Wharfedale LINTON Heritage & LEAK Stereo 130 - The Perfect Pair? First Impressions!

[@crisjr6478]

Id absolutely love that combo.

[@bareknuckles2u]

It's great to watch someone enjoy music and then talk about it! C'mon, you guys could play something for us that won't break copyright.

[@living_entertainment]

While we understand the appeal of these demonstrations, we don't believe that any useful information can actually be conveyed by recording our listening experience, between KZbin's heavy audio compression, as well as coloring from the viewer's source (DAC, Headphones, etc) everything of importance is lost.

[@JohnnyFriendly]

@@living_entertainment Perhaps but we would at least get a sense of the tone of this equipment. Regardless of compression, computer speakers etc, tone comes through accurately (I consider this to be the most important aspect of audio)

[@ethanium9280]

Great Video, but I would suggest to use Leak Stereo 230 instead of 130. They will provide more power and the speaker will unlock its full potential.

[@stephenbarrow3352]

I've got the 130 but it's enough for the room I do my listening in.

[@Turtleback8024]

Bought that Stevie Ray Vaughan album back in 2019. Awesome album. Tin Pan Alley - beautiful track.👌

[@living_entertainment]

It gets a lot of use here!

[@Alberto7tube]

OK good enough i’m getting the leak plus cdt 😃

[@rca6576]

I think I am going to get the Lintons with the Leak 230 BUT, I want more options for streaming than just to the bluetooth in this amp. I think I may end up adding a seperate streamer.

[@nasskhan4543]

I have owned this system for a year. I liked it but I felt the Leak amp didnt seem powerful enough. At 45 watts it should be? I read elsewhere if you remove the rubber pads on top of the speaker stands and place the speakers on blu tack , it will sound more powerful as a result. I tried it on my Lintons & its true. This system sounds exactly as I hoped . Fat , full & 70s sounding. I love it

[@living_entertainment]

That sounds like a pretty neat trick, very curious as to why it makes such a big difference. I will have to do some research!

[@nasskhan4543]

@@living_entertainment Thanks for replying. I found with this leak/wharfdale system it sounded nice at very low volumes & it sounded strained when volume was at 10 ( room filling) to 12 o clock postion ( I never play beyond 12 o clock position with any equipment I own) . Taking the rubber feet off the Lintons , made the system sound deeper & more comftable. It may sound this way because the whole speaker is resting on the stand as opposed to being on the rubber feet ( Its worth a try) Admittedly you lose a little bit of crispness to the higher frequencies but it now sounds more warm 1970s Quad 33/303 in tone . I really like it and today I played a bit of Pink Floyds Obscured by Clouds and it sounded superb . Ps I do not use anymore fancy audiophile gang leads as they thinned out dynamics . I feel a lot of modern hifi just sounds bright . Impressive at 1st listen but fatiguing after a while . The older equipment whilst not as sharp just has that lovely mid tone where you can listen for hours on end.

[@SuperReyand]

@@nasskhan4543 i agree with your opinion on modern gear, you nailed it with „at first it sounds impressive but after a while it is fatiguing and too bright“. I have paired Wharfedale Lintons with an old Marantz 2245, and it sounds gorgeous.

[@Adrianek81]

Beautiful set up

[@zukispur5493]

Garrard 401 turntable (SME ARM) sansui AU 717 amp driving 4 leak sandwich 600 speakers. Job done properly

[@pojjourney9024]

I'm also interested in Leak Stereo 130 & Whafedale Linton combination

[@living_entertainment]

Its a hard combination to beat, at least aesthetically!

[@eddiecollier3165]

Where do you buy nice hifi racks like that one?

[@miharoskar]

Lintons are great for 60's, 70's rock music, and they're good at revealing bad recordings, they can also tame overproduced music and are all in all a great speaker for someone who listens to wide range of music genres and listens a lot.

[@living_entertainment]

They are proving incredibly popular in store now that we have them, for everything from rock to jazz and classical. Definitely a versatile system.

[@123oner]

@@living_entertainment Am i right in thinking this pairing doesn't work as well for demanding electronic music? Fast bass lines/busy drum tracks, things like that.

