new. I can't say the same about Infinty's or Boston Acoustics from the same era. I had to reform them and they cost considerably more than the Technics. At $2500 a pair for the KLH's or the Wharfdale's I won't be replacing my old speakers anytime soon.
2:48 I disagree and reckon the reverse surround has an acoustic advantage over the lumpy "normal" surround. I made a wave guide plywood ring (surrounding the surround) that rounds out the bump outward. Sounded less harsh.
I ordered the REL Classic 98 to go with the Wharfedale's. Going to use the the WIIM Ultra or the Emotiva 2.1 Preamp. For the power I have an old Rotel 5.1 Amp. Can't wait to hear the sound in a vaulted great room.
Excellent format for the review (interesting, thoughtful and to the point without getting too wrapped up in "specs"). Would you consider throwing PSB's retro looking speaker into the mix against these two?
I'll never part with my Lintons. I'm a jazzer and these provide everything I could ever want. As I understand it, they were designed to sound better with the speaker grilles on. I've tested them on/off and leave them on all the time. They are very smooth sounding and never fatiguing over long periods of playing. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
+1 on that. I’d assume the KLH are also meant to be heard with the grilles on; I’m curious what that would do to the harshness you mentioned during home theater testing.
Thing that concerns me is all the people claiming the Linton lacks detail. A speaker doesn't have to be ultra transparent to sound good. But I still want to hear sparkle in the high frequencies without being harsh. I'm considering testing out the Lintons with the s-801 Yamaha Amp. As people claim Yamaha has a bright sound signature. So theoretically it would pair well. Sounds like your particular Yamaha amp has paired well with the Lintons for you.
I have the KLH 3's and so far enjoy them very much. I have them paired with a subwoofer and am still breaking them in. I'm a bit of a collector so I'm ordering set of Linton's just to satisfy my curiosity so to speak. The KLH 5's were on my list also, but I don't know whether the five hundred dollar price difference would pay off in performance. Plus you get record stands with the Linton's which makes it a very appealing choice. Current price. Linton's $1500 stands included. KLH $2000 stands also included but no record storage. Thanks for the review.
Yeah that's just completely backwards. In fact the point to the KLH's is that they can be placed close to the wall while the Lintons need space (unless you plug the ports). Makes me take a lot of this video with a grain of salt.
No, they don’t. Paper drivers naturally dampen vibrations better than most other materials while being very lightweight which helps them respond to impulses faster than more other materials. The best drivers, without going into the insane price-no-object drivers that use rare materials, are generally going to be paper. Danny Richie discusses this a bit on his UA-cam channel (GR Research).
Next comparison is the new KLH Model 7 and Wharfedale Dovedale! I heard both on their US Debut in Axpona last week. They both sounded very good and I will be buying one of them!
@dontcare563 I have them for sale, due in late May or early June. Get your preorder in with us now because they are AMAZING!!!!! shopjustaudio.com/products/wharfedale-dovedale
I did a measurement on Linton and found the Linton measured very well, especially from 300hz to 10khz. I believe this is the same conclusion from Stereophile. The KLH was more coloured based on the measurements by Erin's Audio. The KLH also exhibited a close to 5db dip between 1khz and 2khz. This is pretty obvious. From psycho-acoustics point of view, 1 to 3khz region is most sensitive to human hearing as this is where most vocalized syllables reside. Therefore, when i auditioned the KLH vs Lintons, the vocal on KLH sounded a bit thin for me. Bass for the Linton is definitely better than the KLH as my in-room response show it could go as low as mid 30hz at -6db vs KLH could only do around 40hz. However, as deep bass could excite the room more, I would be a bit more careful in placement for the Lintons. If you can dial in for the Lintons either via EQ or placement, it would be far more superior than the KLH. Lastly, the tilted up treble response, in my opinion, would of course give a perceived details but again, i stress this is again colouring and objectively, the KLH is certainly less hi-fidelity as compared to the Lintons.
@@kevincheong1516 Oh, you are one of those I measure, don not listen type of guys. Linton can be a good speaker with tune of the Xover. If you take a look, you can see that highs are attenuated with low quality parts but, you don't understand speaker building do you?
@@justoutlaw6423 lol. Listening validates measurement. But most guys like you are often fooled by wishy washy subjective impressions. Science and engineering lay the foundation of speaker design, in case you forget.
@@kevincheong1516 Why didn't you measure from 10kHZ on? Lintons are tuned to sound laid back, less detailed which od fine. To much info missing on top end.
Fantastic comparison. I have a buddy choosing between these same two. I'd be interested in how my Heresy 4 compare, but I know it's a different price point.
Summary: if you want a snappier party speaker or like airy, crispy vocals, get the KLH. If you want a speaker to throw some records on, smoke a doobie, and chill for a couple of hours - get the Wharfedale.
I love the British sound and I have a pair of Acoustic Energy AE2's I'm currently listening to. They are on fantastic stands (original) and my question is do I absolutely need to buy the Linton stands? Great review. My other room has vintage JBL's, JBL L88 Plus and I love their sound.
What kind of amplifiers did you use on these speakers ? Did you know the lintons sound is influenced by the grills in which they should be on when listening? Amplification type is so important for these types of speakers to get the most out of them. Cabling,room and components were never mentioned to give us a fair assessment on your review
I'm sure people will hate me for saying this, but the Vandersteen is at a completely different level. Once you get used to listening to time and phase correct speakers, its hard to go back. Aside from that, the Vandersteens are far more transparent and let you hear the other components in your system more than most other speakers. If there's something you don't like about the sound, you don't have to get rid of the speakers, you can just change the electronics. To be fair, I've heard both of the speakers in the video, but not in my own system. I do own Vandersteen Models 1, 2, 3 and the matching subs. Right now the 2's are in my main system, and my Wilson's that cost many times more, are in my 2nd system. I might even take the 1's over them.
I’ve been eagerly waiting for this video, so I can sell my kidneys and my left lung and buy me a pair. So I can enjoy me some Jazz and Blues with my daughter and Son… Thank you for the great review!!!
Did you remove the Wharfedale metal grill of the tweeter or they make it already like that? BTW I give a thumbs up for the lintons. Very natural and not intrusive sound. I want to point out that as they progress the burn-in, they play better and better. Edit: Sorry, I have just saw the answer below.
Well-spotted! I didn't notice it. IMO, the Lintons sound a tad too mellow and dark with their grilles on. Removing the little metal tweeter grille could improve things even further.
