Wharfedale Super Linton vs ELAC DBR62

Last updated: September 29, 2026

Short answer: the Wharfedale Super Linton if sound quality matters most, the ELAC DBR62 if price matters most. The Wharfedale Super Linton ranks #24 of 131 bookshelf speakers, rated 4.4/5, at $2,699. The ELAC DBR62 ranks #55, rated 4.0/5, at $799, $1,900 cheaper.

Wharfedale Super Linton vs ELAC DBR62

The case for the Wharfedale Super Linton: Three-way design with a 1” soft dome tweeter, 5” woven Kevlar mid-range, and 8” woven Kevlar woofer in a dual rear-ported, heavily damped MDF/particle-board cabinet. The catch: Rolls off earlier than the original Linton (F3 77Hz versus the original’s 52Hz), a deliberate trade-off for the closer-wall-placement flexibility.

The case for the ELAC DBR62: Two-way design with a 6.5” woofer and 1” dome tweeter in a shallow waveguide, with the tweeter positioned close to the woofer for near-point-source coherence: giving more vertical listening leeway than typical two-ways. The catch: A slight recess in the 1-2kHz region reduces vocal presence somewhat compared to other speakers in direct comparison.

Buy the Wharfedale Super Linton if sound quality is the priority over the price, or the ELAC DBR62 if the price is the priority over sound quality.

Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.

Specifications Side By Side

Wharfedale Super Linton ELAC DBR62
Price$2,699.00 per pair$799.00 per pair
Ranked#24 of 131 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers#55 of 131 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers
Bass Extension (-10dB)34Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner)41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner)
Bass Extension (-3dB)77Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner)53Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner)
Dimensions23.8”H x 11.8”W x 13”D (604.5 x 299.7 x 330.2 mm)14.1”H x 8.2”W x 10.8”D (358.1 x 208.3 x 274.3 mm)
Impedance4 ohms nominal (3 ohms minimum, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner)6 ohms nominal, 5.2 ohms minimum (measured above 80Hz, Erin’s Audio Corner)
Drivers8”(200mm) black woven Kevlar® cone woofer, 5”(135mm) black woven Kevlar® cone midrange, 1” (25mm) soft dome tweeter6.5” Aramid Fiber woofer, 1” soft dome tweeter
Sensitivity88.2dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner)84.3dB (measured average 300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner; 86dB manufacturer specified)
Weight43.7 lbs (19.8 kg) each18.1 lbs (8.2 kg) each
Woofer Cabinetported, rearported, front
Spinorama Preference Score6.095.07
Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub7.947.27
DIY KitNoNo

More worthwhile head-to-heads for Wharfedale Super Linton:

Prices on this page were last checked September 29, 2026 at 3:43 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 Super Linton: $2,699.00 per pair Amazon Crutchfield eBay

Wharfedale Super Linton ranking card

Pros: Three-way design with a 1” soft dome tweeter, 5” woven Kevlar mid-range, and 8” woven Kevlar woofer in a dual rear-ported, heavily damped MDF/particle-board cabinet. Comes as a genuinely matched pair (measured within about 1dB of each other) and includes custom matching stands. A major dynamic-range improvement over the original Heritage Linton: kick drums retain their impact from low to high volume instead of compressing, the standout objective improvement in this update. Fixes the original Linton’s main flaw: a 1-3kHz scoop that made it sound a bit soft and subdued is filled in here, giving noticeably more attack and dynamic punch. About 3dB more sensitivity than the original Linton (measured ~88.2dB), meaning roughly half the amplifier power for the same output. Wide horizontal radiation of about ±70°, right in the reviewer’s preferred range for an enveloping soundstage. Lower midrange distortion than the original Linton. Bass-shelf tuning intentionally allows closer-to-wall placement (about 1 foot worked well) without excess boominess, more flexible than the original Linton in that regard. Measured bass extension of 77Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 88.2dB.

