Wharfedale has launched its latest offering, the SUPER LINTON speaker, which promises to elevate the listening experience for audiophiles and casual listeners alike. Drawing inspiration from its predecessor, the SUPER LINTON of 1967, this new iteration goes beyond merely improving cabinet design; it boasts advancements in engineering and performance that truly set it apart.
Back to the future
The original SUPER LINTON was celebrated for its innovative cabinet design, but the latest model takes a giant leap forward in almost every aspect. While it remains an upgrade for current LINTON owners, the SUPER LINTON also serves as a bridge to Wharfedale’s flagship DOVEDALE model, making it a versatile addition to the Heritage series. The SUPER LINTON is priced moderately higher than the current LINTON model, but its extensive capabilities justify the investment.
Cabinet details
At the heart of the SUPER LINTON’s impressive performance is its enlarged cabinet, crafted from Wharfedale’s proprietary sandwich cabinet design. This innovative construction utilizes a combination of two layers of MDF and a layer of acoustic damping glue, effectively reducing unwanted resonance and enhancing sound clarity. This design choice helps create a more immersive listening experience, essential for enjoying complex musical compositions.
Exquisit drive units
One of the standout features of the SUPER LINTON is its new bass unit, which incorporates a more powerful motor system. This enhancement significantly improves low-frequency performance, allowing the speaker to extend down to an astonishing 32Hz. The result is a dramatic and impactful low-end that adds depth and richness to music, making it particularly appealing for genres that thrive on bass.
The treble output of the SUPER LINTON has also been meticulously engineered. It features a lightweight fabric weave dome coated with special damping material, supported by a ceramic magnet motor system. This combination results in a sweet and detailed high-frequency character. Furthermore, a revised short horn profile ensures a smooth response down to the upper midrange, while the new front plate design enhances high-frequency dispersion, achieving a perfect match with the bass unit’s transient impact.
Wharfedale has also made significant improvements to the midrange drive unit. The newly designed chamber effectively cancels out specific back waves using multiple layers of long-hair fiber, resulting in a natural prominence of vocal and instrumental frequencies. The incorporation of a split-PCB crossover design reduces electromagnetic interference while blending the drive units seamlessly. This crossover is equipped with custom-specified components, chosen for their neutrality and optimal signal transfer, further enhancing the audio experience.
Functional piece of furniture
While the SUPER LINTON maintains the recognizable ‘LINTON DNA’ in its appearance, there are subtle updates to the driver array and cabinet dimensions. The speaker stands a modest 50mm (approximately 2 inches) taller than its predecessor, but its footprint remains unchanged, allowing it to be paired effortlessly with the existing LINTON Stand. This thoughtful design consideration ensures that users can continue to enjoy the much-cherished benefit of LP storage, making the SUPER LINTON not just a speaker but a functional piece of furniture.
