Imposing and impressive: Wharfedale Super Linton loudspeaker is a Hi-Fi icon reborn

Wharfedale, a name synonymous with British Hi-Fi, has unveiled the Super Linton, a modern revamp of an audio classic. With this new addition to Wharfedale’s Heritage line, the brand hopes to both evoke nostalgia and to extend their allure to modern music lovers.

The original Linton, one of Britain’s most popular speakers from 1965 through the late 1970s, has seen several iterations over the decades. Its reintroduction in 2019 marked a turning point for Wharfedale, quickly becoming the best-selling speaker in its Heritage line.

With a seamless blend of vintage style and modern engineering, that success cemented the Linton’s place in the hearts of Hi-Fi enthusiasts, inspiring a wave of “newstalgia” across the industry.

The original Linton, one of Britain’s most popular speakers from 1965 through the late 1970s, has seen several iterations over the decades…

For Wharfedale, however, a nod to history wasn’t enough. Under the guidance of Director of Acoustic Design, Peter Comeau, Wharfedale’s engineers saw room for enhancement, introducing the ‘Super’ upgrade to deliver a whole new level of audio fidelity while preserving the spirit of the original. 

As Comeau explains, “Those who love the current Linton do so for the joy it brings when listening to music. With the Super Linton, we applied an expanded budget to engineer solutions that further magnify this feeling of joy.”

Inside the Super Linton

The Super Linton is more than just a style upgrade, insists the brand. While the speaker’s classic aesthetic remains, the cabinet is now slightly taller, with dual layers of fibreboard joined by latex-based damping glue to minimise resonance and optimise internal acoustics. The idea is that this increased cabinet volume enhances low-frequency performance and provides a more immersive experience.

Each driver in the Super Linton has been upgraded. A newly enhanced 200mm Kevlar bass driver, paired with a more powerful motor system, allows for improvements in depth and control. Bass that extends down to 32Hz with a punch and clarity rarely found in standmount speakers.

The treble unit, developed with technology borrowed from Wharfedale’s £5,000 flagship Dovedale model, features a 25mm fabric dome with a ceramic magnet and damped rear chamber, creating a refined high-end response that integrates seamlessly with the rest of the spectrum.

Completing the trinity, the midrange driver, with a 135mm woven Kevlar cone, is housed in an acoustically optimised chamber that minimises backwave interference, leading we’re told, to enhanced clarity and a warm, open midrange. The entirely new crossover network has also been engineered to separate the bass and higher frequencies across two circuit boards, eliminating interference.

Even the speaker grille has seen improvements, designed with internal shaping for smooth, coherent sound across the frequency range.

Designed for the modern audiophile

In a nod to both its vintage heritage and modern versatility, the Super Linton is designed to partner today’s high-powered solid-state amplifiers, with power outputs ranging from 25W to 200W. Its sensitivity of 90dB and nominal impedance of 6 ohms make it widely compatible, whether paired with high-end systems or more modest setups. 

With crafted veneers in walnut, mahogany, and black oak, the Super Linton remains as much a design piece as an audio powerhouse, appealing to both eyes and ears.

Available mid-November, Wharfedale’s Super Linton retails at £1,999 per pair, with the matching stands, or £1,849 per pair sans stands.