In this review, we will be comparing AE2 40th Anniversary and SUPER LINTON, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Acoustic Energy and Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary and Wharfedale SUPER LINTON first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary | Wharfedale SUPER LINTON |
|---|
| Brand | Acoustic Energy
United Kingdom · founded 1987 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Dome | 1" Soft-dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5" ceramic-coated aluminium | 8" Black Woven Kevlar Cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 35-45k Hz | 39-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 200 watts | 25-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 14.50kg / 31.9lbs | 19.80kg / 43.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 15.2" x 9.3" x 12.4"
385.0 x 235.0 x 315.0mm | 23.8" x 12" x 14.2"
605 x 300 x 360 mm |
|---|
What size room are the Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary and Wharfedale SUPER LINTON speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary |
Wharfedale SUPER LINTON |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that AE2 40th Anniversary is a 2-way design whereas the SUPER LINTON is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Acoustic Energy AE2 40th AnniversaryWharfedale SUPER LINTON
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary |
Wharfedale SUPER LINTON |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
AE2 40th Anniversary features a 1.1" aluminium Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" ceramic-coated aluminium Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2200Hz. On the other hand, the SUPER LINTON features a 1" woven textile Soft-dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 1 x 8" Black Woven Kevlar Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 550Hz and 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
AE2 40th Anniversary has a frequency range of 35-45k Hz whereas SUPER LINTON has a frequency range of 39-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the AE2 40th Anniversary can go slightly deeper then the SUPER LINTON's min frequency of 39Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
AE2 40th Anniversary and SUPER LINTON have the same Impedance of 6 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. AE2 40th Anniversary sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the SUPER LINTON's is at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Wharfedale SUPER LINTON a more sensitive speaker compared to Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Both handle the same maximum of 200 watts RMS, though AE2 40th Anniversary is rated up to 200 watts and SUPER LINTON 25-200 watts.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
SUPER LINTON features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. AE2 40th Anniversary has a Single binding posts which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale SUPER LINTON's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
AE2 40th Anniversary has a front firing port whereas SUPER LINTON has a rear firing ports. Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Wharfedale SUPER LINTON with its rear-firing port.
Wharfedale SUPER LINTON dual Port
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary's and Wharfedale SUPER LINTON's external dimensions. Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary has external dimensions of 385.0 x 235.0 x 315.0mm (15.2 x 9.3 x 12.4inch) whereas Wharfedale SUPER LINTON has external dimensions of 605 x 300 x 360 mm (23.82 x 12 x 14.2 inches).
Wharfedale SUPER LINTON is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 65mm wider, 220mm taller and 45mm deeper than Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Wharfedale SUPER LINTON needs about 46% more floor or shelf area. Wharfedale SUPER LINTON is 45mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Wharfedale SUPER LINTON is 220mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary is approximately 740.3cm2 / 114.7inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale SUPER LINTON is approximately 1080.0cm2 / 167.4inch2. The AE2 40th Anniversary requires 31% less surface area than the SUPER LINTON which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary weighs 14.50kg / 31.9lbs and the Wharfedale SUPER LINTON weighs 19.80kg / 43.6lbs. This makes the SUPER LINTON 37% heavier than the AE2 40th Anniversary.
Here is a comparison of how AE2 40th Anniversary and SUPER LINTON's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary
What's in the Box of Wharfedale SUPER LINTON?
Here are the items that come with the SUPER LINTON:
- Bookshelf loudspeaker
- Grille (pre-installed)
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Pair of white gloves
- User's Manual
 Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
39 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
45k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Height |
385mm
vs
605mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
740cm2
vs
1080cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Price per pair* |
2500USD
vs
3699USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary |
Wharfedale SUPER LINTON |
| Brand |
Acoustic Energy |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
up to 200 watts |
25-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.9 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
35-45k Hz |
39-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
ceramic-coated aluminium |
Black Woven Kevlar Cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Soft-dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2200Hz |
550Hz and 2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
385.0mm (15.2") |
605.0mm (23.8") |
| Width |
235.0mm (9.3") |
300.0mm (11.8") |
| Depth |
315.0mm (12.4") |
360.0mm (14.2") |
| Weight |
14.50kg (31.9lbs) |
19.80kg (43.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
RSC constrained-layer HDF/bitumen, ten-coat high gloss |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
High Gloss Walnut,High Gloss Black |
Walnut, Mahogany, Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
18-22" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary digs deeper - 35Hz against 39Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Wharfedale SUPER LINTON is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary is easier to place; Wharfedale SUPER LINTON is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | Wharfedale SUPER LINTON: bi-amping. Wharfedale SUPER LINTON sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Wharfedale SUPER LINTON is cheaper - $2,500 against $3,699, about 32% less. |
A Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary B Wharfedale SUPER LINTON
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Wharfedale SUPER LINTON has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. Match it to your room: we rate Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary the better fit for a large room and a very large room; elsewhere the two are rated the same. In a large or open-plan room, Wharfedale SUPER LINTON has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary is the easier speaker to get right.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.