In this review, we will be comparing L100 Classic MKII and LINTON Heritage, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from JBL and Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL L100 Classic MKII and Wharfedale LINTON first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | JBL L100 Classic MKII | Wharfedale LINTON |
|---|
| Brand | JBL
United States · founded 1946 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Soft-dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 12" Pulp | 8" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40-40k Hz | 40-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-200 watts | 25-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 28.60kg / 62.9lbs | 18.40kg / 40.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 25.0" x 15.3" x 14.6"
636.5 x 389.6 x 371.5mm | 22.2" x 11.8" x 14.2"
565.0 x 300.0 x 360.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the JBL L100 Classic 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:
| Listening Environment* |
JBL L100 Classic MKII |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both L100 Classic MKII and LINTON Heritage are 3-way speakers.
JBL L100 Classic MKIIWharfedale 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 |
JBL L100 Classic MKII |
Wharfedale LINTON |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 12-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
L100 Classic MKII features a 1" Titanium Dome Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 1 x 12" Pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 3500Hz. 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
L100 Classic MKII has a frequency range of 40-40k Hz whereas LINTON Heritage has a frequency range of 40-20k Hz.
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
L100 Classic 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 L100 Classic MKII can provide this impedance level.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 90 dBdB.
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.
L100 Classic MKII and LINTON Heritage have the same power range of 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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both L100 Classic MKII and LINTON Heritage features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
JBL L100 Classic MKII's Five-way gold-plated binding posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Wharfedale LINTON's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
L100 Classic MKII has a front firing port whereas LINTON Heritage has a rear firing ports. JBL L100 Classic MKII's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Wharfedale LINTON with its rear-firing 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 JBL L100 Classic MKII's and Wharfedale LINTON's external dimensions. JBL L100 Classic MKII has external dimensions of 636.5 x 389.6 x 371.5mm (25.0 x 15.3 x 14.6inch) whereas Wharfedale LINTON has external dimensions of 565.0 x 300.0 x 360.0mm (22.2 x 11.8 x 12.9inch).
JBL L100 Classic MKII is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 89.6mm wider, 71.5mm taller and 11.5mm deeper than Wharfedale LINTON.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of JBL L100 Classic MKII and Wharfedale LINTON in scale.
Comparison image of JBL L100 Classic 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 JBL L100 Classic MKII is approximately 1447.4cm2 / 224.3inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale LINTON is approximately 1080.0cm2 / 167.4inch2. The L100 Classic MKII requires 34% more surface area than the LINTON Heritage which gives it a small disadvantage 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 JBL L100 Classic MKII weighs 28.60kg / 62.9lbs and the Wharfedale LINTON weighs 18.40kg / 40.5lbs. This makes the L100 Classic MKII 55% heavier than the LINTON Heritage.
Here is a comparison of how L100 Classic 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 JBL L100 Classic MKII?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of L100 Classic MKII:
- Bookshelf loudspeaker
- Grille
- Owner's Manual
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
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Nominal Impedance |
6 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Height |
565mm
vs
636mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1080cm2
vs
1447cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1500USD
vs
4800USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
JBL L100 Classic MKII |
Wharfedale LINTON Heritage |
| Brand |
JBL |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-200 watts |
25-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
40-40k Hz |
40-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Pulp |
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Soft-dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
450Hz and 3500Hz |
630Hz and 2400Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
636.5mm (25.1") |
565.0mm (22.2") |
| Width |
389.6mm (15.3") |
300.0mm (11.8") |
| Depth |
371.5mm (14.6") |
360.0mm (14.2") |
| Weight |
28.60kg (62.9lbs) |
18.40kg (40.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Genuine walnut veneer |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
Walnut |
Walnut, Red Mahogany, Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
18" |
18-22" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - JBL L100 Classic MKII costs roughly 3.2x what Wharfedale LINTON does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (40Hz vs 40Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | Wharfedale LINTON is the easier load at 6 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | Wharfedale LINTON is easier to place; JBL L100 Classic MKII is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | JBL L100 Classic MKII: bi-amping; Wharfedale LINTON: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Wharfedale LINTON is cheaper - $1,500 against $4,800, about 69% less; arguably a different class. |
A JBL L100 Classic MKII B Wharfedale 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 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. In a large or open-plan room, JBL L100 Classic MKII has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Wharfedale LINTON is the easier speaker to get right. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Wharfedale LINTON is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.