Question Wharfedale Linton or rather something else?

[BCY_jnbp]

So I just bought a Bluesound Powernode 2i and I am now looking for a pair of speakers and was originally thinking about the dali Oberon 3 but my budget was Recently topped up a bit so I am now considering the Wharfedale Linton Heritage 85th Anniversary Speakers. Is that even possible as I read something about a different type of wiring on the Wharfedales and would you say it is a good speaker for that budget? Is the Bluesound even powerful enough to power those? (might be a bit of a stupid question🙂)
Thanks in advance

 

[Gray]

So I just bought a Bluesound Powernode 2i and I am now looking for a pair of speakers and was originally thinking about the dali Oberon 3 but my budget was Recently topped up a bit so I am now considering the Wharfedale Linton Heritage 85th Anniversary Speakers. Is that even possible as I read something about a different type of wiring on the Wharfedales and would you say it is a good speaker for that budget? Is the Bluesound even powerful enough to power those? (might be a bit of a stupid question🙂)
Thanks in advance

Whatever else you wouldn't need to worry about the wiring on the Linton.

 

[Al ears]

The speakers are going to have to suit your room rather than whatever is driving them, and I know nothing about the Node 2I, however that is irrelevant if you cannot audition those speakers.

 

[BCY_jnbp]

The speakers are going to have to suit your room rather than whatever is driving them, and I know nothing about the Node 2I, however that is irrelevant if you cannot audition those speakers.

How big of a room would you say that I need then?

 

[Al ears]

How big of a room would you say that I need then?

It's not entirely about size, it's also shape, positioning, and a whole lot of other parameters also you have to like the resultant sound. Really you are never going to find this out unless you can audition a pair at home.
Auditioning in at a dealers will tell you some things about the speaker itself but not whether v it is going to work ideally in your listening room.

 

[matthewpiano]

I like the Lintons very much, but they sound different to most modern speakers in that rather than throwing the sound at you, they lay it out in front of you placing the details naturally rather than shouting about them. This isn't what every listener will be seeking, so I would strongly suggest auditioning to see how they suit you.

The Lintons are very sensitive so the PowerNode should drive them without breaking into a sweat, but they do benefit from the additional control a more powerful and better quality amplifier can provide. Again, auditioning is the best way forward.

 

[Deleted member 116933]

So I just bought a Bluesound Powernode 2i and I am now looking for a pair of speakers and was originally thinking about the dali Oberon 3 but my budget was Recently topped up a bit so I am now considering the Wharfedale Linton Heritage 85th Anniversary Speakers. Is that even possible as I read something about a different type of wiring on the Wharfedales and would you say it is a good speaker for that budget? Is the Bluesound even powerful enough to power those? (might be a bit of a stupid question🙂)
Thanks in advance

I'm not going to beat around the bush here.

With all due respect, I personally think the Lintons are going to be too much for the blue sound, its a lovely device but it has its limits. Make no mistake the Lintons are going to reveal its shortcomings. The Linton's wouldn't be out of place with 2-3k of amplification on the end of them. I wouldn't be looking to spend any more than around £$3-400 on speakers with the blue sound and I think that's pushing it, my happy place would be 2-300.

That little amp inside that all in one isn't going to be half the overall cost of that unit, probably more like a quarter and I think that's being generous. If you were to rip that amp out and shove it in its own case and sell it, it would be very much on the budget end maybe 150-200 quid. So treat it as such and you'll much happier with the overall experience and won't be looking to upgrade in 6 months.

SAVE THE MONEY

I'd be looking at the budget end, with easy to drive brands ( 8ohm 87db+) such as Q Acoustics, Klipsch RP 500/600, monitor audio, kef q series and the like. As mentioned above find something that matches/energizes the room in the right way and that takes a home demo so you can try them out and dealer willing / a place with good returns policy. Don't underestimate budget speakers they are perfectly capable when driven right. Also don't make the mistake in thinking spending more will buy you more, been there done that and I can tell you, it doesn't, especially if the equipment can't support the speakers. Its why people are always chasing their tails.

As I mentioned this week in another thread everything is a balance in hifi don't spend too much on any one thing keep the scales balanced.

Dont take that the wrong way im just trying to save you money.

