New speakers for the man cave

SIHAB

In a way they did with the L800.

tonyb

Looks very nice bro. I'll second that thought on a re-vamped M7.

Emlyn

Straight of the box impressions. These are really attractive speakers with the stands. They are not in their final spot in a straight two channel system and they are supported by a couple of Rel subwoofers, so that’s kind of cheating, but they sound very pleasant and comfortable. Not fast, somewhat rolled off highs, don’t really draw attention to themselves much. I have them in the same area as my L800s at the moment about four feet from the front wall and six feet from side walls.

Listening to The Carpenters at the moment and Karen’s voice hangs in the air a couple feet above the center point of the speakers. Sort of a diffuse sound overall but still accurate if that makes sense. I don’t have them toed in at all and they still totally disappear in a stereo image. I don’t think it’ll be possible to experience listener fatigue with these.

I’ll acknowledge they do need to break in quite a bit.

Well worth the money. A real bargain with the stands included.

Emlyn

Another note. These do ship in four boxes of 40 lbs plus for each box and have a pair of cotton gloves included with each speaker. Classy. They are left and right channel specific speakers. The packaging of these is first rate with lots of foam padding even for the mostly metal stands. I have installed larger rubber bumpers on the stands than what they come with but the stands are spiked with nice large cups for them to sit in on hardwood floors.

Emlyn

My verdict after about 30-40 hours of use. The Lintons are a pretty close representation of a large BBC monitor without the expense of other modern versions. Very listenable, especially for vocals, classical music, and 1960s to 1980s pop/rock recordings. Not really a rocking out type of speaker with recent music because they're not designed to be really dynamic although they can still swing that if it's desired. In my case the ideal setup is about 8 feet apart toed in and about 10 feet from the listening area in a 20 x 20 room. They don't have a narrow sweet spot at all.

These are one of several pairs of speakers I'll pull out every now and then to listen to for a month or so. I enjoy the variety of speakers and don't like getting stuck on one type. Price to performance on these is excellent.

Mike Reeter

I've been interested in the Linton's since they were first released. I've really had to fight the urge to pick up a pair, but I weakened on Christmas Day.

jbreezy5

Merry Christmas to yourself!

I think you’ll like them.

Mike Reeter

jbreezy5 wrote: »

Merry Christmas to yourself!

I think you’ll like them.

Good call, they arrived today and I have to say, the Mahogany finish is stunning. The build quality is very, very good, I was taken aback by the weight of the Stands and the Speakers.

For the price of admission, it's like getting First Class accommodations at Coach Fares I just kind of plopped them down and fired em up and I'm really liking them fresh out of the box. I will work with position and maybe integrate the Subs one day, but for now I'm just going to let them ripen for several hours.

msg

I haven't even read all these posts, but after some talks with Em and Drew, I bit. Paul wouldn't talk to me. Bastidge.

Arrived today. Crutchfield speaker and stand deal. My first modern non-Polk speaker. Short version - "Veritable Landscape of Sound" within hours of run time. Airy. Tons of stereo activity. Clean clean mids and, puuuunchy, clean, underlaid bass. Super clean 3-way. Blown away.

Mike Reeter

msg wrote: »

I haven't even read all these posts, but after some talks with Em and Drew, I bit. Paul wouldn't talk to me.

Arrived today. Crutchfield speaker and stand deal. My first modern non-Polk speaker. Short version - landscape of sound within hours of run time. Airy. Tons of stereo activity. Clean clean mids and, puuuunchy, clean, underlaid bass. Super clean 3-way. Blown away.

It was just too tempting at that price, now I'm wondering why I took so long to pick up a pair of these. I guess I had read too many 'Audiophile' ramblings over the past three years.

Emlyn

I added a set of larger 1.8 inch rubber bumpers (link below) on mine stuck on the stands for the speakers to sit on. Figured under $30 was fair. Not sure if they have any benefit over the small ones included, but I think they look cool anyway. I had a spare set of Isoacoustics Gaia II available to me so swapped the already high quality spikes on the bottoms of the stands for those. I'm finding they are quite placement flexible from a large to a small room.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B095JY5CML?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

msg

Mike Reeter wrote: »

I've been interested in the Linton's since they were first released. I've really had to fight the urge to pick up a pair, but I weakened on Christmas Day.

What do you think Mike? This officially makes 4 of us, I think.
EDIT: HA! nevermind Mike, I just saw your post!

I'm friggin' blown away, and I'm less than 10hrs in.

The form factor reminds me of @steveinaz 's setup before he moved - Schiit, Steve what were those boxy speakers you used to have? Tip o the tongue - some British brand I think you moved to another member...

