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.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale LINTON | Klipsch R-51M |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-dome | 1" Tractrix Horn |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" Woven Kevlar | 5.25" Copper-spun IMG |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40-20k Hz | 62-21k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 93 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-200 watts | Up to 85 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 18.40kg / 40.5lbs | 5.00kg / 11lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 22.2" x 11.8" x 14.2"
565.0 x 300.0 x 360.0mm | 13.3" 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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.
Wharfedale LINTONKlipsch R-51M
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 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.
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 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
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 R-51M has a max power handling value of 85 watts RMS, 115 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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
LINTON Heritage features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. R-51M has a Single Gold Plated Binding Posts - 5-way which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale LINTON's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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
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 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.
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 1080.0cm2 / 167.4inch2 and base area of the Klipsch R-51M is approximately 382.7cm2 / 59.3inch2. The LINTON Heritage requires 182% 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
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
 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 |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 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
1080cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
359USD
vs
1500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| 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 |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Wharfedale LINTON costs roughly 4.2x what Klipsch R-51M 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 | A | Wharfedale LINTON digs deeper - 40Hz against 62Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch R-51M is more sensitive (93dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Klipsch R-51M is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | A | Wharfedale LINTON takes more power (200W vs 85W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Klipsch R-51M is easier to place; Wharfedale LINTON is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Wharfedale LINTON: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Klipsch R-51M is cheaper - $359 against $1,500, about 76% less; arguably a different class. |
A Wharfedale LINTON B Klipsch R-51M
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 ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 4.2x the price. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Klipsch R-51M looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Wharfedale LINTON appeals to you. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 62Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Klipsch R-51M much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Wharfedale LINTON the better fit for a mid-size room and a large room, and Klipsch R-51M for near-field listening and a small room.
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.