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Wharfedale LINTON vs Klipsch R-51M Comparison

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Wharfedale LINTON

Passive Bookshelf | 40-20k Hz

Wharfedale LINTON Heritage
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Klipsch R-51M

Passive Bookshelf | 62-21k Hz

Klipsch Reference R-51M
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Wharfedale LINTON Wharfedale LINTON
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Klipsch R-51M Klipsch R-51M
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Wharfedale LINTON
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Klipsch R-51M
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Wharfedale LINTON vs Klipsch R-51M Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing LINTON Heritage and R-51M, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Wharfedale and Klipsch.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Wharfedale LINTON and Klipsch R-51M 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 )

Klipsch R-51M Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter
  • 5.25" Copper-spun IMG Woofer
  • 62-21k Hz Frequency Response
  • 93 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:Up to 85watts
  • Weight:5.00kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 338.0" x 7.0" x 8.4"( 338.0 x 178.0 x 215.0mm )

What size room are the Wharfedale LINTON and Klipsch R-51M 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 Klipsch R-51M
Near-field Poor Average
Small Room Average Good
Mid-size Room Good Average
Large Room Average Poor
Very Large Room Poor Bad

(* 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 Klipsch R-51M 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 R-51M 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-51M
Driver Setup 3-way 2-way
Tweeter 1-inch 1-inch
Midrange 1 x 5-inch -
Woofer 1 x 8-inch 1 x 5.25-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-51M features a 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Copper-spun IMG Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1660Hz.

Frequency Response

LINTON Heritage has a frequency range of 40-20k Hz whereas R-51M has a frequency range of 62-21k 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-51M's min frequency of 62Hz.

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
R-51M
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

Wharfedale LINTON
Klipsch R-51M
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 R-51M 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 R-51M's is rated at 93 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Klipsch R-51M a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale LINTON, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Bookshelf Speakers

LINTON Heritage
R-51M
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 R-51M has a max power handling value of 85 watts RMS, 115 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 - 5-way type posts and R-51M has a Single Gold Plated Binding Posts - 5-way type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

Wharfedale LINTON Terminals
Wharfedale LINTON's Post terminals

Klipsch R-51MSingle Gold Plated Binding Posts - 5-way Terminals
Klipsch R-51M's Single Gold Plated Binding Posts - 5-way terminals

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both LINTON Heritage and R-51M 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-51M'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 R-51M has external dimensions of 338.0 x 178.0 x 215.0mm ( 13.3 x 7.0 x 8.4inch) .

Wharfedale LINTON is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 122mm wider, 227mm taller and 145mm deeper than Klipsch R-51M.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale LINTON and Klipsch R-51M in scale.

Wharfedale LINTON vs Klipsch R-51M Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Wharfedale LINTON and Klipsch R-51M 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 Klipsch R-51M is approximately 382.7cm2 / 59.3inch2. The LINTON Heritage requires 159% more surface area than the R-51M 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-51M weighs 5.00kg / 11lbs. This makes the LINTON Heritage 268% heavier than the R-51M.

Here is a comparison of how LINTON Heritage and R-51M's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.

Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Wharfedale LINTON
Klipsch R-51M
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 Klipsch R-51M?

    Here are the items that come with the R-51M:
  • 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
  • 2 Grilles (installed)
  • 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
  • Quick Setup Guide
  • Important Safety Instructions
  • Warranty Information

  • Reasons to choose Wharfedale LINTON Heritage over Klipsch Reference R-51M
    Max Input Power 200 watts vs 85 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 5.25 inches Larger woofer
    Low Frequency Response 40 Hz vs 62 Hz Generates deeper bass

    Reasons to choose Klipsch Reference R-51M over Wharfedale LINTON Heritage

    Sensitivity 93 dB vs 90 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Nominal Impedance 8 ohms vs 6 ohms Less selective with amplifiers
    High Frequency Response 21k Hz vs 20k Hz Generates higher frequency
    Height 338mm vs 565mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Base Surface Area 382cm2 vs 990cm2 Takes less floor space
    Price per pair* 359USD vs 1500USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
    Wharfedale LINTON vs Klipsch R-51M Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General Wharfedale LINTON Heritage Klipsch Reference R-51M
    Brand Wharfedale Klipsch
    Speaker Type Bookshelf speakers Bookshelf speakers
    Power Range 25-200 watts Up to 85 watts
    Sensitivity 90 dB 93 dB
    Impedance 6 ohms 8 ohms
    Impedance 3.5 ohms n/a
    Frequency Response 40-20k Hz 62-21k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 1 1
    Woofer Size 8" 5.25"
    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 1660Hz
    Firing Direction rear rear
    Physical Specs
    Height 565.0mm (22.2") 338.0mm (13.3")
    Width 300.0mm (11.8") 178.0mm (7")
    Depth 360.0mm (14.2") 215.0mm (8.5")
    Weight 18.40kg (40.5lbs) 5.00kg (11lbs)
    Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
    Finish MDF/Wood Veneer MDF/Wood-grain vinyl
    Available Colors Walnut, Red Mahogany, Black Black
    Mounting Bracket No No
    Recommended Stand Height 18-22" 24-28"
    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

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