@@cremersalex I would not allow myself to interfere in the engineering thought of people with experience since 1932 until now. It would be quite daring.
I just want to chime in, some of us listen on set-ups that are also being used as DAW monitors,or desk listening situations..in other words, not home theater or large rooms devoted to sound.(well,my room is,but you get the idea) The beauty of a good 5-1/4 or 6-1/2 speaker is the woofer is your low,mid, and part of your high's:...from two to three feet away, a sweet 5-1/4 will save your ears,and give you incredible detail,and yes,bass. And my phantom center sounds like its coming right out of my monitor. My 6-1/2''s are 250 watt pristine Pinnacle AC-650's that my Onkyo TX 4500 will light up the entire room beyond belief(you move back a little for that). My studio room design has sound bouncing around everywhere,with wall buffers. The days of the JBL guy sitting in a chair in a square room getting his hair blown straight back....are long gone. (Still got the long hair,hell yeah...just sitting on a bar stool instead.) Another plus is, when buying vintage speakers, the cabinet condition is priority number one. Thick,solid, and all them seams better be tight. Crossovers can be fixed, tweeters replaced, and woofers rebuilt...and its not a lot of money to fix a crossover or re-rubber a 6-1/2. eh ? Getting started in "vintage", takes a first step.
1:46 "smoke-stained white". I literally laughed out loud when you said that. I can totally relate to what that is. No I don't smoke, never did, but many did in the '70s. Okay, I gotta get back to the vid. I'm a big fan of vintage Wharfedales and what they (modern wharfedales) can do for folks on a shoestring budget is quite amazing!! Of course the Linton is not in this category but it scares me what a relatively higher cost wharfedale must be capable of. But I cut my teeth on three-ways (speakers) in the '80s and small speakers just can't sound like a nice three-way. Okay, back to the vid. I'm a noob to KLH but I like that they resurrected the 5 - great concept. The comparo should be interesting as the Linton is ported and the 5 is not. Cheers and Happy Listening!!
@@LennyFlorentine Some day I hope to get down there to visit your store (I'm on long island). It reminds me of the old stereo stores of the '70s. Love ur vids.
I listen to a lot of poorly recorded heavier music from the 90s. Alt metal and hardcore. I’ve read that the model fives can be pretty unforgiving to poor source material and poor recording do you guys find that to be true? I’ve never really had the Lintons on my radar due to their more laidback characteristics but maybe I need to audition them too.
I just cannot justify spending $1,000 for the KHL speaker. I bought a pair of Polk Audio t-50 s for $200 which I thought were extremely well-made and more than happy with them
I thought the Lintons are to be kept away from the wall and the KLHs nearer due to the ports on the back of the Lintons and the KLH's acoustic suspension making them friendlier to close wall placement. No?
Lenny, can I get an invitation to one of your review sessions? Let’s do the DALI Oberons. Of these two the Lintons are more laidback and alluring, but the KLHs are clearer and more commanding.
I have the KLH'S and 90% of my albums are black and death metal. They work for all types of music, extreme metal included. Don't know about the Lintons, though in my experience, a warmer and laid back speaker will become pretty boring with metal...it's part of the reason I moved to the KLH's
the Lintons retail for 1200-1500 dollars[980 euro in Greece] and the KLH s for 2000 dollars in the USA. In terms of sound and build quality as well as the price the Lintons are beyond comparison .
Two things: the KLH are designed to be placed on the stands, on the floor. Any higher and the soundstage is compromised badly. Second: both speakers are made in China.
@@justoutlaw6423 just search for Wharfedale Linton and watch the videos. I would invite you to my place but o doubt we are in the same country even. Impedance response is quite even in the Lintons and that’s why it performs well with capable tubes amps, most people love how they match with tubes.
MODEL 5 >>>> LINTON LINTON is basically dumb sound. not hifi MODEL 5 is powerful amp or warm tone amp matciing (ex Unison Research, Macintosh), you catch on fantastic musical balance. from Kor 솔직하게 말해서 경쟁상대가 아닙니다. do not competition
For more of my content subscribe to UA-cam.com/@ThatGuyWithTheBeard
This is a fantastic way to do a speaker comparison. I love the fact that you ask real people their opinions as well; not just the audio guru employees.
agree
Watched the video properly this morning. Both good speakers & as mentioned before I bought the Wharfedale Linton Heritage speakers with Stands 7 months ago. I love them ( I am listening right now to a recently released David Bowie box set concentrating on his 1970 material ) & a more affordable alternative to the Harbeth HL5
I have heard the KLH, but I do own the Lintons (paired with Leak 130) and I love them! Mainly listen to Vinyl and could not be more happy! Agree with everything you said! Would like to hear the KLH they look like beauties!
Great pairing!
the KLH will be like "geting new ears"
Sorry to say, but leak 130 is a bad pairing. You will benefit a lot if you get a better amp. But maybe you don't need it for vinyl if you like the sound..
I've heard both in my space (I bought my model 5s from Just Audio). The lintons are definitely warmer, and the KLH have more clarity. Bass wise i'd almost say the KLH goes lower in my room, but the lintons made "thicker" bass in more quantity if that makes sense, def more texture/bass clarity on the KLH. I went with the model 5's in the end because I can add warmth on the front end to the model 5s, but I can't add clarity to the lintons. That and I use it in a HT setup and dialog clarity was easier with the KLHs.
I was thinking about the model 5s for a home theater setup, what do you use for a center channel??
My short answer would cave to pair the KLHs with tubes, class A/AB and the Linton with cooler sounding rigs like class D
How do add the warmth to the 5s?
@@iveseenyourbrain3548 cut the treble and boost the bass a bit. If you don’t have tone controls, you can add a Schiit EQ. Or you can do what I did with the Lintons - wait until YOU break in and get accustomed to them. Luckily, the woofers on the Lintons did loosen up over time. It’s the first speaker I’ve ever owned that really did loosen up and “break in”.
Great review. How do you add warmth to your KLH?
In the uk the model 5 are twice the price of the linton, 2 grand for model 5 and 1100 for the linton including the stands. In the uk the linton have to be the clear winner just for the price alone.
Today and on the continent, the difference is even bigger. 3300-3500 Euro for the KLH, 1200-1300 for the Lintons, both including the stands. Lintons for 900 without stands.
That's not even the same world in terms of price.
