SpeakerDecision
  • SPEAKERS by TYPE
    • Passive Bookshelf Speakers
    • Passive Floor-standing Speakers
    • Passive Center Channel Speakers
    • Passive In-wall Speakers
    • All Passive Speakers
    • Powered Subwoofers
    • Powered Stereo Speakers
  • AMPLIFIERS
  • SMART FIND

Wharfedale LINTON vs KEF Q350 Comparison

x
Speaker to replace
Change

Wharfedale LINTON

Passive Bookshelf | 40-20k Hz

Wharfedale LINTON Heritage
CHECK PRICE
Change
    
KEF Q350

Passive Bookshelf | 63-28k Hz

KEF Q350
CHECK PRICE
Wharfedale LINTON Wharfedale LINTON
See at AMAZON
KEF Q350 KEF Q350
See at AMAZON
Wharfedale LINTON
See at AMAZON
KEF Q350
See at AMAZON
Wharfedale LINTON vs KEF Q350 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing LINTON Heritage and Q350, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Wharfedale and KEF.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Wharfedale LINTON and KEF Q350 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 )

KEF Q350 Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 11th Generation Uni-Q Driver
  • 1" Dome Tweeter
  • 6.5" Aluminum Woofer
  • 63-28k Hz Frequency Response
  • 87 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:10-120watts
  • Weight:7.60kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 358.0" x 8.2" x 12.0"( 358.0 x 210.0 x 306.0mm )

What size room are the Wharfedale LINTON and KEF Q350 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 KEF Q350
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 KEF Q350 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 Q350 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 KEF Q350
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 Q350 features a 1" vented aluminum Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.

Frequency Response

LINTON Heritage has a frequency range of 40-20k Hz whereas Q350 has a frequency range of 63-28k 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 Q350's min frequency of 63Hz.

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

LINTON Heritage
Q350
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

Wharfedale LINTON
KEF Q350
Min
Average
Max

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 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Q350 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.

These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. LINTON Heritage sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Q350's is rated at 87 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Wharfedale LINTON a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Q350, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Bookshelf Speakers

LINTON Heritage
Q350
Min
Average
Max

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 Q350 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 Post type posts and Q350 has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

Wharfedale LINTON Terminals
Wharfedale LINTON's Post terminals

KEF Q350Post Terminals
KEF Q350's Post terminals

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both LINTON Heritage and Q350 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

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 KEF Q350'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 KEF Q350 has external dimensions of 358.0 x 210.0 x 306.0mm ( 14.0 x 8.2 x 12.0inch) .

Wharfedale LINTON is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 90mm wider, 207mm taller and 54mm deeper than KEF Q350.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale LINTON and KEF Q350 in scale.

Wharfedale LINTON vs KEF Q350 Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Wharfedale LINTON and KEF Q350 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 KEF Q350 is approximately 642.6cm2 / 99.6inch2. The LINTON Heritage requires 54% more surface area than the Q350 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 LINTON weighs 18.40kg / 40.5lbs and the KEF Q350 weighs 7.60kg / 16.7lbs. This makes the LINTON Heritage 142% heavier than the Q350.

Here is a comparison of how LINTON Heritage and Q350's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.

Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Wharfedale LINTON
KEF Q350
Min
Average
Max

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 KEF Q350?

    Here are the items that come with the Q350:
  • 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
  • 2 Foam port plugs
  • 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
  • Owner's Manual
  • Warranty Registration Card

  • Reasons to choose Wharfedale LINTON Heritage over KEF Q350
    Max Input Power 200 watts vs 120 watts Handle more power from your amplifier
    Driver Setup 3-way vs 2-way Have a dedicated mid-range driver
    Sensitivity 90 dB vs 87 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 63 Hz Generates deeper bass

    Reasons to choose KEF Q350 over Wharfedale LINTON Heritage

    Nominal Impedance 8 ohms vs 6 ohms Less selective with amplifiers
    Minimum Impedance 3.7 ohms vs 3.5 ohms Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier
    High Frequency Response 28k Hz vs 20k Hz Generates higher frequency
    Height 358mm vs 565mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Base Surface Area 642cm2 vs 990cm2 Takes less floor space
    Price per pair* 750USD vs 1500USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
    Wharfedale LINTON vs KEF Q350 Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General Wharfedale LINTON Heritage KEF Q350
    Brand Wharfedale KEF
    Speaker Type Bookshelf speakers Bookshelf speakers
    Power Range 25-200 watts 10-120 watts
    Sensitivity 90 dB 87 dB
    Impedance 6 ohms 8 ohms
    Impedance 3.5 ohms 3.7 ohms
    Frequency Response 40-20k Hz 63-28k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 1 1
    Woofer Size 8" 6.5"
    Woofer Composition Woven Kevlar Aluminum
    Woofer Surround Material Rubber Rubber
    Tweeter Size 1" 1"
    Tweeter Type Soft-dome Dome
    Aimable Tweeter No No
    Midrange Driver 5" No
    Crossover Frequency 630Hz and 2400Hz 2500Hz
    Firing Direction rear rear
    Physical Specs
    Height 565.0mm (22.2") 358.0mm (14.1")
    Width 300.0mm (11.8") 210.0mm (8.3")
    Depth 360.0mm (14.2") 306.0mm (12")
    Weight 18.40kg (40.5lbs) 7.60kg (16.7lbs)
    Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
    Finish MDF/Wood Veneer MDF/Vinyl-wrapped
    Available Colors Walnut, Red Mahogany, Black Black, Walnut, White
    Mounting Bracket No No
    Recommended Stand Height 18-22" 18-24"
    Grille Yes Yes
    Moisture Resistancy No No
    Connections
    Biamp Inputs No No
    Other
    Parts Warranty 5 Years 5 Years
    Labor Warranty 5 Years 5 Years

    Most Popular Speakers
    Klipsch Reference R-51M
    Klipsch R-51M
    2-way | 93 dB | 8 ohms
    Wharfedale Elysian 2
    Wharfedale Elysian 2
    3-way | 89 dB | 4 ohms
    ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
    ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
    2-way | 87 dB | 6 ohms
    Bowers & Wilkins 606 S2 Anniversary Edition
    B&W 606 S2
    2-way | 88 dB | 8 ohms
    KEF Q150
    KEF Q150
    2-way | 86 dB | 8 ohms
    Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-500M
    Klipsch RP-500M
    2-way | 93 dB | 8 ohms
    Wharfedale EVO4.1
    Wharfedale EVO4.1
    2-way | 87 dB | 8 ohms
    Bowers & Wilkins 606
    B&W 606
    2-way | 88 dB | 8 ohms
    Copyright © 2025 by SpeakerDecision
    About Privacy Contact US Camera Decision

    Report a Correction