In this review, we will be comparing S400 MKII and LINTON Heritage, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Buchardt and Wharfedale. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Buchardt S400 MKII and Wharfedale LINTON first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Buchardt S400 MKII and Wharfedale 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Buchardt S400 MKII and Wharfedale LINTON compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that S400 MKII is a 2-way design whereas the LINTON Heritage 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.
| Driver |
Buchardt S400 MKII |
Wharfedale LINTON |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.74-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
S400 MKII features a 0.74" fine weave soft fabric textile aluminum waveguide Tweeter and 1 x 6" paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1800Hz. On the other hand, the LINTON Heritage features a 1" woven textile Soft-dome Tweeter , a 5" Midrange and 1 x 8" Woven Kevlar Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 630Hz and 2400Hz.
Frequency Response
S400 MKII has a frequency range of 33-40k HZ whereas LINTON Heritage has a frequency range of 40-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 33Hz, the S400 MKII can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the LINTON Heritage's min frequency of 40Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
S400 MKII is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the LINTON Heritage which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the S400 MKII can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. S400 MKII sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the LINTON Heritage's is rated at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Wharfedale LINTON a more sensitive speaker compared to Buchardt S400 MKII, 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. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Buchardt S400 MKII's and Wharfedale LINTON's external dimensions. Buchardt S400 MKII has external dimensions of 365.0 x 180.0 x 280.0mm ( 14.4 x 7 x 11inch) whereas Wharfedale LINTON has external dimensions of 565.0 x 300.0 x 360.0mm ( 22.2 x 11.8 x 12.9inch) .
Wharfedale LINTON is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 120mm wider, 200mm taller and 80mm deeper than Buchardt S400 MKII.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Buchardt S400 MKII and Wharfedale LINTON in scale.
Comparison image of Buchardt S400 MKII and Wharfedale LINTON Size and External Dimensions
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 Buchardt S400 MKII is approximately 504.0cm2 / 78.1inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale LINTON is approximately 990.0cm2 / 153.5inch2. The S400 MKII requires 49% less surface area than the LINTON Heritage 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 Buchardt S400 MKII weighs 7.50kg / 16.5lbs and the Wharfedale LINTON weighs 18.40kg / 40.5lbs. This makes the LINTON Heritage 145% heavier than the S400 MKII.
Here is a comparison of how S400 MKII and LINTON Heritage's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Wharfedale LINTON?
Here are the items that come with the LINTON Heritage:
Bookshelf loudspeaker Grille (pre-installed) 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet Pair of white gloves User's Manual
 Low Frequency Response |
33 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Passive Radiator |
one 5x8-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Height |
365mm
vs
565mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
504cm2 (180x280mm)
vs
990cm2 (300x360mm)
|
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 |
 Nominal Impedance |
6 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
| Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Price per pair* |
1500USD
vs
2200USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Buchardt S400 MKII |
Wharfedale LINTON Heritage |
| Brand |
Buchardt |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
40-200 watts |
25-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
33-40k HZ |
40-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
paper |
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
0.74" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
aluminum waveguide |
Soft-dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
1800Hz |
630Hz and 2400Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
365.0mm (14.4") |
565.0mm (22.2") |
| Width |
180.0mm (7.1") |
300.0mm (11.8") |
| Depth |
280.0mm (11") |
360.0mm (14.2") |
| Weight |
7.50kg (16.5lbs) |
18.40kg (40.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
Black, White, Walnut, Rosewood, Light Oak |
Walnut, Red Mahogany, Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
18-22" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
10 years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
10 years |
5 Years |