In this review, we will be comparing LS50 Meta and LINTON Heritage, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from KEF and Wharfedale. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF LS50 Meta and Wharfedale LINTON first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the KEF LS50 Meta 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the KEF LS50 Meta 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that LS50 Meta 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.
| Driver |
KEF LS50 Meta |
Wharfedale LINTON |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
LS50 Meta features a 1" Aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2100Hz. 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
LS50 Meta has a frequency range of 79-28k 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 LS50 Meta's min frequency of 79Hz.
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
LS50 Meta 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. LS50 Meta 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 KEF LS50 Meta, 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.
LS50 Meta can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas LS50 Meta has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS , 100 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
LS50 Meta features Post type posts and LINTON Heritage has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KEF LS50 Meta's Post terminals
Wharfedale LINTON's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both LS50 Meta 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 KEF LS50 Meta's and Wharfedale LINTON's external dimensions. KEF LS50 Meta has external dimensions of 303.0 x 201.0 x 281.0mm ( 11-15/16 x 7.875 x 11-1/16inch) 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 99mm wider, 262mm taller and 79mm deeper than KEF LS50 Meta.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KEF LS50 Meta and Wharfedale LINTON in scale.
Comparison image of KEF LS50 Meta 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 KEF LS50 Meta is approximately 564.8cm2 / 87.5inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale LINTON is approximately 990.0cm2 / 153.5inch2. The LS50 Meta requires 43% 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 KEF LS50 Meta weighs 7.82kg / 17.2lbs and the Wharfedale LINTON weighs 18.40kg / 40.5lbs. This makes the LINTON Heritage 135% heavier than the LS50 Meta.
Here is a comparison of how LS50 Meta 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 KEF LS50 Meta?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of LS50 Meta:
2 Bookshelf loudspeakers2 Foam port plugs8 Self-adhesive rubber feetOwners ManualWarranty Registration Card
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 |
28k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
303mm
vs
565mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
564cm2 (201x281mm)
vs
990cm2 (300x360mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
85 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
79 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
1500USD
vs
1600USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KEF LS50 Meta |
Wharfedale LINTON Heritage |
| Brand |
KEF |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
40-100 watts |
25-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
85 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.5 ohms |
3.5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
79-28k 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 |
Hard-Dome |
Soft-dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2100Hz |
630Hz and 2400Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
303.0mm (11.9") |
565.0mm (22.2") |
| Width |
201.0mm (7.9") |
300.0mm (11.8") |
| Depth |
281.0mm (11.1") |
360.0mm (14.2") |
| Weight |
7.82kg (17.2lbs) |
18.40kg (40.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Polymer |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
Carbon Black,Titanium Grey,Royal Blue,Mineral White |
Walnut, Red Mahogany, Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
25-30" |
18-22" |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |