Short answer: the Wharfedale Linton 85. It ranks #32 of 130 bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $1999; the Philharmonic BMR (v1) ranks #36 and costs $2200, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
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 Philharmonic BMR (v1) offers: Large three-way combining a Scan-Speak 7-inch paper/carbon woofer, 2.5-inch Tectonic balanced-mode midrange and RAAL 64-10 ribbon. Erin measured approximately +/-1.5dB linearity from 80Hz upward, very broad +/-40-degree-or-better horizontal coverage and about 83dB/2.83V/1m sensitivity. The port is tuned in the mid/low-30Hz region without audible chuffing, the midrange provides unusually expansive staging, and distortion remained subjectively unobtrusive. Watch for: The measured 83dB sensitivity and roughly 4-ohm load demand meaningful external amplification. A 1-2dB shelf below about 300Hz reduces warmth unless corrected, while a response/impedance feature near 250-300Hz corresponded with Erin’s sense of resonance. The ribbon produces narrower vertical than horizontal radiation, and second-order high-frequency distortion plus dynamic enhancement near 3kHz appeared in testing. This was an earlier cabinet/version, not the current v2.
Buy the Wharfedale Linton 85. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Philharmonic BMR (v1) and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Wharfedale Linton 85 | Philharmonic BMR (v1) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1999 per pair | $2,395 per pair |
| Ranked | #32 of 130 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #36 of 130 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 37.8Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 52Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | Approximately 62Hz relative to mean (measured, Erin's Audio Corner website) |
| Dimensions | 22.2"H x 11.8"W x 13"D (563.9 x 299.7 x 330.2 mm) | - |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 3.5 ohms minimum (measured above 80Hz, Erin's Audio Corner) | Approximately 4 ohms nominal (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 | RAAL 64-10 ribbon; 2.5" BMR midrange; 7" Scan-Speak woofer |
| Sensitivity | 85.1dB (measured average 300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, Erin's Audio Corner) | Approximately 83dB/2.83V/1m (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 40.6 lbs (18.4 kg) each | - |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.21 | 5.24 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.01 | 6.90 |
| Port Tuning | - | Mid/low-30Hz range (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
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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
- 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 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 62 comparisons
Philharmonic BMR (v1): $2,395 per pair Philharmonic Audio eBay
Pros: Large three-way combining a Scan-Speak 7-inch paper/carbon woofer, 2.5-inch Tectonic balanced-mode midrange and RAAL 64-10 ribbon. Erin measured approximately +/-1.5dB linearity from 80Hz upward, very broad +/-40-degree-or-better horizontal coverage and about 83dB/2.83V/1m sensitivity. The port is tuned in the mid/low-30Hz region without audible chuffing, the midrange provides unusually expansive staging, and distortion remained subjectively unobtrusive. Measured bass extension of 62Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 83dB.
Cons: The measured 83dB sensitivity and roughly 4-ohm load demand meaningful external amplification. A 1-2dB shelf below about 300Hz reduces warmth unless corrected, while a response/impedance feature near 250-300Hz corresponded with Erin’s sense of resonance. The ribbon produces narrower vertical than horizontal radiation, and second-order high-frequency distortion plus dynamic enhancement near 3kHz appeared in testing. This was an earlier cabinet/version, not the current v2.
Full Philharmonic BMR (v1) review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 37.8Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | Approximately 62Hz relative to mean (measured, Erin's Audio Corner website) |
| Drivers | RAAL 64-10 ribbon; 2.5" BMR midrange; 7" Scan-Speak woofer |
| Impedance | Approximately 4 ohms nominal (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Port Tuning | Mid/low-30Hz range (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | Approximately 83dB/2.83V/1m (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.24 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.90 |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Philharmonic BMR (v1) vs ELAC VELA BS 403
- Philharmonic BMR (v1) vs Selah Audio Integrity
- Philharmonic BMR (v1) vs Ascend Acoustics Sierra-2EX V2
- Philharmonic BMR (v1) vs Ascend Acoustics Sierra-LX
- Philharmonic BMR (v1) vs Emotiva Airmotiv XB2
- Philharmonic BMR (v1) vs ELAC Debut 3.0 DB63
- Philharmonic BMR (v1) vs Selah Audio Purezza
- Philharmonic BMR (v1) vs Arendal 1723 Bookshelf S THX
- See all 49 comparisons