Short answer: the Wharfedale Linton 85 for neutral tonality, the ELAC VELA BS 403 for a ribbon tweeter and deeper bass. The VELA BS 403 pairs a JET 5 folded ribbon tweeter with a 6-inch sandwich woofer, reaching about 50Hz, but its deliberate dip-and-peak voicing around 2kHz reduces attack and clarity in the mids and highs. The Linton 85 is very neutral with good bass extension, though its driver spacing hurts vertical off-axis response.
Buy the Wharfedale Linton 85 if you want one new; the ELAC VELA BS 403 is discontinued, so only look for it used.
Want more options? Browse the full Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Wharfedale Linton 85 | ELAC VELA BS 403 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1999 per pair | $2,899 per pair Discontinued |
| Ranked | #32 of 134 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #35 of 134 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 46Hz (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 52Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 59Hz (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 22.2”H x 11.8”W x 13”D (563.9 x 299.7 x 330.2 mm) | 14-3/16”H x 7-1/2”W x 9-3/8”D |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 3.5 ohms minimum (measured above 80Hz, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 4 ohms nominal, 3.2 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 | JET 5 folded ribbon tweeter, 6” aluminum/paper sandwich cone woofer |
| Sensitivity | 85.1dB (measured average 300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 84.3dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 40.6 lbs (18.4 kg) each | 15.7 lbs (7.1 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.07 | 3.94 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.87 | 6.28 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Frequency Response | - | 41Hz - 50kHz (manufacturer specified) |
| Recommended Power | - | up to 100W RMS |
| Crossover Frequency | - | 2.4kHz |
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- Wharfedale Linton 85 vs Perlisten S4b
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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)
- 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
- Wharfedale Linton 85 vs Revel M126Be
- 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
- Wharfedale Linton 85 vs GR-Research NX-Bravo
- See all 67 comparisons
ELAC VELA BS 403: $2,899 per pair Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the ELAC Vela BS 403.2. It’s likely to perform similarly, though we don’t have measurements to confirm that yet.
Pros: JET 5 folded ribbon tweeter pairs with a 6” aluminum/paper sandwich woofer for extended, well-controlled bass: Erin measured usable in-room extension to about 50 Hz, deeper than JBL’s competing L52 Classic despite lacking that speaker’s mild upper-bass bump. Compression stays within about 1 dB above 100 Hz up to 102 dB, on the better side of normal for a bookshelf this size, indicating good dynamic and transient capability. Wide, spacious soundstage radiation. Overall neutral voicing that Erin called “a really good speaker,” from the looks to the sound. Measured bass extension of 59Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 84.3dB.
Cons: Deliberate dip-and-peak voicing in the crossover region around 2 kHz reduces attack and clarity in the mids and highs: intentional per ELAC’s design, but not to Erin’s personal preference. Lower measured sensitivity (84.3 dB) means it wants more amplifier power than average to reach the same levels. Multitone distortion roughly triples, from about 1% to 3%, between 88 dB and 96 dB output, so it’s happiest at moderate listening levels. A minor distortion bump shows up around 800 Hz in the data, though Erin didn’t hear it. Discontinued and no longer sold new.
Full ELAC VELA BS 403 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 46Hz (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 59Hz (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 2.4kHz |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 14-3/16”H x 7-1/2”W x 9-3/8”D |
| Drivers | JET 5 folded ribbon tweeter, 6” aluminum/paper sandwich cone woofer |
| Frequency Response | 41Hz - 50kHz (manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 3.2 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Recommended Power | up to 100W RMS |
| Sensitivity | 84.3dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.94 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.28 |
| Weight | 15.7 lbs (7.1 kg) each |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- ELAC VELA BS 403 vs Philharmonic BMR (v1)
- ELAC VELA BS 403 vs Revel M126Be
- ELAC VELA BS 403 vs Selah Audio Purezza
- ELAC VELA BS 403 vs JTR Noesis 210HT
- ELAC VELA BS 403 vs Emotiva Airmotiv XB2
- ELAC VELA BS 403 vs ELAC Debut 3.0 DB63
- ELAC VELA BS 403 vs Dynaudio Heritage Special
- ELAC VELA BS 403 vs JBL HDI-1600
- See all 14 comparisons