The Wharfedale Linton is a legend by itself and a true classic that has been around for decades, the current model of the Heritage series has all the vintage look but uses modern components and building methods. The Wharfedale Linton most definitely deserves to be driven by a high-quality matching amplifier so that its fullest potential can be unlocked.
Are you a proud owner of the Wharfedale Linton heritage speakers and are planning to get a compatible amplifier? If you say yes then that’s great because we will be showing you a list of the best amps you can go for and pair them with your classic Wharfedale Linton. First, we will need to find out more about their strengths and also their unique sonic characteristics. This information is essential to know as without them, we won’t be able to find the right amplifiers.
Table of Contents
Sound Characteristics and Merits of Wharfedale Linton
These are really large bookshelf speakers, the Wharfedale Linton is significantly bigger than most modern standmounters and they require specially designed stands made just for the Linton speakers. At the back of the speaker cabinet, there are two bass ports which indicate they shouldn’t be near to rear walls and require ample breathing space. They are definitely not suitable for small listening rooms and should feel right at home in mid to large-sized rooms. At the front of the Wharfedale Linton, there are 3 drivers, for the treble driver it is a 1 inch (25mm) soft dome tweeter with a high-flux ferrite magnet, the midrange driver will be a 5 inch (135mm) black woven Kevlar cone and followed by the bass driver which is an 8 inch (200mm) black woven Kevlar cone. With these features, we are certainly expecting powerful bass reproduction.
The frequency response is truly impressive for a bookshelf speaker, it is 40Hz-20kHz (+/-3dB) and capable of digging deeper into the bass extension, down to 35Hz (-6dB). Immediately we knew that subwoofers are definitely not required here and thus further filtering the potential matching amps. The speaker sensitivity is 90dB which is good and efficient for a standmounter. The recommended amplifier power range is quite wide, starting from 25 Watts all the way to 200 Watts. Since we won’t be going for Class A power amplifiers, and so we should look at power outputs of around 100 Watts from Class AB amps and slightly higher for Class D amps. The Wharfedale Linton vintage cabinet design will look amazing in homes with wood elements and will still match well with most modern amps in terms of aesthetics.
More Details at Amazon – Wharfedale Linton (Red Mahogany)
The scale of the soundstage is really astonishing, it is wide and spacious with depth. The Wharfedale Linton stereo imaging is almost holographic, filling the soundstage with musical textures that each instrument can easily pinpoint its location. The music delivery is full-bodied and smooth, the vocals have that natural warmth to them. There is richness in the music as well and the weight which provides the presence, that feel like you are in the premise of a live performance. There are plenty of details and never sounding clinical.
The bass is effortlessly produced without any exaggerations, tight and rich, not to mention, prominent low ends. There is agility in the bass response as well, never sounding slow or muddle like some of the floor-standing speakers in the same price range. There is this relaxing composure in the overall sound reproduction, there is still excitement in the music but not as lively or bright sounding like other speakers. The timing and dynamics of the Wharfedale Linton are impeccable and does makes you feel like tapping your toes from time to time. Probably because of the size of the sound field it creates and how the large bookshelf speakers move the air in the room with ease, the scale of the sound reproduction is really immersive.
The Wharfedale Linton may not be snappy and aggressive sounding, it still does provide a very enjoyable music listening experience. All in all, the sound quality of the Wharfedale Linton is silky smooth and has that vintage HiFi allure to it. The speaker placement will require a bit of toe-in and we suggest asking for help when moving the Linton as they are really heavy and bulky. A subwoofer is really not required, the Wharfedale Linton has no problem with their bass performance and so is up to you if you want to get one. We now have all the necessary data, and we can start listing out the best matching amps that you should go for.
Wharfedale Linton Specifications
- Speaker Type: 3-way reflex (2 rear-firing bass ports)
- Drive Units: 1 inch (25mm) soft dome tweeter with a high-flux ferrite magnet, a 5 inch (135mm) black woven Kevlar cone, and an 8 inch (200mm) black woven Kevlar cone
- Frequency Response (+/-3dB): 40Hz–20kHz
- Bass Extension(-6dB): 35Hz
- Recommended Power: 25-200 Watts
- Nominal Impedance: 6 Ohms (Min. 3.5 Ohms)
- Sensitivity (2.83V @ 1m): 90dB
- Dimensions (H x D x W): 565mm x 330mm x 300mm (on plinth), 22.2″ x 13.0″ x 11.8″ (on plinth)
- Weight: 18.4kg (40.6lbs)
Best Amps to match with Wharfedale Linton
One of the best matching amps will be the Yamaha A-S801, it is a very powerful amplifier that does more than 100 Watts per channel and so you’ll be assured that it can easily drive your Wharfedale Linton speakers. The sonic characteristic of the Yamaha A-S801 is well suited to the dark-sounding Linton as it could breathe more life into the music and making the overall presentation sound more exciting. Not to mention, the Yamaha amps are very musical-sounding in design and will be an amazing amp partner for your Wharfedale Linton heritage speakers. There is also a built-in high-quality DAC that enables you to play high-resolution audio files.