I have the Lintons. The best description I have seen of them online is someone who said that they DO contain all (or at least 98%) of the detail of most modern hifi speakers--but they make you go find it in their broad and deep soundstage as opposed to serving it directly and involuntarily into your ears. They actually have a LOT of treble and air--so much that many people roll it off. What they don't have is a lot of aggression and bite, and that's where the "warm" name comes from I think. That said, they don't have no bite either. To my ear they have a very normal amount, probably a natural amount. Metallica sounds plenty fine on them. On the bass end, they have very full and even bass, more full than the KLH, though if you actually look at measurements the KLH extend slightly further down (by like just a few Hz) and have a more gradual roll-off, as expected of the 10" woofer. I don't think you'd feel compelled to seek out a subwoofer with either speaker. It's common to bump the Lintons at 1 kHz by just a touch to fill in the mids there (see Erin's review). Though overall they have very fleshed out and even mids, much more so than a standard 2-way. So this is just a tiny tweak. Lastly you can plug the ports and apply some careful EQ to bass frequencies and use them in small rooms and even close to walls with superb results-I do. They're flexible that way. I don't think it's accurate to just say they "sound vintage". They might have a subtle vintage vibe to the sound--I guess because of their broad baffle, large box, 8" woofer, and 3-way design. But they are thoroughly designed with 21st century knowledge. They do not just sound like their 70s counterparts. Lastly just to note it's important to have the grill on since it's not just a grill but contains wave guides. By the measurements at least, the Lintons are a bit more even and neutral than the KLHs.
Awesome work putting the video together!! I’ve owned both speakers for months at a time and VERY impressed!!
I’ve had similar but not exact experiences as the review.
Basic thoughts after a few months with each speaker.
First I love the Lintons. Could live with them forever. But 5s are shockingly good. Just as smooth but a good degree more life and detail to the sound?
So far bass is very similar. Little faster and powerful on the 5s? No need for a sub with these. Super TIGHT bass. I had a sub with the Lintons and it helped but with the 5s I turned it off as it barely added anything. Maybe just our room? Bigger at 22x26’ with a slight vaulted ceiling. Lintons have awesome bass but slightly “relaxed” which is better for 70s music?
Linton 7/10
KLH. 8/10
Mid range similar tonality. Super easy to listen and life like. But the 5s has better/wider soundstage which makes the mid range feel even more life like. Feels like it reaches a few feet further on the right and left and has ridiculous centre image. Easy to place too. Very smooth.
Linton 8/10
KLH. 9/10
Upper mid and treble is where I felt the 5s pull away. The transitions from mid range up into the treble to my ears is perfect. Lintons never loved the treble. It was fine just “boring” and flatter. The 5s are more airy - somewhere in between Lintons and a Klipsch horn. But never fatiguing surprisingly.
Linton 5/10
KLH. 9/10
Also I’d say the 5s have excellent center image and 3D qualities.
Linton 6/10
KLH. 9/10
Amp pairings I’ve tried the clinical solid state Yamaha AS1200, tubes on the PrimaLuna 100, and the warm solid state Hegel H95 and H120.
Honestly both speakers pair awesome with all those amps which have very different characteristics.
KLH 5s showed more of the amp differences in my opinion? But not in a bad way.
Totally agree with preferred music genres mentioned here that pair better on each.
For the price difference of each I’d say the value is identical. Both are unreal and could live with either forever.
Love this review! I hope more subscribers put the time in to contribute like this. Well done sir!
@Shane P the Yamaha brought out more details than blueprints for a space shuttle! It was too intense for us and a bit fatiguing but at the same time very impressive if that’s your thing.
PrimaLuna had imax like 3D holographic soundstage. Bass was weaker and not as much slam as solid state but for long term listening I’d go with the evo 100 all day every day as it’s so life like sounding.
But we have 3 little boys so went with the Hegel as it’s in between the other two for convenience but still a warmer sound (the kids said the tube amp looked like an evil toaster oven and was too scary looking. 😂)
In a few years will switch to a tube amp for sure.
Awesome review. I wonder if the previous gen Yamahas(A-S1100 or 2100) would fare better as they were supposed to be more tube-like than the newer 1200 and 2200).
@@MH-rl9ep my buddy has the AS1100 and I couldn’t hear any difference between it and the 1200/2200 series? They aren’t cold or warm sounding.
Neutral and extremely clean - and hyper detailed and punchy to my ears. They give a very intense and direct sound - in a good way if you like that style.
Wow, sounds like the ying and the yang of my two sets of floor speakers. I have a pair of 1970 Wharfedale W70E’s and a pair of 1992 Polk Monitor 10 series 2, both sets mint with upgraded customized crossover networks in mid 2019. The description of the Littons sound a lot like my Monitor 10’s and the description of the KLH M5’s sound a lot like my W70E’s, although the W70E’s have a beautiful bottom end,
as they are acoustic suspension with 15 inch woofers, but balanced sounding full range.
My Polks don’t
quite do a kick drum as realistically as the W70E’s, but I find that cutting 100 Hz bass shelf about 7 dB from the amplifier gives me the best “balanced” sound for the monitor 10’s at higher volumes because the bass gets to be a little bit too much for my taste and takes definition away from the overall sound. I’ve attributed this problem to the nature of the passive radiator type design of the monitor 10. The one thing the 10 series 2 tend to do well is hide or mask deficiencies in the source material and are more forgiving than the W70E’s which allow you to hear everything that’s there. I tend to lean one way or the other depending on the source material quality and/or genre of music I’m listening to.. 🥳🥳
This is really one of the best audio videos. Excellent product selection, reasons for your choice broken down realistically, and other opinions in the same video really helps. Unfortunately, I have to "touch" the product sometimes to really decide. I think I would be happy either way, but "if" the exterior looks and feels cheap, that would bother me. In a perfect world, deliver them both to my audio room for an afternoon and I could decide.
Wow, thank you!
I’ve tested both in my place. I bought the Lintons and returned them because of the lack if clarity and the discolouration they add to the music. What people call warm to me it is dull. To my ears the vocals sounded pitchy. Later on my boss bought the KLHs and he lent them to me for a couple of weeks. I loved them. I think it’s not even fair to compare the Lintons to them. The difference is huge. The KLHs are way more neutral, balanced with a way better clarity. As soon as they will be in stock again I will buy them with the walnut finish.
Great review! We should have the Walnut in within 2 weeks for anyone with preorders.
Thank you but I’ll buy it locally. I live in Canada. Awesome review btw 👍🏼
Same here... I found the Lintons to lack clarity on the higher frequencies and the center image wasn’t as strong as I am used to with my jbl 530s, plus I found the mids to be a bit forward. The lintons are beautiful speakers but wasn’t my cup of tea.
