Short answer: the Epos ES14N. It ranks #19 of 131 bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 4.5/5, at $3,750. The Wharfedale Super Linton ranks #24, rated 4.4/5, at $2,699, $1,051 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap.
What the Epos ES14N does well: A revival of Epos’s classic 1980s ES-14, re-engineered by Karl-Heinz Fink’s FinkTeam with a chamfered, backward sloping baffle to time align a 28mm ceramic coated dome tweeter with a 7 inch mica filled polypropylene woofer. The tradeoff: The sound power directivity index has the widest standard deviation of any speaker added to this catalog from spinorama.org’s current measurement set, 5.18, meaning off axis energy tracks the on axis response less consistently than the rest of this batch as frequency rises.
Why pick the Wharfedale Super Linton: Three-way design with a 1” soft dome tweeter, 5” woven Kevlar mid-range, and 8” woven Kevlar woofer in a dual rear-ported, heavily damped MDF/particle-board cabinet. The tradeoff: Rolls off earlier than the original Linton (F3 77Hz versus the original’s 52Hz), a deliberate trade-off for the closer-wall-placement flexibility.
Buy the Epos ES14N. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $1,051 with the Wharfedale Super Linton does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Epos ES14N | Wharfedale Super Linton | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £3,750 per pair | $2,699.00 per pair |
| Ranked | #19 of 131 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #24 of 131 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Enclosure | ported | - |
| Drivers | 28mm aluminum/ceramic compound dome tweeter, 7” mica filled polypropylene cone woofer | 8”(200mm) black woven Kevlar® cone woofer, 5”(135mm) black woven Kevlar® cone midrange, 1” (25mm) soft dome tweeter |
| Dimensions | 19.3”H x 9.8”W x 15.2”D (491 x 250 x 385 mm) | 23.8”H x 11.8”W x 13”D (604.5 x 299.7 x 330.2 mm) |
| Weight | 35.3 lbs (16 kg) each | 43.7 lbs (19.8 kg) each |
| Sensitivity | 87dB @ 2.823V/1m | 88.2dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 4.3 ohms minimum | 4 ohms nominal (3 ohms minimum, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 51.2Hz (measured, spinorama.org data) | 77Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35.3Hz (measured, spinorama.org data) | 34Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 2.7kHz | - |
| Country | Germany | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.22 | 6.09 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.82 | 7.94 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | - | ported, rear |
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Prices on this page were last checked September 26, 2026 at 11:14 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Epos ES14N: £3,750 per pair Audio Venue (UK) eBay
Pros: A revival of Epos’s classic 1980s ES-14, re-engineered by Karl-Heinz Fink’s FinkTeam with a chamfered, backward sloping baffle to time align a 28mm ceramic coated dome tweeter with a 7 inch mica filled polypropylene woofer. On axis deviation measures a clean 0.216dB average and listening window smoothness reaches 0.53, both among the better figures in this batch, and the larger woofer reaches a measured 51.2Hz at -3dB with a low 0.2% THD at 1W. Measured bass extension of 51.2Hz (-3dB).
Cons: The sound power directivity index has the widest standard deviation of any speaker added to this catalog from spinorama.org’s current measurement set, 5.18, meaning off axis energy tracks the on axis response less consistently than the rest of this batch as frequency rises. The bass alignment also measures a higher Q of 1.10, hinting at a mild bump near the port tuning frequency. At £3,750 to £4,400/pair depending on finish it is a serious investment, and dealer availability is limited outside the UK and Canada.
Full Epos ES14N review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35.3Hz (measured, spinorama.org data) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 51.2Hz (measured, spinorama.org data) |
| Country | Germany |
| Crossover Frequency | 2.7kHz |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 19.3”H x 9.8”W x 15.2”D (491 x 250 x 385 mm) |
| Drivers | 28mm aluminum/ceramic compound dome tweeter, 7” mica filled polypropylene cone woofer |
| Enclosure | ported |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 4.3 ohms minimum |
| Sensitivity | 87dB @ 2.823V/1m |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.22 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.82 |
| Weight | 35.3 lbs (16 kg) each |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Wharfedale Super Linton: $2,699.00 per pair Amazon Crutchfield eBay
Pros: Three-way design with a 1” soft dome tweeter, 5” woven Kevlar mid-range, and 8” woven Kevlar woofer in a dual rear-ported, heavily damped MDF/particle-board cabinet. Comes as a genuinely matched pair (measured within about 1dB of each other) and includes custom matching stands. A major dynamic-range improvement over the original Heritage Linton - kick drums retain their impact from low to high volume instead of compressing, the standout objective improvement in this update. Fixes the original Linton’s main flaw: a 1-3kHz scoop that made it sound a bit soft and subdued is filled in here, giving noticeably more attack and dynamic punch. About 3dB more sensitivity than the original Linton (measured ~88.2dB), meaning roughly half the amplifier power for the same output. Wide horizontal radiation of about ±70°, right in the reviewer’s preferred range for an enveloping soundstage. Lower midrange distortion than the original Linton. Bass-shelf tuning intentionally allows closer-to-wall placement (about 1 foot worked well) without excess boominess, more flexible than the original Linton in that regard. Measured bass extension of 77Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 88.2dB.
Cons: Rolls off earlier than the original Linton (F3 77Hz versus the original’s 52Hz), a deliberate trade-off for the closer-wall-placement flexibility. On-axis, there’s a mild treble lift around 4-6kHz that can sound a touch sibilant, though the reviewer found it not very noteworthy in practice. Diffraction shows up around 1.5-2kHz on-axis; needs about 10° of toe-out to smooth this out, though going further to 30° starts to lose some top-end air. Distortion peaks slightly higher than the original Linton in the 50-70Hz region. Minimum impedance dips to about 3 ohms around 150Hz, so a 4-ohm-stable amplifier is recommended for best results. Vertical dispersion of about ±20° means multi-row home theater seating outside that window will hear reduced top-end. Asymmetrical design requires attention to setup (tweeters need to face outward) for the most linear in-room response. A costly upgrade for existing Linton owners if the original’s specific flaws didn’t bother them.
Full Wharfedale Super Linton review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 34Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 77Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 23.8”H x 11.8”W x 13”D (604.5 x 299.7 x 330.2 mm) |
| Drivers | 8”(200mm) black woven Kevlar® cone woofer, 5”(135mm) black woven Kevlar® cone midrange, 1” (25mm) soft dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (3 ohms minimum, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 88.2dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.09 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.94 |
| Weight | 43.7 lbs (19.8 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Erin’s Audio Corner: 5 Reasons Wharfedale Super Linton is the Hidden Gem of Audio Equipment More from Erin’s Audio Corner →
- Erin’s Audio Corner Website Wharfedale Super Linton Review
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- Erin’s Audio Corner: My Absolute Favorite Products of 2024 Revealed
- Erin’s Audio Corner Measurements (spinorama.org)
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