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  1. Home
  2. Wharfedale LINTON vs Klipsch Heresy III

Wharfedale LINTON vs Klipsch Heresy III Comparison

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Wharfedale LINTON

Passive Bookshelf | 40-20k Hz

Wharfedale LINTON Heritage
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Klipsch Heresy III

Passive Floor-standing | 58-20k Hz

Klipsch Capitol Heresy III
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Wharfedale LINTON Wharfedale LINTON
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Klipsch Heresy III Klipsch Heresy III
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Wharfedale LINTON
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Klipsch Heresy III
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Wharfedale LINTON vs Klipsch Heresy III Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers. Wharfedale LINTON Heritage is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Heresy III is a Floor-standing speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Wharfedale LINTON and Klipsch Heresy III first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key SpecsWharfedale LINTONKlipsch Heresy III
BrandWharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932
Klipsch
United States · founded 1946
Design3-way3-way
Tweeter1" Soft-dome1" Tractrix horn
Midrange5"1.75"
Woofer8" Woven Kevlar12" Fiber-composite
Frequency response40-20k Hz58-20k Hz
Sensitivity90 dB99 dB
Impedance6 ohms8 ohms
Power range25-200 watts100 watts
Weight18.40kg / 40.5lbs20.00kg / 44lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)22.2" x 11.8" x 14.2"
565.0 x 300.0 x 360.0mm
23-7/8" x 15-1/2" x 13-7/16"
607.0 x 394.0 x 342.0mm

LINTON Heritage and Heresy III are members of Klipsch's Heritage series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

Wharfedale Heritage Series History
Model Body Frequency SensitivityImpedance Woofer
Wharfedale SUPER LINTON
  
Bookshelf 39-20k Hz 90 dB6Ω 1 x 8"
Wharfedale LINTON
Bookshelf 40-20k Hz 90 dB6Ω 1 x 8"
Wharfedale Denton 85
  
Bookshelf 45-20k Hz 88 dB4Ω 1 x 6.5"
Wharfedale Super Denton
  
Bookshelf 52-20k Hz 87 dB6Ω 1 x 6.5"
Wharfedale Dovedale
  
Bookshelf 36-20k Hz 89 DB6.5Ω 1 x 10"
Wharfedale Heritage Centre
  
Center Channel 54-20k Hz 90 dB6Ω 2 x 6-1/2"
Wharfedale Denton 80
  
Bookshelf 44-24k Hz 86 dB6Ω 1 x 5"

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 Heresy III are 3-way speakers.

Tweeter - 1 inchMidrange - 5 inchWoofer - 8 inch
Wharfedale LINTON
Tweeter - 1 inchMidrange - 1.75 inchWoofer - 12 inch
Klipsch Heresy III

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 Klipsch Heresy III
Driver Setup 3-way 3-way
Tweeter 1-inch 1-inch
Midrange 1 x 5-inch 1 x 1.75-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 Heresy III features a 1" titanium-diaphragm compression Tractrix horn Tweeter, a 1.75" Midrange and 1 x 12" Fiber-composite Woofer.

Frequency Response

LINTON Heritage has a frequency range of 40-20k Hz whereas Heresy III has a frequency range of 58-20k 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 Heresy III's min frequency of 58Hz.

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

LINTON Heritage
Heresy III
Min
Average
Median

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 Heresy III 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 Heresy III's is rated at 99 dB. This 9 dB difference makes the Klipsch Heresy III a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale LINTON, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Bookshelf Speakers

LINTON Heritage
Heresy III
Min
Average
Median

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 Heresy III has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 100 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.

Wharfedale LINTON
 
Klipsch Heresy III
 

Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring

Both LINTON Heritage and Heresy III features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.

Wharfedale LINTON Terminals
Wharfedale LINTON's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

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 Klipsch Heresy III'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 Klipsch Heresy III has external dimensions of 607.0 x 394.0 x 342.0mm (23-7/8 x 15-1/2 x 13-7/16inch).

