In this review, we will be comparing 770 and LINTON Heritage, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Mission and Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Mission 770 and Wharfedale LINTON first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Mission 770 | Wharfedale LINTON |
|---|
| Brand | Mission
United Kingdom · founded 1977 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.25" Soft-Dome | 1" Soft-dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" mineral-loaded polyproylene | 8" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-20,000 Hz | 40-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-200 watts | 25-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 27.20kg / 59.8lbs | 18.40kg / 40.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 23-1/4" x 11" x 11-7/8"
590 x 279.4 x 301 mm | 22.2" x 11.8" x 14.2"
565.0 x 300.0 x 360.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Mission 770 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* |
Mission 770 |
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 770 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.
Mission 770Wharfedale 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 |
Mission 770 |
Wharfedale LINTON |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.25-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
770 features a 1.25" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 8" mineral-loaded polyproylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2900Hz. 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
770 has a frequency range of 42-20,000 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 770's min frequency of 42Hz.
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
770 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. 770 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 Mission 770, 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.
770 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
LINTON Heritage features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. 770 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Mission 770's Post terminals
Wharfedale LINTON's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
770 has a Front firing port whereas LINTON Heritage has a rear firing ports.
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 Mission 770's and Wharfedale LINTON's external dimensions. Mission 770 has external dimensions of 590 x 279.4 x 301 mm (23-1/4 x 11 x 11-7/8 inch) whereas Wharfedale LINTON has external dimensions of 565.0 x 300.0 x 360.0mm (22.2 x 11.8 x 12.9inch).
Mission 770 is 20.6mm narrower and 59mm less deeper than Wharfedale LINTON but it is also 25mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Mission 770 and Wharfedale LINTON in scale.
Comparison image of Mission 770 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 Mission 770 is approximately 841.0cm2 / 130.4inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale LINTON is approximately 1080.0cm2 / 167.4inch2. The 770 requires 22% 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 Mission 770 weighs 27.20kg / 59.8lbs and the Wharfedale LINTON weighs 18.40kg / 40.5lbs. This makes the 770 48% heavier than the LINTON Heritage.
Here is a comparison of how 770 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 Mission 770?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 770:
- Mission M770 Speaker:
- 2 Stand-mount loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- User Manual
- Mission M770 Stand:
- 2 Top-plates
- 2 Bases
- 8 Upright posts
- 8 Spike feet
- Hardware
- Instructions
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 |
 Minimum Impedance |
6 ohms
vs
3.5 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Base Surface Area |
841cm2
vs
1080cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 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
42 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
565mm
vs
590mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
1500USD
vs
5000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Mission 770 |
Wharfedale LINTON Heritage |
| Brand |
Mission |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-200 watts |
25-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
3.5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
42-20,000 Hz |
40-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
mineral-loaded polyproylene |
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
low-density nitrile |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.25" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Soft-dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2900Hz |
630Hz and 2400Hz |
| Firing Direction |
Front |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
590.0mm (23.2") |
565.0mm (22.2") |
| Width |
279.4mm (11") |
300.0mm (11.8") |
| Depth |
301.0mm (11.9") |
360.0mm (14.2") |
| Weight |
27.20kg (59.8lbs) |
18.40kg (40.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF, particle board, wood |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
Walnut,Black Oak |
Walnut, Red Mahogany, Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
18-22" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Mission 770 costs roughly 3.3x 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 (42Hz vs 40Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | B | Wharfedale LINTON is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | Mission 770 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | B | Wharfedale LINTON: bi-amping. Wharfedale LINTON sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Wharfedale LINTON is cheaper - $1,500 against $5,000, about 70% less; arguably a different class. |
A Mission 770 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. 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. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $3,500 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.