I've tested both models in the shop and I completely agree. I thought I like warm sound, but the KLH were miles ahead of the Lintons in clarity, slam, airiness, musicality. Top to bottom I preferred them!
Same here. The lack of transparency with the Lintons is a deal breaker for a lot of audiophiles. The Lintons are easy to listen to, but they don't dig into a recording and engage the listener as well as the KLH. Wharfedale designed a vintage sounding speaker. I prefer the much improved speakers like my Magnepans and Kefs. The KLH are vintage LOOKING, but they are audiophile all the way and ultimately more versatile.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS DON'T COUNT... as much as the impressions after six months of ownership of a product. And my impressions my Lintons continue to be extremely high. Unlike any previous speaker (or almost any HiFi component, come to think of it), slight imperfections in sound quality get annoying such that long listening sessions become irritating. That simply has not happened with this speaker [and I have had many]. This video was one of the HiFi reviews that influenced me to buy the speaker. It continues to echo what I think about this speaker, after six months of ownership. The ONLY thing that people could say is 'wrong' with this speaker is its possibly old-fashioned appearance; but I hate all the gimmicky-looking speakers anyway, so its not a problem for me.
Great review Peter!
My Lintons still do it for me. Just got a cambridge evo 150 for them and they are SO damn good with that amp.
In my experience, the Lintons are far from “warm” sounding. They have great midrange and treble detail - they are just not made to melt your face. I’m fact, compared to live music, they are possibly bright sounding. The whole boosted high thing is super annoying to me. I would never own a Focal or B&W for this reason. I dislike the Elac sound, but, ironically, am fine with the RP600M. In other words, they can keep their “tinkle”, though bells and such are perfect on the Lintons.
I do love the Linton bass. It has loosened up, but is not bloated and can be modulated with placement from the back wall.
On the grilles, don’t get me started! They were designed to sound best with them on. Leave them alone unless you want some diffraction and high end edginess.
I like the Lintons more than my Kef R3 setup that is paired with 2 x svs sb3000s. Maybe my living room sounds better than my TV space though.
Great review. Did you listen to the KLH 5s? Any thoughts on it?
A little late to the party, but you did a good job here. Linton's are, like you mentioned, a warmer sounding speaker. Listen to them all day. The fact that the Linton's are about 1k less expensive didn't hurt. Put the savings towards better amp.
You convinced me to take the Lintons since I love and miss vintage sound speakers. Thanks for the review it cleared my mind.
Glad I could help, it's what I own! Hopefully you got them from us too haha. Thanks for watching!!
Re klh bass, putting the speaker closer to the rear wall can help. There is a simple calculation that can predict what frequencies will be reinforced. The one person said the linton bass was "better". That is a not a fair adjective. Some people don't like ported speakers because while they put out more bass, the bass quality, assuming both have been optimized, won't be as clear compared to sealed cabinets. Quantity vs. Quality.
Amazing. Not a single mention of Soundstage and Imaging. Two of the most important aspects of any speaker that I audition. But they were described as having a "vintage" sound, and god knows, most vintage speakers had no imaging capabilities whatsoever, so perhaps that's why it didn't factor in at all...
Far from true
I was waiting for this, and what a great comparison this turned out to be 😄 Told me exactly what I needed know and I want to say round 3 helps to put all the other remarks into perspective for those who are like me and just don't really know how all the descriptive terms used to describe the sound translate into an understanding about the listening experience. But everybody can understand "works well with subtle jazz, not so much with gritty rock" and understand the rest of the video from there.
Let us know your opinions on the KLH Model 5 & Wharfedale Linton's below! Also wat did you like or dislike about this battle video! We will be putting the best comments and questions in our follow up video!
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I favor acoustic suspension bass over ported bass any day. Once I save enough for a full sized Shitt Audio system. The Vidar Freya Gungnir Lokius with KLH Model 5 in South African Mahogoney
Add a Innuos streamer all coming in at $7500.
I would make the hypotheses that most upper end class D would match the Lintons better. Class A AB would probably work better with the KLhs.
Nice Job, 1 is air suspension and other is bass reflex, I will take the Wharfedale hands down. Mikey Likes it.
I've had the lintons about 3 years. I would prefer magnet grille,but hey ! They say they are designed to be listened to with the grills on. The waveguide? Built into the grill
Helps with imaging they say. But I hate to cover up the cool-looking speakers with the grill. I love their sound. Yes, a trip in time with their sound. They go low but I like it a little lower , so now there is a REL Classic 98 sharing the floor. Very happy.
Wharfedale wants you to keep the grill on, it's specifically designed to help with the sound of the Lintons and are not supposed to be used with them off. I have them and it's the first time a speaker made my jaw dropped, for the price you just can't beat them.
I've finally reached a point in my life where I can put together a nice stereo. I've always wanted one. About 10 years ago I stumbled across a stupid cheap deal on a Pioneer SX-1250. The previous owner told me it doesn't come on. I had been planning on tearing the thing apart because I was interested in learning about repairing electronics. Broken was fine by me.
Before I started I figured I should probably check things out on the internet to ensure I was breaking a very nice unit. I found out that it's considered a very nice unit. I've had that receiver in a closet ever since.
Now I'm looking at putting things together. I plan on taking the Pioneer to a good electronics shop for a recap/repair. The thing is I don't know beans about audiophile gear. I have no idea what to pair the Pioneer with. I really liked what you were saying about the Lintons - vintage sound and all. I lean towards classic rock, but am getting into classical as well. I plan on using the system for vinyl.
Would the Lintons be a good pairing for my SX-1250?
Hell yes.
@@sandlmv8301 thanks for the confirmation. Got the receiver back and it's currently paired with a set of Klipsch kg4 speakers. Sounds pretty damned good.
@@skippythetubrat Glad you enjoy it. Both the Klipsch and the Pioneer are pretty bright and detailed. I imagine you might have to back the treble off a little at higher volumes. That amp and speaker combo would go VERY loud. Don't ever part with that amp. Top investment but also a very good sounding unit. Keep it serviced every few years. What repairs were needed to get it up and running? Also, the Lintons would be a great pairing for that amp because they're a warm sounding speaker but still have good detail and dynamics. If you could find a vintage pair of jbl's like the L100 for under $500usd that would be a great pairing as well. JBL L5 or L7 would be even better. Not as sort after, more modern design but still vintage and VERY good quality drivers. I'd go for the L7 any day of the week. L100 vs L5 I'd probably need to hear side by side but I imagine the L5 would win. The JBL L7 for around the $600-$700usd mark would be well worth considering. Especially in the walnut version. If you want to stick with Klipsch go for the rf7 series 2 or 3, and also the Polk Lsim 707. They were on sale alot recently at stupid low prices but may be all gone. They were the Polk flagship before the newer legend series. Also the JBL studio 590 on sale, but probably all gone. any of these speakers will give you a hard to beat system for life. If you can still find the Polk Lsim 707 or JBL studio 590 in the states on sale then run for them, preferably the 707's fast. Cheers.
