In this review, we will be comparing Studio 89 and SUPER LINTON, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Monitor Audio and Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio Studio 89 and Wharfedale SUPER LINTON first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio Studio 89 | Wharfedale SUPER LINTON |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | MPD III (folded ribbon) | 1" Soft-dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 4.25" RDT III | 8" Black Woven Kevlar Cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 48-60k Hz | 39-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-300 watts | 25-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 7.60kg / 16.7lbs | 19.80kg / 43.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 13-3/8" x 6-3/16" x 14-3/16"
340.0 x 157.0 x 361.0mm | 23.8" x 12" x 14.2"
605 x 300 x 360 mm |
|---|
What size room are the Monitor Audio Studio 89 and Wharfedale SUPER 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 Studio 89 |
Wharfedale SUPER LINTON |
| Near-field |
Average |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
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 Studio 89 is a 2-way design whereas the SUPER LINTON 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 Studio 89Wharfedale SUPER 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 Studio 89 |
Wharfedale SUPER LINTON |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 4.25-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
Studio 89 features a " MPD III (folded ribbon) Tweeter and 2 x 4.25" RDT III Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2400Hz. On the other hand, the SUPER LINTON features a 1" woven textile Soft-dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 1 x 8" Black Woven Kevlar Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 550Hz and 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Studio 89 has a frequency range of 48-60k Hz whereas SUPER LINTON has a frequency range of 39-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 39Hz, the SUPER LINTON can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Studio 89's min frequency of 48Hz.
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
Studio 89 and SUPER LINTON have the same Impedance of 6 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Studio 89 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the SUPER LINTON's is at 90 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Wharfedale SUPER LINTON a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio Studio 89, 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.
SUPER LINTON can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Studio 89 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the SUPER LINTON.
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
SUPER LINTON features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Studio 89 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale SUPER LINTON's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Studio 89 and SUPER LINTON 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.
Wharfedale SUPER LINTON dual 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 Monitor Audio Studio 89's and Wharfedale SUPER LINTON's external dimensions. Monitor Audio Studio 89 has external dimensions of 340.0 x 157.0 x 361.0mm (13-3/8 x 6-3/16 x 14-3/16inch) whereas Wharfedale SUPER LINTON has external dimensions of 605 x 300 x 360 mm (23.82 x 12 x 14.2 inches).
Monitor Audio Studio 89 is 143mm narrower and 265mm shorter than Wharfedale SUPER LINTON but it is also 1mm deeper.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Wharfedale SUPER LINTON needs about 91% more floor or shelf area. Wharfedale SUPER LINTON is 265mm taller.
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 Studio 89 is approximately 566.8cm2 / 87.9inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale SUPER LINTON is approximately 1080.0cm2 / 167.4inch2. The Studio 89 requires 48% less surface area than the SUPER LINTON 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 Studio 89 weighs 7.60kg / 16.7lbs and the Wharfedale SUPER LINTON weighs 19.80kg / 43.6lbs. This makes the SUPER LINTON 161% heavier than the Studio 89.
Here is a comparison of how Studio 89 and SUPER LINTON'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 SUPER LINTON?
Here are the items that come with the SUPER LINTON:
- Bookshelf loudspeaker
- Grille (pre-installed)
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Pair of white gloves
- User's Manual
 Minimum Impedance |
4.2 ohms
vs
3.9 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 High Frequency Response |
60k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
340mm
vs
605mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
566cm2
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
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
4.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
39 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
| General |
Monitor Audio Studio 89 |
Wharfedale SUPER LINTON |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
50-300 watts |
25-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
4.2 ohms |
3.9 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
48-60k Hz |
39-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
4.25" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
RDT III |
Black Woven Kevlar Cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
MPD III (folded ribbon) |
Soft-dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2400Hz |
550Hz and 2500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
340.0mm (13.4") |
605.0mm (23.8") |
| Width |
157.0mm (6.2") |
300.0mm (11.8") |
| Depth |
361.0mm (14.2") |
360.0mm (14.2") |
| Weight |
7.60kg (16.7lbs) |
19.80kg (43.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/High gloss, veneer or satin paint |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
High Gloss Black, High Gloss White |
Walnut, Mahogany, Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
18-22" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Wharfedale SUPER LINTON digs deeper - 39Hz against 48Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Wharfedale SUPER LINTON is more sensitive (90dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | Wharfedale SUPER LINTON takes more power (200W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Monitor Audio Studio 89 is easier to place; Wharfedale SUPER LINTON is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | Wharfedale SUPER LINTON: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($2,500 vs $2,500 a pair). |
A Monitor Audio Studio 89 B Wharfedale SUPER 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 SUPER 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 a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 48Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Monitor Audio Studio 89 the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and Wharfedale SUPER LINTON for a mid-size room and a large room.
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.