More Details at Amazon – YAMAHA A-S801BL Integrated Stereo Amplifier
Rega Elicit-R is also one of the top choice amplifiers to match with your Wharfedale Linton speakers, they are a very dynamic and energetic amplifier that has an amazing sense of timing. Bringing you more excitement and liveliness while listening to your favorite tunes. The Rega Elicit-R is a revealing integrated amp that will let you hear even the subtlest of musical details. The sonic characteristic of Wharfedale Linton is well matched with this amp as it doesn’t let the overall music presentation sound clinical. Both the Rega Elicit-R and Wharfedale Linton really complement each other, you really should check them out.
More Details at Amazon – Rega – Elicit-R – Integrated Amplifier
The Peachtree Audio Nova150 will be an ideal amplifier as it has a very high power output and can easily drive the Wharfedale Linton at high volumes. The retro-style design of the Peachtree Audio Nova 150 matches well with the vintage cabinet of the Linton too, they probably have the most matching look in terms of theme and aesthetic. The Nova150 uses ICEPower amplification which has slightly more warmth than a typical Class D amps. The sound reproduction is smooth, fluid, and clean. We recommend an audition before deciding. This integrated amplifier also comes with a plethora of features.
More Details at Amazon – Peachtree Audio Nova150 Integrated Amplifier with DAC
If sound quality is really critical for you then you should really listen to the music delivery of the Yamaha A-S1200 amp when paired with your Wharfedale Linton. They will rock and roll all day long, the power and ferocity of Yamaha A-S1200 with the scale and weight of the sound reproduction of your Wharfedale Linton, it will entertain you every time you listen to them. There’s a lot of energy, a lot of kicks and punches, if this is what you are looking for when listening to your favorite tunes, then you really need to hear them out. Just bring along your favorite CDs when you are going to audition them.
More Details at Amazon – Yamaha Audio A-S1200BL Integrated Amplifier
More Details at Crutchfield – Yamaha Audio A-S1200
When budget is not an issue and you just want beautiful sound quality, one of the best amplifiers that you should pair with your Linton will be the Parasound Halo Hint 6 integrated amplifier. It will provide you with absolute clean sound and not to mention, it has the power to control the music transients with confidence and impeccable timing, which will provide an engaging music listening experience without sounding harsh. The Parasound Halo Hint 6 spacious and bold music delivery really pulls you in, it may not be as forward sounding as the Yamaha A-S1200 but it sure sounds much cleaner and never ever sounding harsh even though it is quite an expressive amp.
More Information at Amazon – Parasound HINT 6 Halo Integrated Amplifier
More Details at Crutchfield – Parasound Halo HINT 6
If you are looking for power amplifiers to match with your Wharfedale Linton, the Parasound A 21+ Stereo Power Amplifier will be a great choice. Just like the Parasound Hint 6, it uses High bias Class A/AB operation, providing you a little over six watts per channel of the illustrious pure Class A power, the amplifier will then switch over to Class AB operation. Cambridge Audio Azur 851W power amps are an ideal choice as well, as they have their own unique amplification design called Class XD which has the sonic purity of Class A and the efficiency of Class AB. Another amazing integrated amplifier to pair with your Wharfedale Linton which you may want to look out for will be the Hegel H190. It is an ideal amp for high-quality laid-back music delivery.
More Information at Amazon – Cambridge Audio Azur 851W Power Amplifier
To Sum It Up
There are a lot of great amps that you can pair with your Wharfedale Linton and we have just shown you some of the very best. All of them deserve your serious consideration and worthy of your time to audition them. You should really hear them out before you decide. The Wharfedale Linton are quite dark-sounding speakers and this is why you can’t just match any amps based on power output alone. With the amplifiers listed here, you can also use this information as references when searching for matching amps on your own.
