In this review, we will be comparing LINTON Heritage and L100 Classic, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Wharfedale and JBL.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale LINTON and JBL L100 Classic first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale LINTON | JBL L100 Classic |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | JBL
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" Woven Kevlar | 12" Pulp |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40-20k Hz | 40-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-200 watts | 25-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 18.40kg / 40.5lbs | 26.70kg / 58.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 22.2" x 11.8" x 14.2"
565.0 x 300.0 x 360.0mm | 25.0" x 15.3" x 14.6"
636.5 x 389.6 x 371.5mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale LINTON and JBL L100 Classic 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 |
JBL L100 Classic |
| 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 LINTON Heritage and L100 Classic are 3-way speakers.
Wharfedale LINTONJBL L100 Classic
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 LINTON |
JBL L100 Classic |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
1 x 12-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 L100 Classic features a 1" Titanium Dome Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 1 x 12" Pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 3500Hz.
Frequency Response
LINTON Heritage has a frequency range of 40-20k Hz whereas L100 Classic has a frequency range of 40-40k Hz.
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
LINTON Heritage is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the L100 Classic which has a nominal impedance of 4 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 L100 Classic can provide this impedance level.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 90 dBdB.
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 and L100 Classic have the same power range of 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
LINTON Heritage features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. L100 Classic has a Five-way gold-plated binding posts which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale LINTON's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
JBL L100 Classic's Five-way gold-plated binding posts terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
LINTON Heritage has a rear firing port whereas L100 Classic has a front firing ports. JBL L100 Classic'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 Wharfedale LINTON's and JBL L100 Classic'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 JBL L100 Classic has external dimensions of 636.5 x 389.6 x 371.5mm (25.0 x 15.3 x 14.6inch).
JBL L100 Classic is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 89.6mm wider, 71.5mm taller and 11.5mm deeper than Wharfedale LINTON.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale LINTON and JBL L100 Classic in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale LINTON and JBL L100 Classic 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 1080.0cm2 / 167.4inch2 and base area of the JBL L100 Classic is approximately 1447.4cm2 / 224.3inch2. The LINTON Heritage requires 25% less surface area than the L100 Classic 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 LINTON weighs 18.40kg / 40.5lbs and the JBL L100 Classic weighs 26.70kg / 58.7lbs. This makes the L100 Classic 45% heavier than the LINTON Heritage.
Here is a comparison of how LINTON Heritage and L100 Classic'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 are included inside the box of LINTON Heritage:
- Bookshelf loudspeaker
- Grille (pre-installed)
- 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Pair of white gloves
- User's Manual
What's in the Box of JBL L100 Classic?
Here are the items that come with the L100 Classic:
- Bookshelf loudspeaker
- Grille
- Owner's Manual
 Nominal Impedance |
6 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
565mm
vs
636mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1080cm2
vs
1447cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1500USD
vs
4400USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
| General |
Wharfedale LINTON Heritage |
JBL L100 Classic |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
JBL |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-200 watts |
25-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.5 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
40-20k Hz |
40-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Woven Kevlar |
Pulp |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5" |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
630Hz and 2400Hz |
450Hz and 3500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
565.0mm (22.2") |
636.5mm (25.1") |
| Width |
300.0mm (11.8") |
389.6mm (15.3") |
| Depth |
360.0mm (14.2") |
371.5mm (14.6") |
| Weight |
18.40kg (40.5lbs) |
26.70kg (58.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
Genuine walnut veneer |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Red Mahogany, Black |
Walnut |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
18-22" |
18" |
| 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 |
These sit in different price classes - JBL L100 Classic costs roughly 2.9x what Wharfedale LINTON does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (40Hz vs 40Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | 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 | Wharfedale LINTON is easier to place; JBL L100 Classic is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Wharfedale LINTON: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | Wharfedale LINTON is cheaper - $1,500 against $4,400, about 66% less; arguably a different class. |
A Wharfedale LINTON B JBL L100 Classic
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 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take JBL L100 Classic if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. In a large or open-plan room, JBL L100 Classic 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. 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.