In this review, we will be comparing LINTON Heritage and Debut 2.0 B6.2, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Wharfedale and ELAC.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale LINTON and ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Wharfedale LINTON Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Soft-dome Tweeter
- 5" Midrange
- 8" Woven Kevlar Woofer
- 40-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:25-200watts
- Weight:18.40kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 565.0" x 11.8" x 14.2"( 565.0 x 300.0 x 360.0mm )
ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Woven Aramid-Fiber Woofer
- 44-35k Hz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:up to 120watts
- Weight:7.40kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 375.0" x 7-3/4" x 11-5/16"( 375.0 x 195.0 x 268.0mm )
What size room are the Wharfedale LINTON and ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 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 LINTON |
ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 |
| 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Wharfedale LINTON and ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that LINTON Heritage is a 3-way design whereas the Debut 2.0 B6.2 is a 2-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 |
Wharfedale LINTON |
ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
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. On the other hand, the Debut 2.0 B6.2 features a 1" Cloth Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Woven Aramid-Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2200Hz.
Frequency Response
LINTON Heritage has a frequency range of 40-20k Hz whereas Debut 2.0 B6.2 has a frequency range of 44-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the LINTON Heritage can go slightly deeper then the Debut 2.0 B6.2's min frequency of 44Hz.
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
LINTON Heritage and Debut 2.0 B6.2 have the same Impedance of 6 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. LINTON Heritage sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Debut 2.0 B6.2's is at 87 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Wharfedale LINTON a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2, 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. 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.
LINTON Heritage can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Debut 2.0 B6.2 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 80 watts less than the LINTON Heritage.
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
LINTON Heritage features 5-Way post type posts and Debut 2.0 B6.2 has a 5-Way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale LINTON's Post terminals
ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2's 5-Way post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
LINTON Heritage has a rear firing port whereas Debut 2.0 B6.2 has a front firing ports. ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2'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 Wharfedale LINTON's and ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2's external dimensions. Wharfedale LINTON has external dimensions of 565.0 x 300.0 x 360.0mm ( 22.2 x 11.8 x 12.9inch) whereas ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 has external dimensions of 375.0 x 195.0 x 268.0mm ( 14.7 x 7.6 x 10.5inch) .
Wharfedale LINTON is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 105mm wider, 190mm taller and 92mm deeper than ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale LINTON and ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale LINTON and ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 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 LINTON is approximately 990.0cm2 / 153.5inch2 and base area of the ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 is approximately 522.6cm2 / 81.0inch2. The LINTON Heritage requires 89% more surface area than the Debut 2.0 B6.2 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.