Wharfedale Linton Heritage - opinions

[fegs]

This is why China will take over the world, and basically own us - because we value cheapness above almost everything else. It's sort of understandable, but it dooms western civilization. We need to be willing to pay the prices needed to support local manufacturing, but can't see it happening.

I agree to a point, but if it's the difference between having or not having something, then for most there's a decision to be made

As we all know this applies to much more than hi-fi, nothing more so than the device we're using to post on this forum

 

[Tigerjones]

I love the look of them with the matching stands. They seem like a lot of speaker for the money.

 

[Tigerjones]

I also think they’d sound great with the Sugden, given their sensitivity.

 

[w00fer]

I agree to a point, but if it's the difference between having or not having something, then for most there's a decision to be made

As we all know this applies to much more than hi-fi, nothing more so than the device we're using to post on this forum

Yeah, you're right about that, and sorry not having a go at you. Just something I fret about, partly on behalf of my children. I'm still annoyed with myself for inadvertently buying a Chinese oven a few weeks ago, because the chap in Currys said Hisense were Japanese and I foolishly didn't Google to check until too late...

 

[Arkless Electronics]

There's maybe a "mid ranged price dilemma" with Chinese gear... What I mean is, to give an example, when there used to be all sorts of power tools etc in the likes of Netto (remember them?), Lidl etc that were a miraculous £5.99 for a mains powered electric drill then it was so cheap that IF it packed in after you used it say 5 times and accomplished 5 tasks then that was OK cos it was THAT cheap.

Now that such things have gone up to around £18.99 and similar I tend not to buy them cos the cheapest of the "branded" makes are "only" about double that... and yes no doubt made in China!

 

[fegs]

Yeah, you're right about that, and sorry not having a go at you. Just something I fret about, partly on behalf of my children. I'm still annoyed with myself for inadvertently buying a Chinese oven a few weeks ago, because the chap in Currys said Hisense were Japanese and I foolishly didn't Google to check until too late...

I didn't think for one moment you were having a go
Also I totally agree with your sentiments and like yourself worry about my children's generation.

Sometimes buying british is cost prohibitive but I always do where possible

All the very best

 

[fegs]

There's maybe a "mid ranged price dilemma" with Chinese gear... What I mean is, to give an example, when there used to be all sorts of power tools etc in the likes of Netto (remember them?), Lidl etc that were a miraculous £5.99 for a mains powered electric drill then it was so cheap that IF it packed in after you used it say 5 times and accomplished 5 tasks then that was OK cos it was THAT cheap.

Now that such things have gone up to around £18.99 and similar I tend not to buy them cos the cheapest of the "branded" makes are "only" about double that... and yes no doubt made in China!

It beggars belief how stuff can be manufactured so cheaply and shipped halfway round the world for next to nothing
I certainly try and avoid chinese gear at this price point

 

[manicatel]

I’ve heard them a couple of times,
Definitely harks back to speaker voicing of 30-40 years ago.
Warm, full bass, not forcefully detailed or overly forward.
Big, bold & ballsy. Great fun.
Probably best for rock, easy to drive & yes they need some space around & behind them to avoid being overblown.
If you want finesse, mega detail or neutrality, probably look elsewhere, but if you want bags of musical fun, they’re well worth a listen.

 

[Arkless Electronics]

It beggars belief how stuff can be manufactured so cheaply and shipped halfway round the world for next to nothing
I certainly try and avoid chinese gear at this price point

Yes indeed it amazes me to regularly see eg small made up PCB's for little electronic add-ons and gadgets that after shipping halfway around the world are still half the price I could buy just the parts for from companies like RS or Farnell! To be clear, this is for a pre built and maybe tested PCB and after shipping and the sellers profit margin!! Maybe this should tell us how much we get ripped off by the likes of RS

 

[ThELiZ]

The only connection between these and real Wharfedale Lintons is the name!

I've seen various generally positive write ups on them but the Chi-Fi thing puts me off.

Such things are made with great effort and attention to detail as far as "ticking all the boxes" go.... and having max eye appeal... so will have fancy looking gold plated binding posts, maybe "brand name" parts in the crossover, kevlar drive units etc etc, but as to how well engineered they actually are well that's another matter.