@@skippythetubrat if you're in Australia 'skippy' then you can only dream about the speakers I've mentioned! And just save for the Lintons. I'd certainly look for some second hand focal aria 948 before parting with $2750aud for new speakers. Even though the Lintons are worth the money and also look the business.
I have a pair of Wharfedale Linton's in Mahogany. I like to see a KLH disassembly, to make a comparison between speakers and crossovers built quality.
Danny at GR Research did his rundown on the Lintons and was really disappointed with the very cheap internals, said the crossovers were made with the cheapest parts possible, and the sound he charted wasn't good at all.
I haven't watched the video yet but I bought the Wharfedale Linton Heritage speakers with Stands Xmas 2020 & I am very happy with them. Very easy to listen to with all types of music.
Good review, warmer speakers will always win in a home theatre set up
Personally, I would be happy with either one.
This was awesome, finally a very detailed speaker comparison. Request you to do a similar comparison between Kef r3 & wharfedale Evo 4.2 if you also happen to think it's an interesting faceoff
Great suggestion!
Great review. I may try a pair of KLHs. I have a pair of Lintons. Love them. Remind me a little of my vintage L100s. Sound great with the Leak Stereo 130 and also with vintage solidstate Mcintosh preamp. Also really great in a Mid century modern looking stereo setup. However the KLHs have that vintage linen and would look right at home also.
Been considering the linton/Leak combo myself. Audiophiles sneer at the Stereo 130 because it's a "chip amp" which cracks me up because, in the world of headphone amplifiers, which I'm more familiar with, solid state op-amp based designs are considered superior by many because they measure so well. I've heard the Stereo 130 is pretty lean and exacting. Is that true? I feel like it might make it a good pairing with a warmer speaker for that reason
most anticipated review of my year! I have the Linton's in my main system. The amp is the Yamaha AS 1200. I've been contemplating the Model Five's but they are sold out everywhere till August? I am still considering the Klipsch Heresy IV's. I also have a Sansui AU 9500 that would mesh well with the Model Fives I imagine. Had them hooked up to some original Fives and they sounded amazing
I have tried the Heresy 4’s compared to my Heresy 3’s. The 4’s are simply too bright overall. And I tried every position and configuration possible. My two cents. 👍
I have yamaha as 1200, i will think to buy linton
I work in hifi in Croatia. I haven't heard the klh speakers but we do sell alot of the lintons. As for the lintons, the best way to describe them is that they are a classic vintage British speaker with modern bass. They have a big sound with a deep stage, tight and fast, however they are not revealing. They are a speaker where everything sounds good and acceptable and they are non fatiguing. But you should get them with their stands as they look great with them. End game speaker...no. Easy listening and enjoyable speaker yes
Very good insite!! Thanks for sharing!
@@LennyFlorentine you're welcome 👍🏻
How do these speakers fare with low volume late night listening? Thanks for great review!
One thing I can say is this, the Model 5's love power. The more the better, I tried a 150 wpc Class D, SVS SoundBase, and then the XTZ Edge A2-400, which is pushing well over 250 wpc to these 6 ohm speakers. At 4ohms, the XTZ is pushing 420 wpc, so it is pumping some power to the Model 5's.
The addition of the XTZ amplifier took the Model 5's to a new level, the soundstage is incredible, I would say it doubled, the sound is just nuts, it envelops you, to the point I was snapping my head to see what the hell is going on behind me, it was the speakers! Feed the Model 5's with the clean and neutral power from the XTZ amp, and you will never look back. I am feeding the speakers with 10ga copper cable.
I am using the Cambridge Audio CXN v2 streamer/DAC as a source. The DAC on the Cambridge is solid, I find it difficult to justify adding a separate DAC, as the dual Wolfsons in the Cambridge, along with the ani-jitter topography along with the solid built in preamp ability, I think any improvements would be minimal at best.
I also added my two SVS SB3000 subs to the mix, they run off of the RCA outputs of the Cambridge unit. The amp is using the balanced XLR's. The addition of the SB3000 subs take all of this to a new level. Very happy!
Lintons are a pure beauty 😮
Wharfedale has heaps more money to spend on bulk production and testing/tweaking/refining. Klh's are a good start for the new company takeover, but they're not bettering the Lintons at an extra 50% of the price, Not even close. If you're looking for a nice full sound with Plenty enough detail without sitting there and analysing and just enjoying, the Linton's are the choice.
No,
Maybe go and listen yourself before making judgements
I prefer the Lintons after a head to head Just got the Lintons with the stands for
What color did u get?
Walnut. @@Eron55555
70´s style was cleaned on 2nd hand on-line sites and now brands followed the trend and started to appear what were considered ,old and bad speakers to be fashion again ,incredible good it´s my opinion towers are not the best way of making speakers but i had for my telecaster in 68 a speaker tower style with several woofers ,now not modern speakers that emulate what was done in the 50´s and 60´s i bought mine from an old guy at the time, that sold me everything of his guitar equipment
Reposted from another comparison video: I had to get beyond the look of the Model 5's, but did get them into my home along with a pair of borrowed Linton's. Both are solid designs. But the difference for me was when I went to higher end amps. The KLH was insanely transparent at the price point. NuPrime, Rogue, Manley and even my Cambridge EVO 150 sounded superbly musical with the 5's. The Linton's did less when it came to transparency. The 5's handled female vocals with greater realism and detail. They were also less kind to some older recordings, which is a price you'll pay for that capability. The Linton's were less transparent, both to the same vocals as well as my different sources. Hooking up the the Model 5's to a Rogue Cronus Magnum III sent them to a level that surprised me. With the same amp the Linton's took less advantage of the excellent Rogue power. After some extended listening I determined that the Model 5's are good enough to exploit higher end electronics while the Linton's can't. Moving out of my listening room and into a common "against the wall" placement situation, the Linton's were in trouble. They sounded like boxes and the mid base muddied, unless I pulled them out. But the Model 5's performed even better in some respects. Overall it was no contest. The Model 5's are serious audiophile speakers for under 3K. The Linton's sound more like an entry level design. A lot will depend on your space, but the Model 5's are more tunable and likely earn some years in any given system. I like them as much as my Magnepan .7's (mated to a pair of SVS SB3000 subs), but in different ways. My buddy, who runs Magnepan 3.7's, was equally in favor of the model 5's. They're just more musical and reveal much more in a recording.
