In this review, we will be comparing EVO4.2 and LINTON Heritage, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale EVO4.2 and Wharfedale LINTON first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale EVO4.2 | Wharfedale LINTON |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.18x2.36" AMT (Ribbon) | 1" Soft-dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 2" | 5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Kevlar | 8" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 54-22k Hz | 40-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-120 watts | 25-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 13.40kg / 29.5lbs | 18.40kg / 40.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 17.9" x 9.8" x 13.7"
455.0 x 250.0 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 EVO4.2 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 EVO4.2 |
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
Both EVO4.2 and LINTON Heritage are 3-way speakers.
Wharfedale EVO4.2Wharfedale 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 EVO4.2 |
Wharfedale LINTON |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.18x2.36-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 2-inch |
1 x 5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
EVO4.2 features a 1.18x2.36" AMT (Ribbon) Tweeter, a 2" Midrange and 1 x 6.5" Kevlar Woofer. 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
EVO4.2 has a frequency range of 54-22k 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 EVO4.2's min frequency of 54Hz.
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
EVO4.2 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the LINTON Heritage which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. EVO4.2 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the LINTON Heritage's is rated at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Wharfedale LINTON a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale EVO4.2, 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 EVO4.2 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 80 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
Both EVO4.2 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
EVO4.2 has a bottom firing port whereas LINTON Heritage has a rear firing ports. Wharfedale EVO4.2'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 EVO4.2's and Wharfedale LINTON's external dimensions. Wharfedale EVO4.2 has external dimensions of 455.0 x 250.0 x 350.0mm (17.9 x 9.8 x 13.7inch) 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, 110mm taller and 10mm deeper than Wharfedale EVO4.2.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale EVO4.2 and Wharfedale LINTON in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale EVO4.2 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 EVO4.2 is approximately 875.0cm2 / 135.6inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale LINTON is approximately 1080.0cm2 / 167.4inch2. The EVO4.2 requires 19% 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 EVO4.2 weighs 13.40kg / 29.5lbs and the Wharfedale LINTON weighs 18.40kg / 40.5lbs. This makes the LINTON Heritage 37% heavier than the EVO4.2.
Here is a comparison of how EVO4.2 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 EVO4.2?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of EVO4.2:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Jumper-bars (pre-installed)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Pair of white cloth 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
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Minimum Impedance |
4 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 |
 Height |
455mm
vs
565mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
875cm2
vs
1080cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1199USD
vs
1500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
54 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
Wharfedale EVO4.2 |
Wharfedale LINTON Heritage |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-120 watts |
25-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
3.5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
54-22k Hz |
40-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Kevlar |
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.18x2.36" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
AMT (Ribbon) |
Soft-dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
2" |
5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
630Hz and 2400Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
455.0mm (17.9") |
565.0mm (22.2") |
| Width |
250.0mm (9.8") |
300.0mm (11.8") |
| Depth |
350.0mm (13.8") |
360.0mm (14.2") |
| Weight |
13.40kg (29.5lbs) |
18.40kg (40.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-veneer |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
Walnut,Black,White |
Walnut, Red Mahogany, Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
18-22" |
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 |
Both are Wharfedale, from different ranges - so the house sound is shared and the differences are mostly in scale, engineering and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Wharfedale LINTON digs deeper - 40Hz against 54Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Wharfedale LINTON is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | Wharfedale EVO4.2 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | B | Wharfedale LINTON takes more power (200W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Wharfedale EVO4.2 is easier to place; Wharfedale LINTON is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Wharfedale EVO4.2: bi-amping; Wharfedale LINTON: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Wharfedale EVO4.2 is cheaper - $1,199 against $1,500, about 20% less. |
A Wharfedale EVO4.2 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 LINTON measures better, Wharfedale EVO4.2 costs about about 25% more% 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. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 54Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Wharfedale EVO4.2 much easier to justify. 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, Wharfedale EVO4.2 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.