[@living_entertainment]

@@123oner I wouldn't call the pairing a slouch by any means, tracks like Aphex Twins Windowlicker come through with stunning imaging and clarity, but there are other combinations out there that will cater better to demanding electronic music if that's your main genre of choice (we have also really enjoyed pairing the Lintons with the Moon 240i and PrimaLuna Evo 100).

[@123oner]

@@living_entertainment That's good to know, thank you. I'll check out those other models. Do you know how the 130 stacks up to the Audiolab 6000a at all? Many thanks for your informative reply

[@living_entertainment]

​@@123oner The 6000A will give you an extra 5w per channel. It's a very detail orientated amplifier in our experience (they share the same DAC). Pairing the Lintons with it gives a very similar experience to the 130 with slightly less emphasis on the midrange and perhaps a little more overall detail. A really nice combination in my opinion, especially for the price.

[@Habitual_Liar]

They sure do look nice.

[@LessTalkMoreDelicious]

Will this be able to drive JBL L100 Classic decently? ...in an approx. 11'x23' room (half of a 2-car garage space). L100 is conservatively rated at 90db sensitivity (3rd parties measured it to be more 92-93db sensitivity; similar to Klipsch Heritage's 3rd-party measurements of 94-95db [Klipsch is opposite, very ambitious & non-conservative 99db ratings]) Also L100 is 4ohm impedance. Anyone running L100 with this? Would love to hear your experiences.

[@SebTheFrenchGuy]

I will be able to listen to that combo next week . I can't wait to hear it in real life conditions.

[@living_entertainment]

Right on!

[@joeygonzo]

Harman Kardon PA2400 would drive those supremely

[@richieb1125]

I'm really on the fence about this set up. The 45 watts per channel have me a bit worried pushing these speakers. I'm an apartment dweller so I could never open them up to their full potential but still want the sense of power and ability at low/medium listening levels if that makes sense?

[@peterbrussels4949]

Hi, I have a pair of Linton Héritage 85 and I am driving them with a tube amplifier, 2 X 15 Watts and let me tell you, it is more than enough, the Linton are above 90 dB, so you don't need a big amplifier. And actually, they will not perform very well if you are using an amplifier which is too powerful, I have tested them with a powerful amplifier and the result was not good, too boomy. The leak 130 is made to match perfectly the Linton and for my part I will order the set 130 to go with my Linton, I think it will look incredible.

[@living_entertainment]

We can assure you that you have nothing to worry about, these speakers are super easy to drive and you don't need them at loud volumes to get the most out of them at all.

[@tomwebb7091]

@@peterbrussels4949 wrong about the Lintons sensitivity, they are confirmed as 87db on a test bench but are a fairly benign load all the same and the 45watts from the Leak the original poster is worried about... yeah it is going to go alot louder than he thinks. Tube amps tend to be more graceful when the amp is maxxed out of course and even 15watts will get decent volume. Hell even 1 watt gets 87db at 1m which is reasonable volume in itself lol

[@laika25]

Does the cd transport make a little noise as if something was loose inside when inserting the cd? Mine does, very subtle though. Could you confirm on this? I really need the reassurance and I'd be immensely grateful.

[@scrunts666]

I will stick with my Linton 3XP and Leak Stereo 30 :D

[@patrickbroussard5183]

What is a good record player to add to this setup?

[@living_entertainment]

We have used the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon and X1 to great success.

[@sultantoure4220]

Hi, thank you for this channel really !!! My wife bought me the Rotel ce tribute and I really like the Linton. Should I conceder the rotel a11 or listen to what you said in this video and sell the cd11. Thanks for your answer. Sultan

[@j-mals]

Thinking of chipping my primare i30 in, which is also a warm sounding amp, some would say one of the closest to having valves you can get for one of these Leaks. Do you think i would be making the correct decision?

[@alexg4284]

Can you recommend a matched turntable?

[@henryhoho8]

Hi there, what do you think when this Leak system in comparing with Audiolab 6000cdt +6000a. They are almost the same price range and I read many good performance reviews about audiolab 6000a+6000cdt. Please advise.

