In this review, we will be comparing AURA 1 and LINTON Heritage, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale AURA 1 and Wharfedale LINTON first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale AURA 1 | Wharfedale LINTON |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.0625 x 3.5" AMT (Ribbon) | 1" Soft-dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 5" Glass Fiber Matrix | 8" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 48-22k Hz | 40-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-100 watts | 25-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 12.50kg / 27.5lbs | 18.40kg / 40.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 14-7/16" x 9-3/4" x 13-3/4"
367.0 x 248.0 x 350.0mm | 22.2" x 11.8" x 14.2"
565.0 x 300.0 x 360.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale AURA 1 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* |
Wharfedale AURA 1 |
Wharfedale 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.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that AURA 1 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.
Wharfedale AURA 1Wharfedale 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 |
Wharfedale AURA 1 |
Wharfedale LINTON |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.0625 x 3.5-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
AURA 1 features a 1.0625 x 3.5" AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter and 1 x 5" Glass Fiber Matrix Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2.9kHz. 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
AURA 1 has a frequency range of 48-22k Hz whereas LINTON Heritage has a frequency range of 40-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the LINTON Heritage can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the AURA 1'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
AURA 1 and LINTON Heritage have the same Impedance of 6 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. AURA 1 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the LINTON Heritage's is at 90 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Wharfedale LINTON a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale AURA 1, 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 AURA 1 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 100 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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
AURA 1 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 AURA 1's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Wharfedale LINTON's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
AURA 1 has a bottom firing port whereas LINTON Heritage has a rear firing ports. Wharfedale AURA 1's bottom-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 Wharfedale AURA 1's and Wharfedale LINTON's external dimensions. Wharfedale AURA 1 has external dimensions of 367.0 x 248.0 x 350.0mm (14-7/16inch x 9-3/4inch x 13-3/4inch) 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 52mm wider, 198mm taller and 10mm deeper than Wharfedale AURA 1.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale AURA 1 and Wharfedale LINTON in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale AURA 1 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 Wharfedale AURA 1 is approximately 868.0cm2 / 134.5inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale LINTON is approximately 990.0cm2 / 153.5inch2. The AURA 1 requires 12% 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 Wharfedale AURA 1 weighs 12.50kg / 27.5lbs and the Wharfedale LINTON weighs 18.40kg / 40.5lbs. This makes the LINTON Heritage 47% heavier than the AURA 1.
Here is a comparison of how AURA 1 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 Wharfedale AURA 1?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of AURA 1:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Jumper wires
- 8 Rubber feet
- Pair of white gloves
- User 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
 Minimum Impedance |
4.1 ohms
vs
3.5 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 High Frequency Response |
22k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
367mm
vs
565mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
868cm2
vs
990cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
100 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
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
1500USD
vs
1999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Wharfedale AURA 1 |
Wharfedale LINTON Heritage |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-100 watts |
25-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
4.1 ohms |
3.5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
48-22k Hz |
40-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Glass Fiber Matrix |
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.0625 x 3.5" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
AMT (Ribbon) |
Soft-dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2.9kHz |
630Hz and 2400Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
367.0mm (14.4") |
565.0mm (22.2") |
| Width |
248.0mm (9.8") |
300.0mm (11.8") |
| Depth |
350.0mm (13.8") |
360.0mm (14.2") |
| Weight |
12.50kg (27.5lbs) |
18.40kg (40.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Multi-layer wood |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
Piano Black,Piano Walnut,White Gloss |
Walnut, Red Mahogany, Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
22-24" |
18-22" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: Wharfedale AURA 1 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 |
B |
Wharfedale LINTON digs deeper - 40Hz against 48Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs |
B |
Wharfedale LINTON is more sensitive (90dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom |
B |
Wharfedale LINTON takes more power (200W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
Wharfedale AURA 1 is easier to place; Wharfedale LINTON is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability |
A |
Wharfedale AURA 1: bi-amping. |
| Price |
B |
Wharfedale LINTON is cheaper - $1,500 against $1,999, about 25% less. |
A Wharfedale AURA 1
B Wharfedale LINTON
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Wharfedale AURA 1 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. 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 Wharfedale AURA 1 the better fit for near-field listening and a small room, and Wharfedale 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.