Wharfedale LINTON is 94mm narrower and 42mm shorter than Klipsch Heresy III but it is also 18mm deeper.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale LINTON and Klipsch Heresy III in scale.

Wharfedale LINTON vs Klipsch Heresy III Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Wharfedale LINTON and Klipsch Heresy III 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 Klipsch Heresy III is approximately 1347.5cm2 / 208.9inch2. The LINTON Heritage requires 20% less surface area than the Heresy III which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.

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 Klipsch Heresy III?

Here are the items that come with the Heresy III:
  • Floor-standing loudspeaker
  • Detachable grille (installed)
  • Base riser (installed)
  • 4 Self-adhesive rubber feet
  • Owners Manual
  • Congratulations letter
  • Klipsch brochure


Reasons to choose Wharfedale LINTON Heritage over Klipsch Capitol Heresy III

Max Input Power 200 watts vs 100 watts Handle more power from your amplifier
Low Frequency Response 40 Hz vs 58 Hz Generates deeper bass
Height 565mm vs 607mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Base Surface Area 1080cm2 vs 1347cm2 Takes less floor space
Price per pair* 1500USD vs 2346USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

Reasons to choose Klipsch Capitol Heresy III over Wharfedale LINTON Heritage

Sensitivity 99 dB vs 90 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
Nominal Impedance 8 ohms vs 6 ohms Less selective with amplifiers
Woofer Size 12 inches vs 8 inches Larger woofer

Wharfedale LINTON vs Klipsch Heresy III Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications
General Wharfedale LINTON Heritage Klipsch Capitol Heresy III
Brand Wharfedale Klipsch
Speaker Type Bookshelf speakers Floor-standing speaker
Power Range 25-200 watts 100 watts
Sensitivity 90 dB 99 dB
Impedance 6 ohms 8 ohms
Impedance 3.5 ohms n/a
Frequency Response 40-20k Hz 58-20k Hz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity 1 1
Woofer Size 8" 12"
Woofer Composition Woven Kevlar Fiber-composite
Woofer Surround Material Rubber Treated cloth
Tweeter Size 1" 1"
Tweeter Type Soft-dome Tractrix horn
Aimable Tweeter No No
Midrange Driver 5" 1.75"
Crossover Frequency 630Hz and 2400Hz n/a
Firing Direction rear n/a
Physical Specs
Height 565.0mm (22.2") 607.0mm (23.9")
Width 300.0mm (11.8") 394.0mm (15.5")
Depth 360.0mm (14.2") 342.0mm (13.5")
Weight 18.40kg (40.5lbs) 20.00kg (44lbs)
Enclosure Bass Reflex Acoustic Suspension
Finish MDF/Wood Veneer MDF/Wood veneer
Available Colors Walnut, Red Mahogany, Black Blonde Cherry
Mounting Bracket No No
Recommended Stand Height 18-22" n/a
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

Verdict

A bookshelf against a floor-standing. They are built for different places in a room, so start with where these have to go rather than which looks better on paper.

AreaBetterWhy
BassAWharfedale LINTON digs deeper - 40Hz against 58Hz.
Amplifier needsBKlipsch Heresy III is more sensitive (99dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier.
Amplifier matchBKlipsch Heresy III is the easier load at 8 ohms.
HeadroomAWharfedale LINTON takes more power (200W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room.
SizedependsWharfedale LINTON is easier to place; Klipsch Heresy III is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides.
TypedependsA Passive Bookshelf against a Passive Floor-standing - a different job rather than a better one.
CabinetdependsPorted vs Sealed. Sealed is tighter and happier near a wall; ported digs lower but wants space behind it.
ExpandabilitydependsWharfedale LINTON: bi-amping; Klipsch Heresy III: bi-amping. Klipsch Heresy III sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later.
PriceAWharfedale LINTON is cheaper - $1,500 against $2,346, about 36% less.

A Wharfedale LINTON  B Klipsch Heresy III
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?

Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 58Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Klipsch Heresy III 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.


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