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.
| Key Specs | Sonus Sonetto II | Wharfedale LINTON |
|---|
| Brand | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.15" high definition DAD Dome | 1" Soft-dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" cellulose pulp and other natural fibers | 8" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-25k Hz | 40-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-200 watts | 25-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 6.80kg / 15lbs | 18.40kg / 40.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14.6" x 10" x 13"
370.0 x 250.0 x 334.0mm | 22.2" x 11.8" x 14.2"
565.0 x 300.0 x 360.0mm |
|---|
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:
| Listening Environment* |
Sonus Sonetto II |
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 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.
Sonus Sonetto IIWharfedale 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 |
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.
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
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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Both handle the same maximum of 200 watts RMS, though Sonetto II is rated 40-200 watts and LINTON Heritage 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
Both Sonetto II 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
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
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 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 1080.0cm2 / 167.4inch2. The Sonetto II requires 23% 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 Masks
- 2 Fabric dust guards
- 2 Jumpers
- 1 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 |
 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
vs
1080cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1499USD
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 |
 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 |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
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 | evenly matched | Much the same reach (42Hz vs 40Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | B | Wharfedale LINTON is more sensitive (90dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Wharfedale LINTON is the easier load at 6 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | Sonus Sonetto II is easier to place; Wharfedale LINTON is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Sonus Sonetto II: bi-amping; Wharfedale LINTON: bi-amping. Sonus Sonetto II sits in a wider range (11 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($1,499 vs $1,500 a pair). |
A Sonus Sonetto II 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. 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, Sonus Sonetto II is the easier speaker to get right. 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.
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.