Although they look similar, the price difference is too drastic for them to compete. The KLH model 5 as a pair with stands is $2500 vs Lintons with stands at $1700 but the Lintons see more sales promotions and have been $1500. I own the Linton and happy with them. I cannot imagine paying a lot more for slightly better articulation and less bass.
Lintons May impress at First but they May lack a real hard punch. Anyway they are so charming...
Lintons are the choice to go with. They have very unique sounding character. One can listen to them all day long..
Yes, Linton is the winner
For sure zero fatigue.
@@rockroll4553 I had both. Ran with Manley, Rogue, EVO 150 class D. KLH is a more balanced and detailed presentation. The Lintons sounded veiled and bottom heavy with a muddy midrange when against the wall. The KLH, with the added detail, also managed to create a solid bit of imaging with a deeper soundstage, very apparent with the Rogue Cronus Magnum III. The Lintons saw minimal benefit from better pairings and performed like a lower end speaker. The Lintons were kinder to poor recordings, but so is my car stereo. KLH created a vintage speaker with an audiophile approach. Wharfedale went for a more rolled off vintage sound, smooth, but just not the high-end experience of better speakers. The KLH pair also did better at filling a room with sound. It's simply the higher end product here.
For you, maybe not for others.
I haven't hear those speakers but from I can see Lintons have Midrange speaker closed in the tube so it doesn't interact with cabinets resonance. The only problem is that this kind of procedure make mid range a bit dull and I can see the same build in 1990 Magnat speakers like Magnat 1.4 or Ribbon. Bass is overwhelming the mids making especially vocals sound dull and lost in the recording. Maybe I'm wrong but I can see that playing with difrent type of amps can help especially when you can cranc up mids and treble a bit to bring air to the speaker
They're a good compromise between Bookshelf and Floorstanding speaker, sure they're heavy but easier to carry around nonetheless.
Those woofers on the 5's are so much bigger tho, we're looking at 10" vs 8" so naturally they should produce more Bass and Air movement.
KLH is very hard to find here in Europe at competitive prices, so I'm going for Wharfedale...
Great video! Love hearing multiple impressions from the staff
Hi mem from India. Need support
I ditched my Lintons after about 3 months. Way to mushy for me.
I am very satisfied with my Lintons. Of course, they should play with very good Amp. In my oppinion, the Valve Amps are the best Choice for Lintons. Simple, you can not that kind of speakers match with cheep 400 to 800 eur Amp.
What a great and meaningful comparison. You read my mind, and I’m sure many others’.
I have 5 pairs of various sized Technics speakers from the early to mid 90's. Not the best speakers, but they have held up well and the surrounds are still like new. I can't say the same about Infinty's or Boston Acoustics from the same era. I had to reform them and they cost considerably more than the Technics. At $2500 a pair for the KLH's or the Wharfdale's I won't be replacing my old speakers anytime soon.
2:48 I disagree and reckon the reverse surround has an acoustic advantage over the lumpy "normal" surround. I made a wave guide plywood ring (surrounding the surround) that rounds out the bump outward. Sounded less harsh.
I ordered the REL Classic 98 to go with the Wharfedale's. Going to use the the WIIM Ultra or the Emotiva 2.1 Preamp. For the power I have an old Rotel 5.1 Amp. Can't wait to hear the sound in a vaulted great room.
Excellent format for the review (interesting, thoughtful and to the point without getting too wrapped up in "specs"). Would you consider throwing PSB's retro looking speaker into the mix against these two?
I'll never part with my Lintons.
I'm a jazzer and these provide everything I could ever want.
As I understand it, they were designed to sound better with the speaker grilles on. I've tested them on/off and leave them on all the time. They are very smooth sounding and never fatiguing over long periods of playing.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Interesting test with the grills, have not tried that test. Awesome, and thanks for the comment!
What amp do you use?
@@dustingroover3185 believe it or not just
an inexpensive Yamaha R-N303 receiver
+1 on that. I’d assume the KLH are also meant to be heard with the grilles on; I’m curious what that would do to the harshness you mentioned during home theater testing.
Thing that concerns me is all the people claiming the Linton lacks detail. A speaker doesn't have to be ultra transparent to sound good. But I still want to hear sparkle in the high frequencies without being harsh. I'm considering testing out the Lintons with the s-801 Yamaha Amp. As people claim Yamaha has a bright sound signature. So theoretically it would pair well. Sounds like your particular Yamaha amp has paired well with the Lintons for you.
I have the KLH 3's and so far enjoy them very much. I have them paired with a subwoofer and am still breaking them in. I'm a bit of a collector so I'm ordering set of Linton's just to satisfy my curiosity so to speak. The KLH 5's were on my list also, but I don't know whether the five hundred dollar price difference would pay off in performance. Plus you get record stands with the Linton's which makes it a very appealing choice. Current price. Linton's $1500 stands included. KLH $2000 stands also included but no record storage. Thanks for the review.
Thanks! If you are in the US, be sure to get them at ShopJustAudio.com
Ported Linton's close to the wall? Sorry don't understand! Great video thanks
Yeah that's just completely backwards. In fact the point to the KLH's is that they can be placed close to the wall while the Lintons need space (unless you plug the ports). Makes me take a lot of this video with a grain of salt.
I think the fair comparison now is the Wharfedale Dovedale having the same woofer size.
I prefer the punchier, livelier, and more dynamic sound of the Model 5
And significantly more detailed with deeper soundstage.
The linton midrage and woofer look much more robust!
No, they don’t. Paper drivers naturally dampen vibrations better than most other materials while being very lightweight which helps them respond to impulses faster than more other materials. The best drivers, without going into the insane price-no-object drivers that use rare materials, are generally going to be paper. Danny Richie discusses this a bit on his UA-cam channel (GR Research).
@@Cujobob I think you have a point there!
Next comparison is the new KLH Model 7 and Wharfedale Dovedale! I heard both on their US Debut in Axpona last week. They both sounded very good and I will be buying one of them!
Hopefully through us! And yes those videos are coming! Axpona video from those rooms dropping soon.
@@LennyFlorentine I didn't realize the new Dovedale was available yet in the US. Do you actually have them in stock for sale?
