In this review, we will be comparing Silver 100 7G and LINTON Heritage, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Monitor Audio and Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G and Wharfedale LINTON first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G | Wharfedale LINTON |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" Soft-dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" C-CAM RST II | 8" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 35-35k Hz | 40-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87.5 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-120 watts | 25-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 9.43kg / 20.7lbs | 18.40kg / 40.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14-13/16" x 9-1/8" x 13-1/16"
377.0 x 232.0 x 332.0mm | 22.2" x 11.8" x 14.2"
565.0 x 300.0 x 360.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G 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* |
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G |
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 Silver 100 7G 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.
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7GWharfedale 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 |
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G |
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
|
Silver 100 7G features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 8" C-CAM RST II Woofer. 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
Silver 100 7G has a frequency range of 35-35k Hz whereas LINTON Heritage has a frequency range of 40-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the Silver 100 7G can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the LINTON Heritage's min frequency of 40Hz.
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
Silver 100 7G 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. Silver 100 7G sensitivity is rated at 87.5 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 Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G, 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 Silver 100 7G has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 80 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.
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Silver 100 7G and LINTON Heritage features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Wharfedale LINTON's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G's and Wharfedale LINTON's external dimensions. Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G has external dimensions of 377.0 x 232.0 x 332.0mm (14-13/16 x 9-1/8 x 13-1/16inch) 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 68mm wider, 188mm taller and 28mm deeper than Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G and Wharfedale LINTON in scale.
Comparison image of Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G 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 Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G is approximately 770.2cm2 / 119.4inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale LINTON is approximately 1080.0cm2 / 167.4inch2. The Silver 100 7G requires 29% 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 Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G weighs 9.43kg / 20.7lbs and the Wharfedale LINTON weighs 18.40kg / 40.5lbs. This makes the LINTON Heritage 95% heavier than the Silver 100 7G.
Here is a comparison of how Silver 100 7G and LINTON Heritage's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Silver 100 7G:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Jumpers (pre-installed)
- 8 Rubber feet
- 2 Foam port plugs
- Hex-key
- Owners Manual
- Important Safety 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 |
 Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
377mm
vs
565mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
770cm2
vs
1080cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1400USD
vs
1500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
120 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 |
| General |
Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G |
Wharfedale LINTON Heritage |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
40-120 watts |
25-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87.5 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
35-35k Hz |
40-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM RST II |
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 |
n/a |
630Hz and 2400Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
377.0mm (14.8") |
565.0mm (22.2") |
| Width |
232.0mm (9.1") |
300.0mm (11.8") |
| Depth |
332.0mm (13.1") |
360.0mm (14.2") |
| Weight |
9.43kg (20.7lbs) |
18.40kg (40.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
Ash,High Gloss Black,Black Oak,Satin White |
Walnut, Red Mahogany, Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
22-26" |
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 |
A generation apart: Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G is the newer design, against a 2017 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G digs deeper - 35Hz against 40Hz. 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 | Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | B | Wharfedale LINTON takes more power (200W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G is easier to place; Wharfedale LINTON is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G: bi-amping; Wharfedale LINTON: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($1,400 vs $1,500 a pair). |
A Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G 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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 40Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. 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, Monitor Audio Silver 100 7G is the easier speaker to get right.
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.