Short answer: the Arendal 1528 Monitor 8 for better sound quality, the Wharfedale Linton 85 for the lower price. The Arendal 1528 Monitor 8 ranks #23 of 222 bookshelf speakers, rated 4.4/5, at $6,000. The Wharfedale Linton 85 ranks #36, rated 4.3/5, at $1,999, $4,001 cheaper.
The case for the Wharfedale Linton 85: A retro styled bookshelf speaker with an 8 inch woofer, very neutral sound, and good bass extension for its size. The catch: The spacing of the drivers makes the vertical off axis not very good.
The Arendal 1528 Monitor 8 is the deeper-bass pick. A big three way monitor with dual 8 inch woofers, bass deep enough to skip a subwoofer, and extremely low distortion at high volume. Its bass reaches about 41Hz before falling 3dB, against 52Hz for the Wharfedale Linton 85. The catch: A dip in the midbase around 100Hz noticeably reduces the “chestiness” of male vocals compared to the reviewer’s reference speaker.
Buy the Wharfedale Linton 85 if the price is the priority over sound quality, or the Arendal 1528 Monitor 8 if sound quality is the priority over the price.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
A retro styled bookshelf speaker with an 8 inch woofer, very neutral sound, and good bass extension for its size.
A big three way monitor with dual 8 inch woofers, bass deep enough to skip a subwoofer, and extremely low distortion at high volume.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Wharfedale Linton 85 | Arendal 1528 Monitor 8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1999 per pair | $6000 per pair |
| Ranked | #36 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #23 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 26Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 52Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 22.2”H x 11.8”W x 13”D (563.9 x 299.7 x 330.2 mm) | 31.8”H x 11.4”W x 17.6”D (807.7 x 289.6 x 447 mm) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 3.5 ohms minimum (measured above 80Hz, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 4 ohms nominal, 3.8 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 8”(200mm) black woven Kevlar® cone woofer, 5”(135mm) black woven Kevlar® cone midrange, 1” (25mm) soft dome tweeter | Dual 8” woofers, 5” midrange, 28mm tweeter |
| Sensitivity | 85.1dB (measured average 300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 84.4dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 40.6 lbs (18.4 kg) each | 103.6 lbs (47 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.07 | 5.59 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.87 | 7.04 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
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