BUT, if you have a plan and the blue sound is just a stop-gap to something bigger, better and bolder then buy the best speakers you can afford. But! only if you plan to buy somthing in the future eg 6 months to a year from now.

 

[BCY_jnbp]

I'm not going to beat around the bush here.

With all due respect, I personally think the Lintons are going to be too much for the blue sound, its a lovely device but it has its limits. Make no mistake the Lintons are going to reveal its shortcomings. The Linton's wouldn't be out of place with 2-3k of amplification on the end of them. I wouldn't be looking to spend any more than around £$3-400 on speakers with the blue sound and I think that's pushing it, my happy place would be 2-300.

That little amp inside that all in one isn't going to be half the overall cost of that unit, probably more like a quarter and I think that's being generous. If you were to rip that amp out and shove it in its own case and sell it, it would be very much on the budget end maybe 150-200 quid. So treat it as such and you'll much happier with the overall experience and won't be looking to upgrade in 6 months.

SAVE THE MONEY

I'd be looking at the budget end, with easy to drive brands ( 8ohm 87db+) such as Q Acoustics, Klipsch RP 500/600, monitor audio, kef q series and the like. As mentioned above find something that matches/energizes the room in the right way and that takes a home demo so you can try them out and dealer willing / a place with good returns policy. Don't underestimate budget speakers they are perfectly capable when driven right. Also don't make the mistake in thinking spending more will buy you more, been there done that and I can tell you, it doesn't, especially if the equipment can't support the speakers. Its why people are always chasing their tails.

As I mentioned this week in another thread everything is a balance in hifi don't spend too much on any one thing keep the scales balanced.

Dont take that the wrong way im just trying to save you money.

BUT, if you have a plan and the blue sound is just a stop-gap to something bigger, better and bolder then buy the best speakers you can afford. But! only if you plan to buy somthing in the future eg 6 months to a year from now.

Thanks I auditioned the dali Oberon 3 with the bluesound and it sounded really good to me so I'll probably rather go with that as I can not afford going for an overall way better system until at least 2 years from now

 

[rainsoothe]

Thanks I auditioned the dali Oberon 3 with the bluesound and it sounded really good to me so I'll probably rather go with that as I can not afford going for an overall way better system until at least 2 years from now

I think that's a sound decision, especially since you heard and liked the Oberons. FWIW, Dali are one of my very favourite speaker brands, especially in this price range, and the Oberon 3 are a very good speaker that's even a safe bet for future upgrades in the electronics department.

 

[BCY_jnbp]

I think that's a sound decision, especially since you heard and liked the Oberons. FWIW, Dali are one of my very favourite speaker brands, especially in this price range, and the Oberon 3 are a very good speaker that's even a safe bet for future upgrades in the electronics department.

Would u say that I should still audition something like the kef ls50 or else or rather just go with the Oberon since they sounded great to me already

 

[rainsoothe]

Would u say that I should still audition something like the kef ls50 or else or rather just go with the Oberon since they sounded great to me already

By all means audition anything you're considering - but the LS50 have the same issue, they're made to be powered by serious amplification to sound their best. On the other hand, I recall someone using LS50 with Nad D3020, so if he was pleased, who am I to argue?

Ideally, you should home demo, since your room is the most important part of your Hi-Fi.

Both the Lintons and the Kef will have music coming out of them, whether the Powernode can drive them properly is another matter. But again, if you like what you hear, noone can tell you otherwise.

 

[BCY_jnbp]

By all means audition anything you're considering - but the LS50 have the same issue, they're made to be powered by serious amplification to sound their best. On the other hand, I recall someone using LS50 with Nad D3020, so if he was pleased, who am I to argue?

Ideally, you should home demo, since your room is the most important part of your Hi-Fi.

Both the Lintons and the Kef will have music coming out of them, whether the Powernode can drive them properly is another matter. But again, if you like what you hear, noone can tell you otherwise.

Thanks very much that was actually very helpful I'll need to pay my local hifi shop a visit ASAP then 😉

 

[rainsoothe]

Thanks very much that was actually very helpful I'll need to pay my local hifi shop a visit ASAP then 😉

Have fun! For what it's worth, I'd much rather have the better amplifier with a decent pair of speakers than the other way around (for instance, a Naim Unitiqute 2 + Dali/Triangle/Elac or whatever than Powernode + LS50/Focal Aria/B&W and so on). This is not meant as a deterrent, just personal preference.

