In this review, we will be comparing Dovedale and LINTON Heritage, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Dovedale and Wharfedale LINTON first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale Dovedale | Wharfedale LINTON |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" soft dome | 1" Soft-dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 10" black woven Kevlar cone | 8" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 36-20k Hz | 40-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 DB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6.5 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-250 watts | 25-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 26.20kg / 57.6lbs | 18.40kg / 40.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 26.0" x 14.6" x 16.4"
660 x 370 x 417mm | 22.2" x 11.8" x 14.2"
565.0 x 300.0 x 360.0mm |
|---|
Dovedale and LINTON Heritage are members of Wharfedale's Heritage series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Wharfedale Heritage Series
History
What size room are the Wharfedale Dovedale 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 Dovedale |
Wharfedale LINTON |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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
Both Dovedale and LINTON Heritage are 3-way speakers.
Wharfedale DovedaleWharfedale 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 Dovedale |
Wharfedale LINTON |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 10-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
Dovedale features a 1" soft dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 1 x 10" black woven Kevlar cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 560Hz and 2900Hz. 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
Dovedale has a frequency range of 36-20k Hz whereas LINTON Heritage has a frequency range of 40-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 36Hz, the Dovedale can go slightly deeper then 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
Dovedale is a 6.5 ohms speaker compared to the LINTON Heritage which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Dovedale sensitivity is rated at 89 DB and the LINTON Heritage's is rated at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Wharfedale LINTON a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale Dovedale, 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.
Dovedale can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas LINTON Heritage has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Dovedale.
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 Dovedale and LINTON Heritage features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Wharfedale Dovedale's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Wharfedale LINTON's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Dovedale and LINTON Heritage 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.
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 Dovedale's and Wharfedale LINTON's external dimensions. Wharfedale Dovedale has external dimensions of 660 x 370 x 417mm (23.6 x 14.6 x 16.4 inch) whereas Wharfedale LINTON has external dimensions of 565.0 x 300.0 x 360.0mm (22.2 x 11.8 x 12.9inch).
Wharfedale Dovedale is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 70mm wider, 95mm taller and 57mm deeper than Wharfedale LINTON.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale Dovedale and Wharfedale LINTON in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale Dovedale 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 Dovedale is approximately 1542.9cm2 / 239.1inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale LINTON is approximately 1080.0cm2 / 167.4inch2. The Dovedale requires 43% more surface area than the LINTON Heritage which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Dovedale weighs 26.20kg / 57.6lbs and the Wharfedale LINTON weighs 18.40kg / 40.5lbs. This makes the Dovedale 42% heavier than the LINTON Heritage.
Here is a comparison of how Dovedale 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 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
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Nominal Impedance |
6.5 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Minimum Impedance |
3.6 ohms
vs
3.5 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
36 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Height |
565mm
vs
660mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1080cm2
vs
1542cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1500USD
vs
5000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Wharfedale Dovedale |
Wharfedale LINTON Heritage |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-250 watts |
25-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 DB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
6.5 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.6 ohms |
3.5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
36-20k Hz |
40-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
black woven Kevlar cone |
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
soft dome |
Soft-dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
560Hz and 2900Hz |
630Hz and 2400Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
660.0mm (26") |
565.0mm (22.2") |
| Width |
370.0mm (14.6") |
300.0mm (11.8") |
| Depth |
417.0mm (16.4") |
360.0mm (14.2") |
| Weight |
26.20kg (57.6lbs) |
18.40kg (40.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
Walnut |
Walnut, Red Mahogany, Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
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 |
Siblings in Wharfedale's Heritage series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Wharfedale Dovedale digs deeper - 36Hz against 40Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | Wharfedale Dovedale is the easier load at 6.5 ohms. |
| Headroom | A | Wharfedale Dovedale takes more power (250W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Wharfedale LINTON is easier to place; Wharfedale Dovedale is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Wharfedale Dovedale: bi-amping; Wharfedale LINTON: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Wharfedale LINTON is cheaper - $1,500 against $5,000, about 70% less; arguably a different class. |
A Wharfedale Dovedale 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?
The usual trade-off: Wharfedale Dovedale measures better, Wharfedale LINTON costs about about 3.3x the price% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. Match it to your room: we rate Wharfedale Dovedale the better fit for a large room and a very large room, and Wharfedale LINTON for a small room. In a large or open-plan room, Wharfedale Dovedale has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Wharfedale LINTON 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.