Short answer: the Wharfedale Super Linton on measured sound quality, the Polk Monitor XT20 on price. The Wharfedale Super Linton ranks #24 of 130 bookshelf speakers at $2699. The Polk Monitor XT20 ranks #90 at $249.99, $2449.01 cheaper.
What the Wharfedale Super Linton offers: 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. Watch for: 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.
What the Polk Monitor XT20 offers: Two-way bookshelf design with a 1” tweeter and 6.5” woofer, part of Polk’s budget-friendly XT lineup (spanning roughly $200-700 across the series). Measures more linear and has fewer/smaller cabinet resonances than its smaller sibling, the XT15, making it - by the reviewer’s own assessment - probably the better of the two based on data alone. Reasonably good bass output for the price and size, with an F3 of 63Hz. Horizontal radiation of about ±50° gives a respectable, enjoyable soundstage width. Takes well to EQ correction - the early-reflections directivity trend is decently linear, meaning tonal adjustments can meaningfully improve the sound. Provides usable, respectable volume when paired with a subwoofer crossover, even though it isn’t intended to play extremely loud on its own. Watch for: Notably bright treble, elevated roughly 1-5dB above the midrange depending on frequency - a characteristic shared across the whole Polk XT lineup, requiring either EQ or toe-out to tame. Small resonances appear around 300Hz and 800Hz, with some of that energy leaking from the port area. Vertical listening window is narrow - best kept close to the tweeter axis, with only a couple of degrees of tolerance above or below before the sound changes. Still needs a subwoofer for real low-end extension despite the decent F3. Overall linearity isn’t state-of-the-art flat, and while the reviewer found it pleasant, some artificial brightness remains even after basic EQ correction in the crossover region.
Buy the Wharfedale Super Linton if sound quality is the priority over the price, or the Polk Monitor XT20 if the price is the priority over sound quality.
Want more options? Browse the full Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Wharfedale Super Linton | Polk Monitor XT20 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,699.00 per pair | $249.99 per pair |
| Ranked | #24 of 130 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #90 of 130 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 34Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 50Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 77Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 75Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 23.8"H x 11.8"W x 13"D (604.5 x 299.7 x 330.2 mm) | 13"H x 7.5"W x 11"D (330.2 x 190.5 x 279.4 mm) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (3 ohms minimum, measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 8 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 | 6.5" bilaminate paper cone woofer, 1" Terylene dome tweeter |
| Sensitivity | 88.2dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 86dB (measured by Erin's Audio Corner; 87dB manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 43.7 lbs (19.8 kg) each | 11.9 lbs (5.4 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.28 | 3.79 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.12 | 6.16 |
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Prices on this page were last checked September 16, 2026 at 12:41 AM 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
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.
Full Wharfedale Super Linton review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 34Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 77Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 23.8"H x 11.8"W x 13"D (604.5 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 | 4 ohms nominal (3 ohms minimum, measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 88.2dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.28 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.12 |
| Weight | 43.7 lbs (19.8 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Erin’s Audio Corner: 5 Reasons Wharfedale Super Linton is the Hidden Gem of Audio Equipment More from Erin’s Audio Corner →
- Erin’s Audio Corner Website Wharfedale Super Linton Review
- Erin’s Audio Corner: Upgrade Your Sound with These 6 Surprisingly Affordable Speakers!
- Erin’s Audio Corner: My Absolute Favorite Products of 2024 Revealed
- Erin’s Audio Corner Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Wharfedale Super Linton vs Ascend Acoustics CMT-340 SE2
- Wharfedale Super Linton vs Arendal 1528 Monitor 8
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- Wharfedale Super Linton vs Radiant Acoustics Clarity 6.2
- Wharfedale Super Linton vs Dynaudio Heritage Special
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- Wharfedale Super Linton vs MoFi SourcePoint 8
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- See all 51 comparisons
Polk Monitor XT20: $249.99 per pair Amazon Crutchfield eBay
Pros: Two-way bookshelf design with a 1” tweeter and 6.5” woofer, part of Polk’s budget-friendly XT lineup (spanning roughly $200-700 across the series). Measures more linear and has fewer/smaller cabinet resonances than its smaller sibling, the XT15, making it - by the reviewer’s own assessment - probably the better of the two based on data alone. Reasonably good bass output for the price and size, with an F3 of 63Hz. Horizontal radiation of about ±50° gives a respectable, enjoyable soundstage width. Takes well to EQ correction - the early-reflections directivity trend is decently linear, meaning tonal adjustments can meaningfully improve the sound. Provides usable, respectable volume when paired with a subwoofer crossover, even though it isn’t intended to play extremely loud on its own. Measured bass extension of 75Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 86dB.
Cons: Notably bright treble, elevated roughly 1-5dB above the midrange depending on frequency - a characteristic shared across the whole Polk XT lineup, requiring either EQ or toe-out to tame. Small resonances appear around 300Hz and 800Hz, with some of that energy leaking from the port area. Vertical listening window is narrow - best kept close to the tweeter axis, with only a couple of degrees of tolerance above or below before the sound changes. Still needs a subwoofer for real low-end extension despite the decent F3. Overall linearity isn’t state-of-the-art flat, and while the reviewer found it pleasant, some artificial brightness remains even after basic EQ correction in the crossover region.
Full Polk Monitor XT20 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 75Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 13"H x 7.5"W x 11"D (330.2 x 190.5 x 279.4 mm) |
| Drivers | 6.5" bilaminate paper cone woofer, 1" Terylene dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 86dB (measured by Erin's Audio Corner; 87dB manufacturer specified) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.79 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.16 |
| Weight | 11.9 lbs (5.4 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Erin’s Audio Corner: Polk’s new budget XT Speakers. Reviewed! More from Erin’s Audio Corner →
- Erin’s Audio Corner Website Polk Monitor XT20
- Erin’s Audio Corner: 10 Great (and Terrible) Speakers Under $300!
- Erin’s Audio Corner: Budget Stereo Systems You Will Love
- Erin’s Audio Corner Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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