Short answer: the Wharfedale Linton 85 if sound quality matters most, the Ascend CBM-170 SE2 if price matters most. The Wharfedale Linton 85 ranks #32 of 130 bookshelf speakers at $1999. The Ascend CBM-170 SE2 ranks #66 at $468, $1531 cheaper.
What the Wharfedale Linton 85 offers: Very neutral frequency response and good bass extension. Watch for: The spacing of the drivers makes the vertical off axis not very good
What the Ascend CBM-170 SE2 offers: On-axis response is impressively flat from about 100Hz to 2kHz, staying within roughly ±1dB, with a clean, gradual bass rolloff below that. The directivity index rises smoothly and predictably through the crossover region, and the estimated in-room response shows a smooth, consistent downward tilt from 100Hz to 10kHz with no major discontinuities - close to the ideal in-room target shape. Measured sensitivity of 86.8dB nearly matches Ascend’s 87dB spec. The manufacturer’s own preference-score modeling comes out to 5.81 unequalized (rising to 8.17 with an ideal subwoofer, or 6.33/8.41 with EQ applied) - a strong result for a compact 2-way, and a clear step up from the original CBM-170 SE this replaces. Watch for: A narrow dip in the on-axis and listening-window response appears in the 3-5kHz range (down to about -2.7dB), mirrored by a matching dip in the directivity index at the same frequencies - likely a brief widening of dispersion right at the tweeter/woofer crossover. High-frequency directivity narrows substantially above 10kHz, typical for a small dome tweeter, so the top octave will sound more reserved off-axis than on-axis. Bass rolls off as expected for a compact 2-way monitor: -3dB around 70Hz and -10dB around 50Hz, so a subwoofer is needed for full-range use. This data comes from the manufacturer’s own Klippel measurements rather than an independent third-party review, so there’s no outside verification of channel matching, distortion, or unit-to-unit consistency.
Buy the Wharfedale Linton 85 if sound quality is the priority over the price, or the Ascend CBM-170 SE2 if the price is the priority over sound quality.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Wharfedale Linton 85 | Ascend CBM-170 SE2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1999 per pair | $468 per pair |
| Ranked | #32 of 130 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #66 of 130 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 50Hz (measured, manufacturer spinorama data) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 52Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 70Hz (measured, manufacturer spinorama data) |
| Dimensions | 22.2"H x 11.8"W x 13"D (563.9 x 299.7 x 330.2 mm) | 12H x 9W x 9.5D in |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 3.5 ohms minimum (measured above 80Hz, Erin's Audio Corner) | 8 ohms |
| Drivers | 8"(200mm) black woven Kevlar® cone woofer, 5"(135mm) black woven Kevlar® cone midrange, 1" (25mm) soft dome tweeter | 27mm custom SEAS soft dome tweeter, 6.5" proprietary composite polygel cone woofer |
| Sensitivity | 85.1dB (measured average 300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, Erin's Audio Corner) | 86.8dB (2.83V/1m, measured, manufacturer spinorama data; 87dB manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 40.6 lbs (18.4 kg) each | 15 lbs (6.8 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported, rear |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.21 | 5.81 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.01 | 8.17 |
| Power Handling | - | 200W continuous, 400W peak |
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 September 16, 2026 at 12:41 AM 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
Wharfedale Linton 85: $1999 per pair Crutchfield eBay
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) |
| 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 | 5.21 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.01 |
| 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)
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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Ascend CBM-170 SE2: $468 per pair Ascend Acoustics eBay
Pros: On-axis response is impressively flat from about 100Hz to 2kHz, staying within roughly ±1dB, with a clean, gradual bass rolloff below that. The directivity index rises smoothly and predictably through the crossover region, and the estimated in-room response shows a smooth, consistent downward tilt from 100Hz to 10kHz with no major discontinuities - close to the ideal in-room target shape. Measured sensitivity of 86.8dB nearly matches Ascend’s 87dB spec. The manufacturer’s own preference-score modeling comes out to 5.81 unequalized (rising to 8.17 with an ideal subwoofer, or 6.33/8.41 with EQ applied) - a strong result for a compact 2-way, and a clear step up from the original CBM-170 SE this replaces. Measured sensitivity of 86.8dB.
Cons: A narrow dip in the on-axis and listening-window response appears in the 3-5kHz range (down to about -2.7dB), mirrored by a matching dip in the directivity index at the same frequencies - likely a brief widening of dispersion right at the tweeter/woofer crossover. High-frequency directivity narrows substantially above 10kHz, typical for a small dome tweeter, so the top octave will sound more reserved off-axis than on-axis. Bass rolls off as expected for a compact 2-way monitor: -3dB around 70Hz and -10dB around 50Hz, so a subwoofer is needed for full-range use. This data comes from the manufacturer’s own Klippel measurements rather than an independent third-party review, so there’s no outside verification of channel matching, distortion, or unit-to-unit consistency.
Full Ascend CBM-170 SE2 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz (measured, manufacturer spinorama data) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 70Hz (measured, manufacturer spinorama data) |
| Dimensions | 12H x 9W x 9.5D in |
| Drivers | 27mm custom SEAS soft dome tweeter, 6.5" proprietary composite polygel cone woofer |
| Impedance | 8 ohms |
| Power Handling | 200W continuous, 400W peak |
| Sensitivity | 86.8dB (2.83V/1m, measured, manufacturer spinorama data; 87dB manufacturer specified) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.81 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 8.17 |
| Weight | 15 lbs (6.8 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ascend CBM-170 SE2 vs Polk Signature Elite ES20
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- Ascend CBM-170 SE2 vs Klipsch RP-600M II
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- Ascend CBM-170 SE2 vs Philharmonic BMR Monitor
- Ascend CBM-170 SE2 vs ELAC DBR62
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