In this review, we will be comparing L82 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 L82 Classic MKII and Wharfedale LINTON first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | JBL L82 Classic MKII | Wharfedale LINTON |
|---|
| Brand | JBL
United States · founded 1946 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Soft-dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" Pulp | 8" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 44-40k Hz | 40-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-150 watts | 25-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 12.80kg / 28.2lbs | 18.40kg / 40.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 18.6" x 11.0" x 12.4"
472.8 x 281.0 x 315.5mm | 22.2" x 11.8" x 14.2"
565.0 x 300.0 x 360.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the JBL L82 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 L82 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that L82 Classic 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.
JBL L82 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 L82 Classic MKII |
Wharfedale LINTON |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
L82 Classic MKII features a 1" Titanium Dome Tweeter and 1 x 8" Pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1700Hz. 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
L82 Classic MKII has a frequency range of 44-40k Hz whereas LINTON Heritage has a frequency range of 40-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the LINTON Heritage can go slightly deeper then the L82 Classic MKII's min frequency of 44Hz.
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
L82 Classic MKII is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the LINTON Heritage which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. L82 Classic 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 JBL L82 Classic 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
LINTON Heritage can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas L82 Classic MKII has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the LINTON Heritage.
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 L82 Classic MKII and LINTON Heritage features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
JBL L82 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
L82 Classic MKII has a front firing port whereas LINTON Heritage has a rear firing ports. JBL L82 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 L82 Classic MKII's and Wharfedale LINTON's external dimensions. JBL L82 Classic MKII has external dimensions of 472.8 x 281.0 x 315.5mm (18.6 x 11.0 x 12.4inch) 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 19mm wider, 92.2mm taller and 44.5mm deeper than JBL L82 Classic MKII.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of JBL L82 Classic MKII and Wharfedale LINTON in scale.
Comparison image of JBL L82 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 L82 Classic MKII is approximately 886.6cm2 / 137.4inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale LINTON is approximately 1080.0cm2 / 167.4inch2. The L82 Classic MKII requires 18% 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 JBL L82 Classic MKII weighs 12.80kg / 28.2lbs and the Wharfedale LINTON weighs 18.40kg / 40.5lbs. This makes the LINTON Heritage 44% heavier than the L82 Classic MKII.
Here is a comparison of how L82 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 L82 Classic MKII?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of L82 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
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Height |
472mm
vs
565mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
886cm2
vs
1080cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 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 |
 Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
44 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
1500USD
vs
2900USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
JBL L82 Classic MKII |
Wharfedale LINTON Heritage |
| Brand |
JBL |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-150 watts |
25-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
44-40k Hz |
40-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
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 |
No |
5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
1700Hz |
630Hz and 2400Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
472.8mm (18.6") |
565.0mm (22.2") |
| Width |
281.0mm (11.1") |
300.0mm (11.8") |
| Depth |
315.5mm (12.4") |
360.0mm (14.2") |
| Weight |
12.80kg (28.2lbs) |
18.40kg (40.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
Walnut |
Walnut, Red Mahogany, Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
15.5" |
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 L82 Classic MKII costs roughly 1.9x 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 | B | Wharfedale LINTON digs deeper - 40Hz against 44Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Wharfedale LINTON is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | JBL L82 Classic MKII is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | B | Wharfedale LINTON takes more power (200W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | JBL L82 Classic MKII is easier to place; Wharfedale LINTON is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | JBL L82 Classic MKII: bi-amping; Wharfedale LINTON: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Wharfedale LINTON is cheaper - $1,500 against $2,900, about 48% less; arguably a different class. |
A JBL L82 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 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take JBL L82 Classic MKII if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. In a large or open-plan room, Wharfedale LINTON has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, JBL L82 Classic MKII 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.