In this review, we will be comparing Uni-Fi UB5 and LINTON Heritage, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from ELAC and Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 and Wharfedale LINTON first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Soft-dome Tweeter
- 4" Midrange
- 5.25" Aluminum Woofer
- 46-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 85 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:40-140watts
- Weight:7.48kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 324.0" x 7.8" x 10.7"( 324.0 x 200.0 x 273.0mm )
Wharfedale LINTON Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Soft-dome Tweeter
- 5" Midrange
- 8" Woven Kevlar Woofer
- 5" Midrange
- 40-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:25-200watts
- Weight:18.40kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 565.0" x 11.8" x 14.2"( 565.0 x 300.0 x 360.0mm )
What size room are the ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 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:
| Listening Environment* |
ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 |
Wharfedale LINTON |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 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
Both Uni-Fi UB5 and LINTON Heritage are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 |
Wharfedale LINTON |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4-inch |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
Uni-Fi UB5 features a 1" Soft-dome Tweeter , a 4" Midrange and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 270Hz and 2700Hz. 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
Uni-Fi UB5 has a frequency range of 46-25k Hz whereas LINTON Heritage has a frequency range of 40-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the LINTON Heritage can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Uni-Fi UB5's min frequency of 46Hz.
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
Uni-Fi UB5 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 Uni-Fi UB5 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Uni-Fi UB5 sensitivity is rated at 85 dB and the LINTON Heritage's is rated at 90 dB. This 5 dB difference makes the Wharfedale LINTON a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC Uni-Fi UB5, 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.
Uni-Fi UB5 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Uni-Fi UB5 has a max power handling value of 140 watts RMS , 60 watts less than the LINTON Heritage.
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Uni-Fi UB5 features Post type posts and LINTON Heritage has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
ELAC Uni-Fi UB5's Post terminals
Wharfedale LINTON's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Uni-Fi UB5 and LINTON Heritage have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 ELAC Uni-Fi UB5's and Wharfedale LINTON's external dimensions. ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 has external dimensions of 324.0 x 200.0 x 273.0mm ( 12.7 x 7.8 x 10.7inch) 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 100mm wider, 241mm taller and 87mm deeper than ELAC Uni-Fi UB5.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 and Wharfedale LINTON in scale.
Comparison image of ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 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 ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 is approximately 546.0cm2 / 84.6inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale LINTON is approximately 990.0cm2 / 153.5inch2. The Uni-Fi UB5 requires 45% 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 ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 weighs 7.48kg / 16.5lbs and the Wharfedale LINTON weighs 18.40kg / 40.5lbs. This makes the LINTON Heritage 146% heavier than the Uni-Fi UB5.
Here is a comparison of how Uni-Fi UB5 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 ELAC Uni-Fi UB5?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Uni-Fi UB5:
2 Bookshelf loudspeakers 2 Grilles Operating Instructions
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
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
324mm
vs
565mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
546cm2
vs
990cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
140 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
85 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
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
46 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
ELAC Uni-Fi UB5 |
Wharfedale LINTON Heritage |
| Brand |
ELAC |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
40-140 watts |
25-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
85 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
46-25k Hz |
40-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-dome |
Soft-dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
4" |
5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
270Hz and 2700Hz |
630Hz and 2400Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
324.0mm (12.8") |
565.0mm (22.2") |
| Width |
200.0mm (7.9") |
300.0mm (11.8") |
| Depth |
273.0mm (10.7") |
360.0mm (14.2") |
| Weight |
7.48kg (16.5lbs) |
18.40kg (40.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Walnut, Red Mahogany, Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24-31" |
18-22" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
5 Years |