In this review, we will be comparing LINTON Heritage and R-41M, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Wharfedale and Klipsch. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale LINTON and Klipsch R-41M first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Wharfedale LINTON and Klipsch R-41M 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Wharfedale LINTON and Klipsch R-41M compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that LINTON Heritage is a 3-way design whereas the R-41M 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 |
Klipsch R-41M |
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
- |
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
1 x 4-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 R-41M features a 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 1 x 4" Copper-spun IMG Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1730Hz.
Frequency Response
LINTON Heritage has a frequency range of 40-20k Hz whereas R-41M has a frequency range of 68-21k 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 R-41M's min frequency of 68Hz.
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 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the R-41M which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
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. 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 R-41M has a max power handling value of 50 watts RMS, 150 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 Single Gold Plated Binding Posts type posts and R-41M has a Single Gold Plated Binding Posts type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both LINTON Heritage and R-41M 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 Klipsch R-41M's external dimensions. Wharfedale LINTON has external dimensions of 565.0 x 300.0 x 330.0mm ( 22.2 x 11.8 x 12.9inch) whereas Klipsch R-41M has external dimensions of 287.0 x 146.0 x 200.0mm ( 11.2 x 5.7 x 7.8inch) .
Wharfedale LINTON is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 154mm wider, 278mm taller and 130mm deeper than Klipsch R-41M.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale LINTON and Klipsch R-41M in scale.
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 Klipsch R-41M is approximately 292.0cm2 / 45.3inch2. The LINTON Heritage requires 239% more surface area than the R-41M 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 Klipsch R-41M weighs 3.20kg / 7lbs. This makes the LINTON Heritage 475% heavier than the R-41M.
Here is a comparison of how LINTON Heritage and R-41M'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 Klipsch R-41M?
Here are the items that come with the R-41M:
2 Bookshelf loudspeakers 2 Grilles (installed) 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet Quick Setup Guide Important Safety Instructions Warranty Information
Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
50 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
4 inches
|
Larger woofer |
Low Frequency Response |
40 Hz
vs
68 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
High Frequency Response |
21k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
Mounting Bracket |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows mounting on walls |
Height |
287mm
vs
565mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
Base Surface Area |
292cm2 (146x200mm)
vs
990cm2 (300x330mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
Price per pair* |
229USD
vs
1500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
General |
Wharfedale LINTON Heritage |
Klipsch Reference R-41M |
Brand |
Wharfedale |
Klipsch |
Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
Power Range |
25-200 watts |
50 watts |
Sensitivity |
90 dB |
90 dB |
Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
Impedance |
3.5 ohms |
n/a |
Frequency Response |
40-20k Hz |
68-21k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
Woofer Size |
8" |
4" |
Woofer Composition |
Woven Kevlar |
Copper-spun IMG |
Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
Tweeter Type |
Soft-dome |
Tractrix Horn |
Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
Midrange Driver |
5" |
No |
Crossover Frequency |
630Hz and 2400Hz |
1730Hz |
Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
Height |
565.0mm (22.2") |
287.0mm (11.3") |
Width |
300.0mm (11.8") |
146.0mm (5.7") |
Depth |
330.0mm (13") |
200.0mm (7.9") |
Weight |
18.40kg (40.5lbs) |
3.20kg (7lbs) |
Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
Finish |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
Available Colors |
Walnut, Red Mahogany, Black |
Black |
Mounting Bracket |
No |
Keyhole |
Recommended Stand Height |
18-22" |
26-31" |
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 |