Short answer: the Wharfedale Linton 85. It ranks #32 of 131 bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 4.3/5, at $1,999; the Buchardt S400 MKII ranks #64, rated 3.8/5, and costs $2,400, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
Why pick the Wharfedale Linton 85: Very neutral frequency response and good bass extension. The tradeoff: The spacing of the drivers makes the vertical off axis not very good.
The case for the Buchardt S400 MKII: Two-way design with a 3/4” tweeter on a well-implemented aluminum waveguide (compression-driver style, letting the small tweeter cross unusually low at 1800Hz), a 6” SB Acoustics-style mid-woofer, and a tunable 5x8” passive radiator adjustable via rear weights. The tradeoff: Sounds a bit bright and slightly boosted above about 7-8kHz on-axis, even with 30° of toe-out - benefits from about 1 inch of sidewall absorption at the first reflection points to tame it.
Buy the Wharfedale Linton 85. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Buchardt S400 MKII and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Wharfedale Linton 85 | Buchardt S400 MKII | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1999 per pair | $2400 per pair |
| Ranked | #32 of 131 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #64 of 131 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 40Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 52Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 59Hz (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) | 14.4”H x 7”W x 11”D (365.8 x 177.8 x 279.4 mm) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 3.5 ohms minimum (measured above 80Hz, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 4 ohms nominal, 3 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 | 6.5” aluminum cone woofer, 1” soft dome tweeter |
| Sensitivity | 85.1dB (measured average 300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 84.7dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner; 87dB manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 40.6 lbs (18.4 kg) each | 16.5 lbs (7.5 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.07 | 5.38 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.87 | 7.46 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
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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
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) |
| 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)
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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Buchardt S400 MKII: $2400 per pair Buchardt Audio eBay
Older model: the Buchardt Audio S400 (rated 4.4/5).
Pros: Two-way design with a 3/4” tweeter on a well-implemented aluminum waveguide (compression-driver style, letting the small tweeter cross unusually low at 1800Hz), a 6” SB Acoustics-style mid-woofer, and a tunable 5x8” passive radiator adjustable via rear weights. Exceptionally flat on-axis linearity, within about ±2dB from 80Hz to 16kHz. Wide horizontal radiation for a waveguided design (about ±45-50°), notably broader than a comparable narrow-waveguide rival like the Klipsch Sevens (~±30°). Well-focused, precise imaging, aided by tight pair matching between the two speakers. Takes very well to EQ correction, letting listeners easily dial in the top end or add midrange fullness to taste. Bass extension reaches a genuine 50Hz in-room from a mellow, well-tuned rolloff rather than an artificially boosted one. Measured bass extension of 59Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 84.7dB.
Cons: Sounds a bit bright and slightly boosted above about 7-8kHz on-axis, even with 30° of toe-out - benefits from about 1 inch of sidewall absorption at the first reflection points to tame it. A mild dullness noted especially on male vocals, alongside a small dip around 300-600Hz. Vertical positioning is critical and unusually “temperamental” - sitting even slightly toward the tweeter line causes a suckout, while sitting above it adds too much energy; not well suited to multi-height home theater seating. Distortion is fine at 86dB but runs into real issues by 96dB - not a high-output speaker. Some compression-related enhancement appears around 1.2kHz (crossover-region interaction), and the tweeter shows clear compression at 102dB. The woofer can bottom out at extreme low-frequency content played very loud; crossing to a subwoofer below 60Hz caused output problems at high volume, while 80-100Hz worked well. A subwoofer isn’t strictly required to protect the speaker at moderate listening levels (80-85dB at 3 meters), but is still recommended for genuine low-octave extension.
Full Buchardt S400 MKII review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 40Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 59Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 14.4”H x 7”W x 11”D (365.8 x 177.8 x 279.4 mm) |
| Drivers | 6.5” aluminum cone woofer, 1” soft dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 3 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 84.7dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner; 87dB manufacturer specified) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.38 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.46 |
| Weight | 16.5 lbs (7.5 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Buchardt S400 MKII vs Klipsch RP-600M II
- Buchardt S400 MKII vs ELAC DBR62
- Buchardt S400 MKII vs Dynaudio Emit 20
- Buchardt S400 MKII vs Philharmonic BMR Monitor
- Buchardt S400 MKII vs Dynaudio Special Forty
- Buchardt S400 MKII vs ELAC Debut 3.0 DB63
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- Buchardt S400 MKII vs Sonus Faber Lumina II
- See all 17 comparisons