[@living_entertainment]

Both the Leak Stereo 130 and the Audiolab 6000a share the same DAC chipset so on that front they are very similar. There are definitely some minor differences in sound but I don't believe that I would say one sounds better than the other, though the Leak has a longer burn in period in my experience. Honestly when push comes to shove I think the choice between the Audiolabs and the Leaks is a question of your preference when it comes to aesthetics more so than it is sound.

[@ajitmoses]

@@living_entertainment On the subject of burn in, how many hours does it take for the Leak 130 to come alive?

[@living_entertainment]

@@ajitmoses Around 40 - 50 hours, to my ears at least.

[@zak3663]

I have a Troughline 3 Stereo tuner that would look good on that rack with those

[@living_entertainment]

That would look super sleek!

[@chuckpardy8530]

Another one of your videos mentions the Rotel A11 Tribute as a great pairing. How does the Leak 130 differ from the Rotel? Thanks!

[@living_entertainment]

These videos are a number of years old now and unfortunately we are no longer in the position to do a side by side comparison. Your best bet would be to test them at your nearest dealer.

[@nickw2349]

Wish they didn’t cost nearly double the american rrp.

[@christiaancleys8635]

i hope that the famous sandwich loudspeakers also comming back

[@jonuiuc]

I wonder if the denton 85 has matching veneer too.

[@living_entertainment]

It does!

[@JeffHeon]

They have the same parent company? They should have also made a mahogany version of the Leak ☺️

[@living_entertainment]

Its funny you say that, we were literally just talking about this in store an hour ago.

[@AlineKauffmann]

One more vote for Mahogany here!

[@johnwong1472]

I have a set of Jamo 507 speaker 150w, can it go with the LEAK Stereo 130? please advise. Thank you.

[@living_entertainment]

Unfortunately we don't have those speakers on hand to test with the Leak so we really can't tell you. We hope you can find the information you are looking for!

[@johnwong1472]

Thank you for your reply, please stay healthy.

[@Turtleback8024]

@@johnwong1472 Stay healthy? From what?😳

[@andrew.l.5493]

Did you listen to the music with a cold amplifier, or did you warm it for a time prior to listening?

[@living_entertainment]

It was cold. It wouldn't really be first impressions if we had been listening to it all day.

[@fifimombo8728]

What is this Hifi Rack ? Solidsteel ? thanks

[@living_entertainment]

It is a british Hi-Fi Racks rack, made of Oak on this occasion.

[@Habitual_Liar]

How does it compare to the Rega Brio? I’m torn between the two I like the looks of the Leak but I’ve heard great things about the Brio. Thanks.

[@stevenwise8423]

Did you ever find out the answer? Looking at the same thing

[@Habitual_Liar]

@@stevenwise8423 Yes. I ended up buying the Leak and my friend came over with his Brio. We did an A/B comparison. The Brio was a tad brighter with more detail and balance. the leak was warmer with larger sound filling the room more. We used Wharfedale 85th. That being said, I sold the Leak. Waaaaaay to forward in the mids and highs. Sometimes unbearable.

[@SmeagolTheBeagle]

I've been trying to get some advice about these speakers. I want a top tier classical music experience - symphonies opera concerto the lot. Also 70s prog rock on occasion. Will these speakers do it? Also what is that leak thing? Do I really need it it's very expensive - do the speakers come with their own equivalent? I don't know anything about this stuff wud appreciate some advice

[@living_entertainment]

The Linton Heritage sound fantastic with both classical and pro rock, we have used them in the store here for both a lot. The Leak is an amplifier and is what is being used to power these speakers in this particular video. You can of course use another amplifier, prices range from less expensive (the Audiolab 6000A works well for example and is significantly cheaper) than the leak to much more expensive and they all bring a different qualities to the sound of the speakers. Your best bet would be to find a local dealer who can demonstrate these speakers for you and let you hear how they sound with different amplifiers that best suit your budget. :)

[@ing.enuity3392]

Hello, Did You try Linton's with heavy metal music ?