Let us know how it went 🙂

 

[Jorge]

Goodnight:
I have a Denon PMA 920 amplifier feeding a B&W DM 220 for about 30 years and I would like to change the speakers, I had thought about the Linton but I have the problem of not being able to separate them more than 20 cm from the rear wall and they are also quite embedded laterally , the B&W being infinite do not present problems, but what about the linton with its rear reflex output?

 

[rainsoothe]

Hi and welcome. At 20cm away from wall, the Lintons might be overkill. But if you have the option of home demo, try them. If the room is not huge, you should try Focal Aria 906 or Dali Oberon 5. If the room is medium to small, add Spendor A1 to your list.

 

[matthewpiano]

Ideally the Lintons need a little more breathing space than 20cm in order for them to open up to their best, but it really depends on volume levels. If you intend to play them quite loud, you'll almost certainly run into problems, but if you listen mostly at lower levels you might find the sound to be enjoyable. One thing that is really lovely about them is that they don't shout in any way. The lay the music out in front of you and draw you into it.

The Oberon 5s suggested by @rainsoothe are probably a better bet given the space you have, and they will respond well to your amplifier. They're very involving speakers - the sound seems to be enveloping, filling the room but never becoming overbearing.

The Spendor A1s are indeed a fine speaker, but hopeless at low volumes. If you can put a bit of power through them they really open up and come on song, showing their superiority to cheaper speakers of the same size. They also need quite specific support to give their best - the same sort of light, rigid open frame stands that suit other LS3/5A-inspired designs such as the Linn Kann and the Harbeth P3ESR.

These comments aren't absolute and you may feel different, which is why auditioning yourself is important, but they are based on direct ownership experience. I sold my Spendors some time ago, but the Lintons and Oberons are still here, amongst others.

 

[alchemist 1]

Goodnight:
I have a Denon PMA 920 amplifier feeding a B&W DM 220 for about 30 years and I would like to change the speakers, I had thought about the Linton but I have the problem of not being able to separate them more than 20 cm from the rear wall and they are also quite embedded laterally , the B&W being infinite do not present problems, but what about the linton with its rear reflex output?

Similar concerns with 250mm to play with in a 3.5m x4.5m room

 

[Jorge]

In order to see the available space and assess the possibility of the different speakers I attach photographs of the available space.

 

[matthewpiano]

In order to see the available space and assess the possibility of the different speakers I attach photographs of the available space.

The images are useful. The Lintons need to be on their dedicated stands and you won't be able to accommodate this in your available space. I've got mine out again this weekend and, although I'm enjoying their good qualities, I'm still suffering the effects of them being too close to the rear wall - and that's with them on the dedicated stands.

Have you considered wall mounting the TV to enable more height for speakers? You will struggle to find speakers that can give their optimal performance otherwise.

 

[Jorge]

Hanging the television has ruled out due to its weight, it is the 56-inch philips 9000 and it is very heavy, I currently have an available height of 80 cm and supplementing the table could reach 90 cm, which I think would be enough

 

[majex45]

What is wrong with the B&Ws? I have a pair of DM1 and a pair of DM2a both from the 70s and they still sound great.

 

[matthewpiano]

Hanging the television has ruled out due to its weight, it is the 56-inch philips 9000 and it is very heavy, I currently have an available height of 80 cm and supplementing the table could reach 90 cm, which I think would be enough

The Lintons on their dedicated stands are 1m high, so they wouldn't fit. You'd just about accommodate a pair of compact floorstanders such as the Dali Oberon 5, but it wouldn't be ideal positioning.

 

[Jorge]

Nothing happens to my B&W DM 220, they are perfect but I am looking for something of better quality

 

[Jorge]

Do the Dali Oberon 5 really sound better than my old B&W DM 220 ?, any other price recommendations around £ 1000

 

[matthewpiano]

If there is nothing wrong with your DM220s and you still enjoy listening to music with them, then I'd advise sticking with them. There's no guarantee that you'll find anything to be an improvement on them, and there's even less chance given the problems you face with positioning. The best time to consider a change is when/if you either get to move the room layout around or if you move to a home with better positioning options at a later date.