Short answer: the Wharfedale Linton 85. It ranks #32 of 131 bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 4.3/5, at $1,999; the Dynaudio Special Forty ranks #85, rated 3.5/5, and costs $3,600, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the Wharfedale Linton 85 does well: Very neutral frequency response and good bass extension. The catch: The spacing of the drivers makes the vertical off axis not very good.
What the Dynaudio Special Forty does well: Smooth, “buttery” overall tonal character consistent with Dynaudio’s house sound. Watch for: A glaring, sometimes sibilant quality around 3-4kHz was the most noticeable issue in listening, the one thing the reviewer would want notched out with EQ.
Buy the Wharfedale Linton 85. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Dynaudio Special Forty and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Wharfedale Linton 85 | Dynaudio Special Forty | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1999 per pair | $3600 per pair |
| Ranked | #32 of 131 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #85 of 131 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 39Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 52Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 54Hz (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) | 14.1”H x 7.7”W x 12.1”D (358.1 x 195.6 x 307.3 mm) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 3.5 ohms minimum (measured above 80Hz, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 6 ohms nominal (4.9 ohms minimum above 80Hz, 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 | 5.9” MSP (Magnesium Silicate Polymer) cone woofer, 1” Esotar soft dome tweeter |
| Sensitivity | 85.1dB (measured average 300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 83.5dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner; 86dB manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 40.6 lbs (18.4 kg) each | 17.9 lbs (8.1 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.07 | 4.73 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.87 | 6.74 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
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 30, 2026 at 2:57 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
- Wharfedale Linton 85 vs Ascend Acoustics Sierra-LX
- Wharfedale Linton 85 vs Revel M126Be
- Wharfedale Linton 85 vs ELAC VELA BS 403
- Wharfedale Linton 85 vs Dynaudio Heritage Special
- Wharfedale Linton 85 vs Philharmonic BMR (v1)
- Wharfedale Linton 85 vs Radiant Acoustics Clarity 6.2
- Wharfedale Linton 85 vs Ascend Acoustics Sierra-2EX V2
- Wharfedale Linton 85 vs MoFi SourcePoint 10
- See all 66 comparisons
Dynaudio Special Forty: $3600 per pair Safe and Sound HQ eBay
Pros: Smooth, “buttery” overall tonal character consistent with Dynaudio’s house sound. Surprisingly precise, focused imaging despite wide horizontal radiation (about ±70°): atypical, since wide-radiating speakers usually sacrifice some image precision in reflective rooms. Strong output capability: reached 100-101dB average at 3.5 meters with no audible distortion or woofer distress, and compression testing at 102dB shows the cabinet holding up mechanically well at extreme output. Bass reaches a genuine 50Hz (potentially 40Hz) in most rooms from a rear-ported design. Distortion stays below 1% at 86dB and doesn’t cross 3% THD until about 50Hz even at 96dB. Extra weight and impact on snares and percussion around 700-800Hz that the reviewer found appealing on many tracks. Measured bass extension of 54Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 83.5dB.
Cons: A glaring, sometimes sibilant quality around 3-4kHz was the most noticeable issue in listening, the one thing the reviewer would want notched out with EQ. Multiple enclosure resonances appear between 500Hz-1kHz across on-axis, listening window, early-reflections, and sound-power measurements, corroborated by independent third-party CSD data showing similar 500-800Hz cabinet resonances. A dip around 1.2kHz traces to a cone-edge-to-surround compliance mismatch in the driver itself (confirmed by testing the bare driver’s impedance): a known artifact common to many similarly-sized drivers across several manufacturers, contributing to elevated second-order distortion in that region. A somewhat laid-back, recessed 1-2kHz character (sometimes described as a “BBC dip”) gives an overall subdued quality that isn’t overtly problematic but shapes the tonal balance. Impedance drops below 3 ohms in the 100-200Hz region, requiring a genuinely 4-ohm-stable amplifier rather than an AVR. Rear port means it can’t be placed directly against a wall.
Full Dynaudio Special Forty review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 54Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 14.1”H x 7.7”W x 12.1”D (358.1 x 195.6 x 307.3 mm) |
| Drivers | 5.9” MSP (Magnesium Silicate Polymer) cone woofer, 1” Esotar soft dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal (4.9 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 83.5dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner; 86dB manufacturer specified) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.73 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.74 |
| Weight | 17.9 lbs (8.1 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Dynaudio Special Forty vs ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
- Dynaudio Special Forty vs Infinity IL10
- Dynaudio Special Forty vs SVS Prime Bookshelf
- Dynaudio Special Forty vs GR-Research X-LS Encore
- Dynaudio Special Forty vs KEF Q3 Meta
- Dynaudio Special Forty vs Polk Monitor XT20
- Dynaudio Special Forty vs Mission LX-3 MKII
- Dynaudio Special Forty vs Sonus Faber Lumina II
- See all 55 comparisons