@dontcare563 I have them for sale, due in late May or early June. Get your preorder in with us now because they are AMAZING!!!!!
shopjustaudio.com/products/wharfedale-dovedale
I did a measurement on Linton and found the Linton measured very well, especially from 300hz to 10khz. I believe this is the same conclusion from Stereophile. The KLH was more coloured based on the measurements by Erin's Audio. The KLH also exhibited a close to 5db dip between 1khz and 2khz. This is pretty obvious. From psycho-acoustics point of view, 1 to 3khz region is most sensitive to human hearing as this is where most vocalized syllables reside. Therefore, when i auditioned the KLH vs Lintons, the vocal on KLH sounded a bit thin for me. Bass for the Linton is definitely better than the KLH as my in-room response show it could go as low as mid 30hz at -6db vs KLH could only do around 40hz. However, as deep bass could excite the room more, I would be a bit more careful in placement for the Lintons. If you can dial in for the Lintons either via EQ or placement, it would be far more superior than the KLH. Lastly, the tilted up treble response, in my opinion, would of course give a perceived details but again, i stress this is again colouring and objectively, the KLH is certainly less hi-fidelity as compared to the Lintons.
How can las open, less detailed and muddy speaker be more Hi fidelity?
@@justoutlaw6423 hmmm, let me guess, you don't know how to measure?
@@kevincheong1516 Oh, you are one of those I measure, don not listen type of guys. Linton can be a good speaker with tune of the Xover. If you take a look, you can see that highs are attenuated with low quality parts but, you don't understand speaker building do you?
@@justoutlaw6423 lol. Listening validates measurement. But most guys like you are often fooled by wishy washy subjective impressions. Science and engineering lay the foundation of speaker design, in case you forget.
@@kevincheong1516 Why didn't you measure from 10kHZ on? Lintons are tuned to sound laid back, less detailed which od fine. To much info missing on top end.
It would be really interesting if you topiced vintage philosophical sacrilege discussion
Fantastic comparison. I have a buddy choosing between these same two. I'd be interested in how my Heresy 4 compare, but I know it's a different price point.
Be sure to tell him to call us if he's in the US. We can help him decide between them.
Like the workers and customers opinions in video….it was a good idea… great video as all ways. Do I need appt to demo in store ?
No appointment neccessary, stop by anytime!
Summary: if you want a snappier party speaker or like airy, crispy vocals, get the KLH. If you want a speaker to throw some records on, smoke a doobie, and chill for a couple of hours - get the Wharfedale.
Nice comparison, I'd say problem solved
Wharfedale linton doobie edition with a supply of doobies would top sales!
I love the British sound and I have a pair of Acoustic Energy AE2's I'm currently listening to. They are on fantastic stands (original) and my question is do I absolutely need to buy the Linton stands? Great review. My other room has vintage JBL's, JBL L88 Plus and I love their sound.
My theory is that you’ll take the KLH if you don’t have the luxury of having a heap of room behind the speakers.
I have been waiting for this comparison! Thanks so much
You are so welcome!
Veery useful review, please continue doing this type of format
You love the HPM-100 yet you prefer the red mahogany finish? Does not compute!
The lintons are meant to be used with the grills in place when I talked to warfdale as is the denton great review
Hey guys!!
You should enable the subtitles in the video. It'll help to no native speakers ;)
cc is subtitles
What kind of amplifiers did you use on these speakers ? Did you know the lintons sound is influenced by the grills in which they should be on when listening? Amplification type is so important for these types of speakers to get the most out of them. Cabling,room and components were never mentioned to give us a fair assessment on your review
i would like to see how these stack up against the Vandersteen 1Ci speakers. No one will review Vandersteen ...
I'm sure people will hate me for saying this, but the Vandersteen is at a completely different level. Once you get used to listening to time and phase correct speakers, its hard to go back. Aside from that, the Vandersteens are far more transparent and let you hear the other components in your system more than most other speakers. If there's something you don't like about the sound, you don't have to get rid of the speakers, you can just change the electronics. To be fair, I've heard both of the speakers in the video, but not in my own system. I do own Vandersteen Models 1, 2, 3 and the matching subs. Right now the 2's are in my main system, and my Wilson's that cost many times more, are in my 2nd system. I might even take the 1's over them.
@@AT-wl9yqUnfortunately you can't push them with say a 30 wpc tube Amp. Or I'd go vandersteen
I would like to hear Linton 3XP vs these new Lintons. I bet the results would be shocking.
I have a pair of Linton 3XP's that were made in 1975, absolutely love them.
I would like to see both of these compared to the real vintage Dahlquist DQM9 speakers. Hopefully you can find a pair to demo. Great video.
I’ve been eagerly waiting for this video, so I can sell my kidneys and my left lung and buy me a pair. So I can enjoy me some Jazz and Blues with my daughter and Son…
Thank you for the great review!!!
Did you remove the Wharfedale metal grill of the tweeter or they make it already like that? BTW I give a thumbs up for the lintons. Very natural and not intrusive sound. I want to point out that as they progress the burn-in, they play better and better. Edit: Sorry, I have just saw the answer below.
Well-spotted! I didn't notice it. IMO, the Lintons sound a tad too mellow and dark with their grilles on. Removing the little metal tweeter grille could improve things even further.
@@cremersalex I would not allow myself to interfere in the engineering thought of people with experience since 1932 until now. It would be quite daring.
Wondering the same, mine came with metal grills on the tweeter.
@@sittnonchrome They once disassembled a Linton speaker (for a video) and probably forgot to put the grille back in place.
Thank you, man. Good review
I just want to chime in, some of us listen on set-ups that are also being used as DAW monitors,or desk listening situations..in other words, not home theater or large rooms devoted to sound.(well,my room is,but you get the idea) The beauty of a good 5-1/4 or 6-1/2 speaker is the woofer is your low,mid, and part of your high's:...from two to three feet away, a sweet 5-1/4 will save your ears,and give you incredible detail,and yes,bass. And my phantom center sounds like its coming right out of my monitor. My 6-1/2''s are 250 watt pristine Pinnacle AC-650's that my Onkyo TX 4500 will light up the entire room beyond belief(you move back a little for that). My studio room design has sound bouncing around everywhere,with wall buffers. The days of the JBL guy sitting in a chair in a square room getting his hair blown straight back....are long gone. (Still got the long hair,hell yeah...just sitting on a bar stool instead.) Another plus is, when buying vintage speakers, the cabinet condition is priority number one. Thick,solid, and all them seams better be tight. Crossovers can be fixed, tweeters replaced, and woofers rebuilt...and its not a lot of money to fix a crossover or re-rubber a 6-1/2. eh ? Getting started in "vintage", takes a first step.