These Wharfedales are sofa king airy. I'm running mine with my newly coveted old stock HK 990 which is currently - I hate to say - making my Musical Fidelity gear feel neglected. It's just gorgeous. This is a huge compliment to the HK, because for 2 - 3yrs I was completely satisfied and thought I was done!!! The HK 990 was just a nostalgia/grudge acquisition that popped up at the right time, with the right seller, and the right amount of Death Wish coffee in me.

Mike Reeter

msg wrote: »

Mike Reeter wrote: »

I've been interested in the Linton's since they were first released. I've really had to fight the urge to pick up a pair, but I weakened on Christmas Day.

What do you think Mike? This officially makes 4 of us, I think.
EDIT: HA! nevermind Mike, I just saw your post!

I'm friggin' blown away, and I'm less than 10hrs in.

I'm thinking maybe Wharfedale tweeted the x-overs at some point, almost every review I've read since their release, termed them as warm, almost mushy. I'm hearing clear, clean 'semi' extended highs, along with a nice midrange and tight Bass. Impressive right outa the box. Plus, I'm just in love with the looks of them

msg

Couldn't agree more.
Definitely not sensing mush.
So much air. Sweet, easy detail.
The midrange... I'm in love. This separation and detail... I can only attribute to the 3-way; dedicated low frequency driver and mid in its own enclosure? Gives the ranges room to play.

msg

I know I should be going to sleep, but it's one of "those nights" where every track is a new experience.
"one more..."

Clipdat

Really glad that you guys are digging your new Lintons! This is what it's all about! Can't believe these are priced at $1,500 with stands right now. Crazy good deal for what you get.

I've liked the design of these speakers since they were originally released. I don't have the room to accommodate them, but I reviewed the smaller Wharfedale EVO4.2 and really liked those. It sounds like these Lintons share the same house sound as the EVOs.

Crossover photo:

Build photos (Click left arrow to view chronologically): https://www.facebook.com/wharfedalehifi/photos/a.696159860459872/2555004901242016

Mike Reeter

I'm surprised by the scale the Linton's are showing, I rolled out my 3.1TL's and the Linton's are laying out a stage in width and height that rivals the SDA's in all perimeters. I have them setup at 24" from the front wall to the back of the cabinets, about 7'8" center-center, setting back around 9' and getting good depth at this point.

Smooth, detailed, airy and very accurate. Are the speakers disappearing and projecting that illusive 3D Image? Not quite yet, but neither did any SDA's that I've had over the years. But, I'm in my second hour with the Linton's, I have a feeling their going to continue to ripen in the hours ahead

Unbelievable Value

Emlyn

I'm finding they put out a nice wall of sound even with modest two channel gear driving them. In this case it's just a Pioneer Elite receiver (class D amps) with FLAC files streamed over WiFi into an Oppo 203. Speaker cables are just run of the mill Blue Jeans cables. I've found the bass opens up quite a bit after about 20 hours use. When pushed they just seem to open up in a very balanced way without losing integrity. They don't come close to L800 sound but they have their own character and are really enjoyable to kick back to.

I think this is a system most people would be delighted with for the cost.

A not unfair comparison to a classic three way "BBC" British design could be the Harbeth HL5. Those cost $8K a pair. Without stands. Another model could be the Spendor Classic 1/2 that are now pushing $10K a pair. Manufacturing in England is expensive! Not saying those aren't better speakers but the concept is quite similar.

msg

Have you guys noticed the stands don't transmit any vibration? I can't feel anything in a leg even with a bass heavy track playing.

I stuck the little 3M bumpers on top of the stand on top of each of the 4 corner screws. I noticed they're a little squishy, but not sure whether they're sorbothane.

Clipdat

Emlyn wrote: »

When pushed they just seem to open up in a very balanced way without losing integrity.

Love this description! Makes me wish I could give them a listen. I'd like to push them real hard if you know what I mean!!!

Geoff4rfc

Sweet room, and congrats on the update!!! So, there was a mess???

Mike Reeter

So far I'm thinking I'm around 40 hours in. Have been running some Gary Moore, Marquise Knox, SRV and some Bonamassa and a little Gary Clark through them, just to loosen 'em up a little

The Linton's are starting to open up, I'm mostly taken by the Scale and Imaging, might be a tad bit strident in the top end yet, but I'm in hi hopes that they will smooth a touch with further run in. The Bass is very good for a Monitor as well, I know that woofer hasn't but just started to limber up. A little Blue Man Group will help I'm sure

I'm almost certain if I don't keep these in the Stereo, I'll utilize them in a 5.1 HT setup at a later date. At this point I don't see myself returning them, just too good for the price.

msg

I wanted to take some time to write a nice, long, detailed short term review here with my experience with the Lintons so far, but I took the rest of the week off and got other schiit to do.