Cons: Rolls off earlier than the original Linton (F3 77Hz versus the original’s 52Hz), a deliberate trade-off for the closer-wall-placement flexibility. On-axis, there’s a mild treble lift around 4-6kHz that can sound a touch sibilant, though the reviewer found it not very noteworthy in practice. Diffraction shows up around 1.5-2kHz on-axis; needs about 10° of toe-out to smooth this out, though going further to 30° starts to lose some top-end air. Distortion peaks slightly higher than the original Linton in the 50-70Hz region. Minimum impedance dips to about 3 ohms around 150Hz, so a 4-ohm-stable amplifier is recommended for best results. Vertical dispersion of about ±20° means multi-row home theater seating outside that window will hear reduced top-end. Asymmetrical design requires attention to setup (tweeters need to face outward) for the most linear in-room response. A costly upgrade for existing Linton owners if the original’s specific flaws didn’t bother them.

Bass Extension (-10dB)34Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner)
Bass Extension (-3dB)77Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner)
DIY KitNo
Dimensions23.8”H x 11.8”W x 13”D (604.5 x 299.7 x 330.2 mm)
Drivers8”(200mm) black woven Kevlar® cone woofer, 5”(135mm) black woven Kevlar® cone midrange, 1” (25mm) soft dome tweeter
Impedance4 ohms nominal (3 ohms minimum, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner)
Sensitivity88.2dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner)
Spinorama Preference Score6.09
Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub7.94
Weight43.7 lbs (19.8 kg) each
Woofer Cabinetported, rear

ELAC DBR62: $799.00 per pair Amazon Crutchfield eBay

ELAC DBR62 ranking card

Pros: Two-way design with a 6.5” woofer and 1” dome tweeter in a shallow waveguide, with the tweeter positioned close to the woofer for near-point-source coherence: giving more vertical listening leeway than typical two-ways. Notably forgiving of placement and aiming: sounds good from directly on-axis all the way to 30° of toe-out (parallel with the rear wall), making it more room-independent than many speakers this price. Wide horizontal radiation of about ±70° until the tweeter starts beaming, right in the reviewer’s preferred sweet spot. A mild, wide-Q bass bump centered around 100Hz adds a bit of extra punch that the reviewer personally likes. On-axis linearity within about ±2.5dB, with a strong measured preference score of 5.3. Distortion stays below 3% at both 86dB and 96dB until around 50Hz. Vertical sweet spot of about ±10-20° works well for multi-row home theater seating. The reviewer calls it “the epitome of a good speaker” for its price, with no reservations recommending it. Measured bass extension of 53Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 84.3dB.

Cons: A slight recess in the 1-2kHz region reduces vocal presence somewhat compared to other speakers in direct comparison. A mild hot spot around 4-5kHz can read as slight sibilance when pointed directly on-axis. Low-to-mid sensitivity (about 84.3dB) combined with a current draw that behaves like roughly 2.4 ohms between 100-200Hz means it’s best driven by a dedicated 4-ohm-capable amplifier rather than an AVR. A diffraction dip from the baffle edge is visible in measurements: typical of any standard rectangular-baffle speaker and not correctable without a much more expensive curved-baffle design. Multitone distortion testing suggests some potential midrange distortion could be audible on certain material, though the reviewer didn’t personally notice it. Minor resonances appear around 700Hz and 1-1.5kHz, possibly tied to the enclosure, port, or cone/surround edge termination, though their audible impact appears minimal. F3 of 53Hz means a subwoofer is still needed for real bass extension below about 40Hz.

Bass Extension (-10dB)41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner)
Bass Extension (-3dB)53Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner)
DIY KitNo
Dimensions14.1”H x 8.2”W x 10.8”D (358.1 x 208.3 x 274.3 mm)
Drivers6.5” Aramid Fiber woofer, 1” soft dome tweeter
Impedance6 ohms nominal, 5.2 ohms minimum (measured above 80Hz, Erin’s Audio Corner)
Sensitivity84.3dB (measured average 300Hz-3kHz @ 2.83V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner; 86dB manufacturer specified)
Spinorama Preference Score5.07
Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub7.27
Weight18.1 lbs (8.2 kg) each
Woofer Cabinetported, front