1:46 "smoke-stained white". I literally laughed out loud when you said that. I can totally relate to what that is. No I don't smoke, never did, but many did in the '70s. Okay, I gotta get back to the vid. I'm a big fan of vintage Wharfedales and what they (modern wharfedales) can do for folks on a shoestring budget is quite amazing!! Of course the Linton is not in this category but it scares me what a relatively higher cost wharfedale must be capable of. But I cut my teeth on three-ways (speakers) in the '80s and small speakers just can't sound like a nice three-way. Okay, back to the vid. I'm a noob to KLH but I like that they resurrected the 5 - great concept. The comparo should be interesting as the Linton is ported and the 5 is not. Cheers and Happy Listening!!
Thanks Anthony. Truly an on the spot color that I made up, but it was hilarious and stuck. I still call it that today haha.
@@LennyFlorentine Some day I hope to get down there to visit your store (I'm on long island). It reminds me of the old stereo stores of the '70s. Love ur vids.
I would love to have the KLH sound signature in a Linton cabinet... It's a gorgeous cabinet in Mahogany!!! ♥️♥️♥️
You need the new Mission 770s they hit the spot! Check them out at ShopJustAudio.com
@@LennyFlorentine I'm in love with the Linton's cabinet but I can't stand the rolled off high end. I had them but had returned them because of it. 😢
@@LeoRousseau Listen to the 770s. They will take care of that
The reversed baseball cap was a bad start, but that was an excellent review! Thanks.
The haircut place wanted me to 😷 so I had to grow it out 🤣
Man Overboard ties the video together.
I listen to a lot of poorly recorded heavier music from the 90s. Alt metal and hardcore. I’ve read that the model fives can be pretty unforgiving to poor source material and poor recording do you guys find that to be true? I’ve never really had the Lintons on my radar due to their more laidback characteristics but maybe I need to audition them too.
You should have a listen to the Linton's, but I'm not sure that either are unforgiving
I just cannot justify spending $1,000 for the KHL speaker. I bought a pair of Polk Audio t-50 s for $200 which I thought were extremely well-made and more than happy with them
Awesome!
need to create a want, need to listen first, then you will prioritize
I thought the Lintons are to be kept away from the wall and the KLHs nearer due to the ports on the back of the Lintons and the KLH's acoustic suspension making them friendlier to close wall placement. No?
Yes, correct.
Yep. That one guy in the video was confused / had it backward.
Lenny, can I get an invitation to one of your review sessions? Let’s do the DALI Oberons.
Of these two the Lintons are more laidback and alluring, but the KLHs are clearer and more commanding.
Welldone again guys!great video!
It’s almost August and I still don’t have the KLH Model 5s I ordered in MAY!
KLH website says delayed until end of August
Yeah delays at the port are bad. We have several orders for them. Worldwide shipping is tough nowadays
We have a few pairs of open box Red Mahogany finishes left but they are local pickup only, gives an excuse to come to the store
Great review. Wish I didn't live approximately 2650 miles from you. Would love to visit your store.
How close are you to Los Ángeles? The folks at Upscale Audio have both for you to hear.
@@nico3641 In Phoenix it's a little less than 400 miles.
@@nico3641 Kevin is actually carrying both of these brands? I’m sort of shocked, he usually has the higher esoteric brands.
Stop by on your next trip to the east coast!
Nice review..Tell us about death/black metal... Which one plays it best..Also which one of the two is the better all arounder..Thanx.
Ooh death metal, will have to include this question in the follow up video
@@LennyFlorentine 🤗
@@TheGatoulis2 Linton's play metal great. Guitar music overall
@@ing.enuity3392 I have Audio Physic's Yara ii Superior but i love the vintage style of these speakers.
I have the KLH'S and 90% of my albums are black and death metal. They work for all types of music, extreme metal included. Don't know about the Lintons, though in my experience, a warmer and laid back speaker will become pretty boring with metal...it's part of the reason I moved to the KLH's
Currently in Denmark the KLH fives are 25600 danish crowns vs 7499 for the Lintons, I guess that make the Lintons a clear winner…
I'd say for sure. Wow what a difference
The KLH's look remind me of Advent speakers from the 70's?
I know its not the best on UA-cam, but hope there is some kind of demo comparison.
the Lintons retail for 1200-1500 dollars[980 euro in Greece] and the KLH s for 2000 dollars in the USA. In terms of sound and build quality as well as the price the Lintons are beyond comparison .
Thank you!
@@LennyFlorentine You are welcome, stay safe .[ keep in mind that the new ΜΙSSION 770 will be launched in the fall ..........]
Can you give me an idea of what differences would I be hearing between the KLH 5's and my 1974 JBL L-100's (w/ rehabbed caps and pots)?
Two things: the KLH are designed to be placed on the stands, on the floor. Any higher and the soundstage is compromised badly. Second: both speakers are made in China.
Wharfedale hands down + tube amp or vintage receiver all day! Would look great with a silver fabric.
There is no tube amp capable of driving Lintons. Impedance drop below 4 ohms is too much for any tube amp. Looks wise, most def.
@@justoutlaw6423 not totally correct, any tube amp capable of 4 ohms can do it. It has been tested everywhere in UA-cam.
@@claudiomartinez7188 Ok. Can you name a few?
@@justoutlaw6423 just search for Wharfedale Linton and watch the videos. I would invite you to my place but o doubt we are in the same country even. Impedance response is quite even in the Lintons and that’s why it performs well with capable tubes amps, most people love how they match with tubes.
@@claudiomartinez7188 Would love that :). Ok, I believe you. It's just there are very oposite opinions about it online.
Did you guys try the KLH with vintage McIntosh?
MODEL 5 >>>> LINTON
LINTON is basically dumb sound. not hifi
MODEL 5 is powerful amp or warm tone amp matciing (ex Unison Research, Macintosh), you catch on fantastic musical balance. from Kor
솔직하게 말해서 경쟁상대가 아닙니다. do not competition
Interesting thought! Thanks for joining the conversation!
...add an Aperion super tweeter to the Lintons - and then they astart sounding like something very, very high-end.
Do you reckon 3 ways have better voicing than 2 ways? I build speakers and found that large drivers have harsh upper med compared to smaller drivers.
I enjoy the mids