Short answer: the Wharfedale Linton 85. It ranks #37 of 203 bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 4.3/5, at $1,999. The Sonus Faber Lumina II ranks #144, rated 3.4/5, at $1,600, $399 cheaper, a saving that is not big enough to make up the sound-quality gap.
The case for the Sonus Faber Lumina II: Handmade in Italy with a gloss-finished front baffle and black leather-wrapped cabinet: genuinely nice-looking speaker with real brand cachet. Watch for: Not a neutral speaker: has a persistent high-frequency boost/lift that makes it sound forward and bright, present whether pointed directly at the listener or toed out.
The Wharfedale Linton 85 is the more accurate, deeper-bass option. Very neutral frequency response and good bass extension. Its measured preference score, a predictor of how neutral it sounds, is 6.07 against 3.81 for the Sonus Faber Lumina II. Its bass reaches about 52Hz before falling 3dB, against 60Hz for the Sonus Faber Lumina II. Watch for: The spacing of the drivers makes the vertical off axis not very good.
Buy the Wharfedale Linton 85. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $399 with the Sonus Faber Lumina II does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sonus Faber Lumina II | Wharfedale Linton 85 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,600 per pair | $1999 per pair |
| Ranked | #144 of 203 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #37 of 203 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Drivers | 29mm DAD dome tweeter, 150mm paper cone mid-woofer | 8”(200mm) black woven Kevlar® cone woofer, 5”(135mm) black woven Kevlar® cone midrange, 1” (25mm) soft dome tweeter |
| Crossover Frequency | 1800Hz | - |
| Dimensions | 12” x 7.1” x 10.4” (304 x 180 x 263 mm) | 22.2”H x 11.8”W x 13”D (563.9 x 299.7 x 330.2 mm) |
| Weight | 12.5 lbs (5.65 kg) each | 40.6 lbs (18.4 kg) each |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 4.1 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 6 ohms nominal, 3.5 ohms minimum (measured above 80Hz, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 86dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner; matches manufacturer spec) | 85.1dB (measured average 300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 60Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 52Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 35Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 24kHz (manufacturer specified) | - |
| Recommended Power | 30W - 150W | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.81 | 6.07 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.10 | 7.87 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Woofer Cabinet | - | ported, rear |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Wharfedale Linton 85 compares with other leading options:
- Wharfedale Linton 85 vs Perlisten S4b
- Wharfedale Linton 85 vs KEF Reference 1 Meta
- Wharfedale Linton 85 vs GR-Research NX-Studio
- Wharfedale Linton 85 vs March Audio Sointuva AWG
- Wharfedale Linton 85 vs AsciLab C6B
Prices on this page were last checked October 7, 2026 at 9:25 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
Sonus Faber Lumina II: $1,600 per pair Crutchfield eBay
Same family: the Sonus Faber Lumina I (smaller bookshelf, estimated 3.3/5), the Sonus Faber Lumina III (smaller floorstanding, estimated 3.5/5), the Sonus Faber Lumina V (larger floorstanding, estimated 3.6/5) and the Sonus Faber Lumina Center I (center, estimated 3.5/5).
Pros: Handmade in Italy with a gloss-finished front baffle and black leather-wrapped cabinet: genuinely nice-looking speaker with real brand cachet. Bass extension is competitive for the size, reaching about 50 Hz in-room with mild compression and good distortion figures, so higher output levels and greater listening distances aren’t a problem down to that point. About 20 dB of dynamic range at typical listening levels (73 dB at 4m), which comfortably covers most music without the tonal balance shifting as instruments and vocals peak. Off-axis behavior is consistent: toeing the speakers 20-30 degrees out doesn’t meaningfully change the in-room high-frequency character, so placement flexibility is good once you’ve dialed in the tonal balance. Measured bass extension of 60Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 86dB.
Cons: Not a neutral speaker: has a persistent high-frequency boost/lift that makes it sound forward and bright, present whether pointed directly at the listener or toed out. A slightly nasal quality traced to a resonance around 1 kHz that EQ can address. The reviewer needed to trim treble by about 4 dB on his preamp to get the tonal balance he wanted, meaning most listeners will want equalization available to fully enjoy this speaker. At roughly the same $1,000ish price point, alternatives like the Ascend Acoustics Sierra 1 V2 measure more linear (with a tradeoff in distortion and crossover-region directivity), and the Dynaudio Emit 20 offers deeper bass extension and lower compression at the cost of a more deliberately colored tonal signature.
Full Sonus Faber Lumina II review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 60Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 1800Hz |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 12” x 7.1” x 10.4” (304 x 180 x 263 mm) |
| Drivers | 29mm DAD dome tweeter, 150mm paper cone mid-woofer |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 24kHz (manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 4.1 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Recommended Power | 30W - 150W |
| Sensitivity | 86dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner; matches manufacturer spec) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.81 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.10 |
| Weight | 12.5 lbs (5.65 kg) each |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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Wharfedale Linton 85: $1999 per pair Crutchfield eBay
Same family: the Wharfedale Denton 80th Anniversary (smaller bookshelf, rated 3.2/5), the Wharfedale Super Denton (smaller bookshelf, rated 4/5) and the Wharfedale Super Linton (larger bookshelf, ranked higher, rated 4.4/5).
Pros: Very neutral frequency response and good bass extension. Measured bass extension of 52Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 85.1dB.
Cons: The spacing of the drivers makes the vertical off axis not very good
Full Wharfedale Linton 85 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 52Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 22.2”H x 11.8”W x 13”D (563.9 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 | 6 ohms nominal, 3.5 ohms minimum (measured above 80Hz, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 85.1dB (measured average 300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.07 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.87 |
| Weight | 40.6 lbs (18.4 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Erin’s Audio Corner: Discover Why I Can’t Stop Raving About the Wharfedale Linton 85th Anniversary Speaker More from Erin’s Audio Corner →
- Erin’s Audio Corner Website Wharfedale Linton 85 Review
- Erin’s Audio Corner: My Top 5 Speakers at Any Price
- Erin’s Audio Corner: Upgrade Your Sound with These 6 Surprisingly Affordable Speakers!
- Erin’s Audio Corner: My Personal Favorite Speakers Under $2500
- Erin’s Audio Corner Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Erin’s Audio Corner: KLH Model 5 or Wharfedale Linton? Linton for me. But you may disagree. Here is why.
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Wharfedale Linton 85 vs Ascend Acoustics Sierra-LX
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