In this review, we will be comparing Sonetto II and LINTON Heritage, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Sonus Faber and Wharfedale. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus Sonetto II and Wharfedale LINTON first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Sonus Sonetto II 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 Sonus Sonetto II 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 Sonetto II 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 |
Sonus Sonetto II |
Wharfedale LINTON |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.15-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
Sonetto II features a 1.15" high definition DAD Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" cellulose pulp and other natural fibers Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2650 Hz. 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
Sonetto II has a frequency range of 42-25k 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 Sonetto II's min frequency of 42Hz.
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
Sonetto II is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the LINTON Heritage which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Sonetto II can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Sonetto II sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the LINTON Heritage's is rated at 90 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Wharfedale LINTON a more sensitive speaker compared to Sonus Sonetto II, 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
Sonetto II features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. LINTON Heritage has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale LINTON's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Sonetto II has a front firing port whereas LINTON Heritage has a rear firing ports. Sonus Sonetto II's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Wharfedale LINTON with its rear-firing port.
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 Sonus Sonetto II's and Wharfedale LINTON's external dimensions. Sonus Sonetto II has external dimensions of 370.0 x 250.0 x 334.0mm ( 15 x 10 x 13inch) 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 50mm wider, 195mm taller and 26mm deeper than Sonus Sonetto II.
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 Sonus Sonetto II is approximately 835.0cm2 / 129.4inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale LINTON is approximately 990.0cm2 / 153.5inch2. The Sonetto II requires 16% 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 Sonus Sonetto II weighs 6.80kg / 15lbs and the Wharfedale LINTON weighs 18.40kg / 40.5lbs. This makes the LINTON Heritage 171% heavier than the Sonetto II.
Here is a comparison of how Sonetto II 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 Sonus Sonetto II?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Sonetto II:
2 Masks2 Fabric dust guards2 Jumpers1 Manual
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
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Height |
370mm
vs
565mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
835cm2 (250x334mm)
vs
990cm2 (300x360mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
6 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
42 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Sonus Faber Sonetto II |
Wharfedale LINTON Heritage |
| Brand |
Sonus Faber |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
40-200 watts |
25-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
42-25k Hz |
40-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
cellulose pulp and other natural fibers |
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.15" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
high definition DAD Dome |
Soft-dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2650 Hz |
630Hz and 2400Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
370.0mm (14.6") |
565.0mm (22.2") |
| Width |
250.0mm (9.8") |
300.0mm (11.8") |
| Depth |
334.0mm (13.1") |
360.0mm (14.2") |
| Weight |
6.80kg (15lbs) |
18.40kg (40.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
Wood, White, Black, Wenge |
Walnut, Red Mahogany, Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
18-22" |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |