In this review, we will be comparing L100 Classic 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 and Wharfedale LINTON first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
JBL L100 Classic Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 5.25" Midrange
- 12" Pulp Woofer
- 40-40k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:25-200watts
- Weight:26.70kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 636.5" x 15.3" x 14.6"( 636.5 x 389.6 x 371.5mm )
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 JBL L100 Classic 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 |
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 JBL L100 Classic 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 L100 Classic and LINTON Heritage are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
JBL L100 Classic |
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 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 has a frequency range of 40-40k Hz whereas LINTON Heritage has a frequency range of 40-20k Hz.
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
L100 Classic 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 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. 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.
L100 Classic and LINTON Heritage has the same power range of 25-200 watts.
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
L100 Classic features Post type posts and LINTON Heritage has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
JBL L100 Classic's Five-way gold-plated binding posts terminals
Wharfedale LINTON's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
L100 Classic has a front firing port whereas LINTON Heritage has a rear firing ports. JBL L100 Classic'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
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 JBL L100 Classic's and Wharfedale LINTON's external dimensions. JBL L100 Classic 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 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 and Wharfedale LINTON in scale.
Comparison image of JBL L100 Classic 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 is approximately 1447.4cm2 / 224.3inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale LINTON is approximately 990.0cm2 / 153.5inch2. The L100 Classic requires 46% 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 weighs 26.70kg / 58.7lbs and the Wharfedale LINTON weighs 18.40kg / 40.5lbs. This makes the L100 Classic 45% heavier than the LINTON Heritage.
Here is a comparison of how L100 Classic 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?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of L100 Classic:
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