So. I was up 'til 4am last night listening to music. Which is 2hrs longer than what is already up 2hrs to 4hrs way too late. It was like I was hearing every track in a new way. Not exaggerating. Details. Imaging. Just purely musical in general, as a weak - I know - non-descript catch all for stuff I just can't describe.

• I moved the Lintons into my main 2ch two days ago, temporarily displacing the L800s.
• Rough setup still, and I've not moved the L800s out, and won't until I at the very least mark their place for return.
• Using Jesse/Josh's old Velodyne DD10+ sub that I just took the time last night to run the 2nd best of three room EQ options. Seems to be addressing my bass null due to room limits. Completely sold on EQ'ing.

JFC, guys. This has been an incredibly transformative experience for me. The "wall of sound" note - I've seen that before, kinda knew what it meant, but never experienced it. Now I have, and wow.

• The Lintons at just 1 week of continuous play are working out beautifully.
• Getting nice width. Spacious sound stage without being too diffuse.
• Imaging qualities are strong. Nice solid center, and players are locatable. Getting a little bit of depth. Occasionally height and sound just outside of the speakers.
• (my shifted center image issue is gone, but I'm sure that was just speaker placement related as the guys mentioned on my thread on this, which I've to get back to, btw; stupid work, getting in my way)

I love the L800s, and just last week was having a sit down settling in for the eve after a lonnng day/week of work, shaking my head at how beautifully they perform, thankful for the promo opp to be able to get into them. Sometimes I just want to have a conventional speaker experience, though. @Emlyn mentioned - for the money, a buyer would be delighted with these, the Lintons. I couldn't agree more. This is one of those speakers where I can say that had I found these back when I got started at higher level listening instead of the incredibly-wrong-for-music-for-me-RTi10s, I would have been so pleased that I wouldn't have fallen into the gear chase. Incredible value.

Really curious to see whether there are greater improvements to come with break-in/burn-in, and, of course, placement refinement.

For reference:

• ~6ft to inner faces, two short gear units inbetween
• 6ft-7ft to listening position
• maybe 10°-15° toe
• 32" to back wall, but 9" to L800s; offset by about 50%
• a ton of stuff laying around the listening space as I work home projects
• approx 156hrs play time, half of that at low to no volume overnight

I expect the experience to improve significantly as I cinch up.

audioluvr

Glad you're liking them Scott. I've been considering these to replace my Klipsch KG4'S in my TV room as I don't have room for a tall speaker and I often sit in there with the misses cuddled up under a blanket watching music videos or reading a book.

msg

If you're ready for a new set of speakers, man, Just do it, Rob. All you'd be out is return shipping to Crutchfield at their discounted shipping rates, I'm sure. (If I'm not mistaken; I think that's how their return policy works; also 60 days) I don't think you'll be returning them, though.

Do you still have your B&K monos or something else dual-mono? I think these things can really excel with that topology, but one of the guys is getting fantastic results even with an AVR. I won't say who, because that's just heresy. lol

And where the heck is Paul @hochpt21? He started this whole thing.

audioluvr

I'd be running them with a B&K Reference 200.5

Emlyn

audioluvr wrote: »

I'd be running them with a B&K Reference 200.5

Great amp!

msg

I agree. B&K is my second favorite experience. It would do the Lintons justice, too, should be able to control them nicely, which should net you a great experience with the 3-way setup.

jbreezy5

audioluvr wrote: »

Glad you're liking them Scott. I've been considering these to replace my Klipsch KG4'S in my TV room as I don't have room for a tall speaker and I often sit in there with the misses cuddled up under a blanket watching music videos or reading a book.

The Lintons would be a massive upgrade imo.

hochpt21

msg wrote: »

If you're ready for a new set of speakers, man, Just do it, Rob. All you'd be out is return shipping to Crutchfield at their discounted shipping rates, I'm sure. (If I'm not mistaken; I think that's how their return policy works; also 60 days) I don't think you'll be returning them, though.

Do you still have your B&K monos or something else dual-mono? I think these things can really excel with that topology, but one of the guys is getting fantastic results even with an AVR. I won't say who, because that's just heresy. lol

And where the heck is Paul @hochpt21? He started this whole thing.

Lol! I must have notifications turned off because I messed your PM last week!

It’s awesome to see this thread blowing up, and more people diving in.

My pair is in my man room, and I probably only have 10 hours or so on them, so I’m breaking them in slowly.

I am enjoying them immensely, especially with delicate music and female vocals, but I still have a lot more time needed.

Good to hear the positive feedback!