They actually seem to measure very well indeed... Certainly a lot better than some other, more expensive, 'made in England' speakers:

https://www.stereophile.com/content/wharfedale-linton-heritage-loudspeaker-measurements

Good engineering doesn't have to cost the Earth.

 

[Denim Demon]

I've had a pair since October 20, paid £899 Inc the matching stands and shipping from Sevenoaks Manchester. The finish is lovely and the sound on the end of my NVA A80's is cracking. I gave them a go as whilst I enjoyed my Larsen 4 they could be a tad lacking lower end wise and a pair of the larger ones in the Larsen range never came up at a reasonable price.

The Linton's fill that gap whilst retaining the good bits of the Larsen. I sometimes wonder if the retro look of them influences how people perceive what they do, as I'd never describe them as warm.

 

[Frizzy]

Chinese state subsidises most companies, free rates, power, and in case of huigers free labour.
Many companies clone parts taken from stolen patents, break environmental rules on use of toxic materials, routinely flout copyright laws, and purposely target rival companies with huge state subsidies that eventually forces competing companies out of business.
I’m quite happy to say you’d have to look very hard to find any Chinese labels in my house, I’m not saying there no parts made in China in here, but I do buy with human rights in mind.
If your not part of the solution maybe your part of the problem!

 

[Darren L]

Chinese state subsidises most companies, free rates, power, and in case of huigers free labour.
Many companies clone parts taken from stolen patents, break environmental rules on use of toxic materials, routinely flout copyright laws, and purposely target rival companies with huge state subsidies that eventually forces competing companies out of business.
I’m quite happy to say you’d have to look very hard to find any Chinese labels in my house, I’m not saying there no parts made in China in here, but I do buy with human rights in mind.
If your not part of the solution maybe your part of the problem!

Whilst that's a very admirable attitude to take and I agree in sentiment and personally would prefer not to buy a Chinese made product it sometimes is unavoidable, smart phones, TVs, laptops and I'm sure many other items, it also should be noted that alot of people (perhaps not the PFM massive) cannot afford to buy items based on where they are manufactured but only can afford to buy the least expensive, lots of people are not prepared to do without.
My hifi system is all made in Europe, UK, Japan but I couldn't guarantee that my phone, TV or other electrical items are not made in China.

 

[Tim Jones]

my NVA A80's

Wow, I had a pair of those ten years ago. Ultimately I couldn't get on with them- but that may have been gain/impedance issues with the passive pre, or perhaps other reliability issues that the (now sadly deceased) designer was utterly unable to countenance.

Back OT, I thought seriously about a pair of these, but they look like they'd need a fairly seriously-sized room to work. I do like the idea of a hefty standmount, with big drivers.

 

[torstoi]

Back OT, I thought seriously about a pair of these, but they look like they'd need a fairly seriously-sized room to work. I do like the idea of a hefty standmount, with big drivers.

15 to 20 square meters room will do fine.
No really big drivers there & the speakers are roughly 2/3 of an NS1000 in size if you know those.

 

[Yank]

Has anyone done a shootout between the Linton Heritage and the KLH 5?

 

[Yank]

Has anyone done a shootout between the Linton Heritage and the KLH 5?

 

[fegs]

 

[Beobloke]

There's maybe a "mid ranged price dilemma" with Chinese gear... What I mean is, to give an example, when there used to be all sorts of power tools etc in the likes of Netto (remember them?), Lidl etc that were a miraculous £5.99 for a mains powered electric drill then it was so cheap that IF it packed in after you used it say 5 times and accomplished 5 tasks then that was OK cos it was THAT cheap.

Now that such things have gone up to around £18.99 and similar I tend not to buy them cos the cheapest of the "branded" makes are "only" about double that... and yes no doubt made in China!

I have a circular saw, a drill, a long-reach hedge trimmer, a leaf blower/vacuum and a sander. My wife recently bought a hairdryer.

All bought in Lidl, all cheaper than their equivalents in ‘big name’ stores, all excellent quality and all made in Germany.

 

[ToTo Man]

This is why China will take over the world, and basically own us - because we value cheapness above almost everything else. It's sort of understandable, but it dooms western civilization. We need to be willing to pay the prices needed to support local manufacturing, but can't see it happening.

Perhaps more folk would be willing to pay the prices needed to support local manufacturing if they received a salary that was generous enough that they no longer needed to place 'cheapness' at the top of their priority list when making buying decisions?