In this review, we will be comparing Motion B10 and LINTON Heritage, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from MartinLogan and Wharfedale. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of MartinLogan Motion B10 and Wharfedale LINTON first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the MartinLogan Motion B10 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 MartinLogan Motion B10 and Wharfedale LINTON compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Motion B10 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 |
MartinLogan Motion B10 |
Wharfedale LINTON |
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
Tweeter
|
1.0 x 1.4-inch
|
1-inch
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5-inch |
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
Motion B10 features a 1.0 x 1.4" Folded Motion Ribbon Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Woven Fiberglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2370Hz. 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
Motion B10 has a frequency range of 56-25k 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 Motion B10's min frequency of 56Hz.
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
Motion B10 is a 5 ohms speaker compared to the LINTON Heritage which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Motion B10 sensitivity is rated at 92 dB and the LINTON Heritage's is rated at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the MartinLogan Motion B10 a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale LINTON, 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.
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
Motion B10 features Post type posts and LINTON Heritage has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Motion B10 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 MartinLogan Motion B10's and Wharfedale LINTON's external dimensions. MartinLogan Motion B10 has external dimensions of 318 x 178 x 248mm ( 12-1/2inch x 7inch x 9-3/4inch ) whereas Wharfedale LINTON has external dimensions of 565.0 x 300.0 x 330.0mm ( 22.2 x 11.8 x 12.9inch) .
Wharfedale LINTON is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 122mm wider, 247mm taller and 82mm deeper than MartinLogan Motion B10.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of MartinLogan Motion B10 and Wharfedale LINTON in scale.
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 MartinLogan Motion B10 is approximately 441.4cm2 / 68.4inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale LINTON is approximately 990.0cm2 / 153.5inch2. The Motion B10 requires 55% 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 MartinLogan Motion B10 weighs 6.60kg / 14.5lbs and the Wharfedale LINTON weighs 18.40kg / 40.5lbs. This makes the LINTON Heritage 179% heavier than the Motion B10.
Here is a comparison of how Motion B10 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 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
Sensitivity |
92 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
Height |
318mm
vs
565mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
Base Surface Area |
441cm2 (178x248mm)
vs
990cm2 (300x330mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
Price per pair* |
1198USD
vs
1500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
Nominal Impedance |
6 ohms
vs
5 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
56 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
General |
MartinLogan Motion® B10 |
Wharfedale LINTON Heritage |
Brand |
MartinLogan |
Wharfedale |
Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
Power Range |
20-200 watts |
25-200 watts |
Sensitivity |
92 dB |
90 dB |
Impedance |
5 ohms |
6 ohms |
Impedance |
n/a |
3.5 ohms |
Frequency Response |
56-25k Hz |
40-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
Woofer Size |
5.25" |
8" |
Woofer Composition |
Woven Fiberglass |
Woven Kevlar |
Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
Tweeter Size |
1.0 x 1.4" |
1" |
Tweeter Type |
Folded Motion Ribbon |
Soft-dome |
Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
Midrange Driver |
No |
5" |
Crossover Frequency |
2370Hz |
630Hz and 2400Hz |
Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Suggested Break-in Period |
Allow 72 hours of break-in |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
Height |
318.0mm (12.5") |
565.0mm (22.2") |
Width |
178.0mm (7") |
300.0mm (11.8") |
Depth |
248.0mm (9.8") |
330.0mm (13") |
Weight |
6.60kg (14.5lbs) |
18.40kg (40.5lbs) |
Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
Available Colors |
Gloss Black, Walnut, and Satin White |
Walnut, Red Mahogany, Black |
Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
Recommended Stand Height |
24-28" |
18-22" |
Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |