Short answer: the Wharfedale Linton 85 for measured neutrality, the Klipsch RP-600M II for price. Erin’s Audio Corner measurements put the Linton 85 at #36 of 222 large bookshelf speakers at $1,699, well ahead of the RP-600M II at #123 for $449.99, $1,249.01 less.
The Linton 85’s three-way design measures deeper and more neutral, at the cost of vertical listening window. Its 8-inch Kevlar woofer, 5-inch Kevlar midrange, and 1-inch soft dome tweeter extend to 35Hz at -10dB, well past the RP-600M II’s 41Hz. Erin’s Audio Corner calls out a very neutral frequency response and good bass extension as its defining strengths, but the physical spacing between its three drivers makes the vertical off-axis response noticeably worse, meaning listening height matters more than it would on a simpler two-way design.
The RP-600M II fixed a lot of what was wrong with the original RP-600M, but it still runs hot on-axis. Its redesigned waveguide extends flush to the baffle edge to reduce diffraction, and it’s described as a major step up in tonal neutrality over the original, largely eliminating that model’s midrange resonance. Unusually, it measures better with the grille on, since the grille smooths out an elevated treble response rather than dulling the sound, a trait Erin’s Audio Corner calls rare among tested speakers. Left bare and pointed straight at the listener, though, the treble runs notably hot, hotter in places than the original RP-600M, and needs roughly 20 degrees of toe-out or the grille installed to sound balanced. Klipsch’s marketed sensitivity figure is also a half-space rating, well above the closer-to-86dB anechoic reality Erin’s Audio Corner actually measured, and in-room bass rolls off around 60Hz, so a subwoofer is still recommended.
Buy the Wharfedale Linton 85 for deeper, more neutral measured performance, and be mindful of seated ear height given its three-way driver layout.
Buy the Klipsch RP-600M II for a much lower price, and plan on toeing it out or keeping the grille on to tame its hot treble.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
Measured Differences
- Bass depth: the Wharfedale Linton 85 reaches 35 Hz (10 dB down) against 41 Hz for the Klipsch RP-600M II, about half an octave deeper. You hear more of the lowest bass notes and kick drums.
- Close enough not to matter: preference score with a subwoofer (7.9 vs 7.8).
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Specifications Side By Side
| Wharfedale Linton 85 | Klipsch RP-600M II | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,699.00 per pair | $449.99 per pair |
| Ranked | #36 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #123 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 52Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 70Hz (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) | 15.7”H x 8”W x 12.5”D (398.8 x 203.2 x 317.5 mm) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 3.5 ohms minimum (measured above 80Hz, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 8 ohms nominal (3.5 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by 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” Cerametallic cone woofer, 1” titanium LTS vented tweeter with Tractrix horn |
| Sensitivity | 85.1dB (measured average 300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 86dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 40.6 lbs (18.4 kg) each | 13 lbs (5.9 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.07 | 5.64 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.87 | 7.77 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
Where the Ratings Come From
- Wharfedale Linton 85: Spinorama.org measurements and reviews by Erin’s Audio Corner.
- Klipsch RP-600M II: Spinorama.org measurements and reviews by Erin’s Audio Corner and GR-Research.
This comparison is generated from the ratings, specifications and measurements on each product’s own page, and it updates when that data changes. How we rank explains how each rating is decided.
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