In this review, we will be comparing Epikore 3 and SUPER LINTON, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from DALI and Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI Epikore 3 and Wharfedale SUPER LINTON first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | DALI Epikore 3 | Wharfedale SUPER LINTON |
|---|
| Brand | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.38" Hybrid dome + planar | 1" Soft-dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 7" Wood fibre | 8" Black Woven Kevlar Cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-34k Hz | 39-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 85 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-250 watts | 25-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | — | 19.80kg / 43.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 18.50" x 9.84" x 16.54"
470 x 250 x 420 mm | 23.8" x 12" x 14.2"
605 x 300 x 360 mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Epikore 3 and SUPER LINTON are 3-way speakers.
DALI Epikore 3Wharfedale 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 |
DALI Epikore 3 |
Wharfedale SUPER LINTON |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.38-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 7-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
Epikore 3 features a 1.38" Hybrid dome + planar Tweeter and 1 x 7" Wood fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800 / 12500Hz. 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
Epikore 3 has a frequency range of 42-34k Hz whereas SUPER LINTON has a frequency range of 39-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 39Hz, the SUPER LINTON can go slightly deeper then the Epikore 3's min frequency of 42Hz.
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
Epikore 3 and SUPER LINTON have the same Impedance of 6 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Epikore 3 sensitivity is rated at 85 dB and the SUPER LINTON's is at 90 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the Wharfedale SUPER LINTON a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Epikore 3, 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.
Epikore 3 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas SUPER LINTON has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Epikore 3.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Epikore 3 and SUPER LINTON features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Wharfedale SUPER LINTON's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 DALI Epikore 3's and Wharfedale SUPER LINTON's external dimensions. DALI Epikore 3 has external dimensions of 470 x 250 x 420 mm () whereas Wharfedale SUPER LINTON has external dimensions of 605 x 300 x 360 mm (23.82 x 12 x 14.2 inches).
DALI Epikore 3 is 50mm narrower and 135mm shorter than Wharfedale SUPER LINTON but it is also 60mm deeper.
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.
Near-identical footprints. DALI Epikore 3 is 60mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Wharfedale SUPER LINTON is 135mm 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 DALI Epikore 3 is approximately 1050.0cm2 / 162.8inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale SUPER LINTON is approximately 1080.0cm2 / 167.4inch2. The Epikore 3 requires 3% less surface area than the SUPER LINTON which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
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