[@living_entertainment]

I have played Mick Gordons Doom 2016 soundtrack through them in its entirety, along with older Black Sabbath and I appreciated the extra midrange the Lintons added to the experience. When I get the time I would like to try some slower metal like Bell Witch but theres a lot happening at the moment. Generally speaking though I think the Lintons are very well suited.

[@ing.enuity3392]

@@living_entertainment hello, i listened them yesterday. Sometimes midrange covers a bass and trebles. Do You know warm speakers but more neutral ?

[@living_entertainment]

@@ing.enuity3392 The Monitor Audio Silver range might be what you looking for. They aren't overly warm but they are still a little colored when compared to something very neutral or linear like Dynaudio.

[@seb250cr]

I'd like to find the Leak 130 but where to buy one ? I'm in Belgium .

[@living_entertainment]

Unfortunately we can only supply people in Australia. We hope you can find a distributer!

[@SebTheFrenchGuy]

@@living_entertainment I have now found a supplier in Belgium. I'll be able to listen the Linton and the Leak combo next week.

[@living_entertainment]

@@SebTheFrenchGuy Let us know what you think!

[@MathiasJacques]

@@SebTheFrenchGuy Hello Seb, have you been able to test the Leak with the Linton's yet ? I got the Leak and think about buying the Linton's.

[@SebTheFrenchGuy]

@@MathiasJacques bonjour, oui j'ai pu tester mais finalement ça n'a pas donné le résultat que j'attendais. À l'écoute, j'ai trouvé que les basses manquaient de profondeur et l'ensemble du spectre audio n'était pas aussi séduisant que je l'aurais voulu. Pourtant j'adorais l'ensemble mais ce n'était pas pour moi. J'ai acheté tout autre chose.

[@fortanell1]

I was waiting for a unique non ordinary 2 stereo channel...I do believe I found it with leak 130...I have a jamo graphic speakers brand new..they hung on the wall.there’s only one video of them on KZbin, I probably need a sub...wich I have...my question is... can I connect a sub to the 130 and just because those speakers hung on the wall I will have a decent sound?..thank you very much...

[@living_entertainment]

Absolutely, you can use the RCAs from the units Pre Out.

[@Ed-sh8jt]

"Does CD player have a dac?

[@living_entertainment]

The LEAK CDT is a CD Transport purely, the Leak Stereo 130 has a fantastic DAC though.

[@streamcnoremorse3323]

Heavy metal?

[@living_entertainment]

While the Leak wouldnt be my first choice for Metal with other speakers, its a little too linear/detailed for most metal recordings, the Lintons do an incredible job of making metal sound fantastic on this particular amp by really pushing out the mid range. I have listened to a lot of tracks from Gojira, Mick Gordon, Idles etc and had an absolute blast!

[@miharoskar]

Can confirm Lintons do great with metal. Live, garage-like feel. They bring out the differences in guitars and gear musicians use. You'll need a fast amp if you like technical metal. I have many friends that listen to metal and like smiley eq with their music. These are not speakers for that, total waste of their rich natural sound.

[@margix1172]

It's disturbing that what we call "vintage" is almost always more beautiful than what we call "modern" ....have we put our taste into the closet...?

[@living_entertainment]

I think taste when it comes to aesthetics is a highly subjective and personal thing. These vintage systems wont appeal to everyone but they are great for those who do love that look.

[@SuperReyand]

Have you ever wanted to return to the late 60s or early 70s? Then buy real vintage gear - not the digital gear that is pretending to be original, cause this is not the sound of 1960-70ies, by far!

[@Bswong74]

Looks like only promotion 😅

[@living_entertainment]

We are in no way sponsored by any of the brands featured in any of our videos and if in the future we ever are rest assured we will have Paid Promotion listed in the video title. We believe in total transparency. :)

[@Turtleback8024]

@@living_entertainment This reply needs some editing done.🤓

[@living_entertainment]

@@Turtleback8024 Yes it did. :B

[@quonston]

Taken aback; not taken back. If you need an English speaker to do reviews, let me know!

[@renesemrau8027]

You explaining the music didn’t do Schitt to make me any more aware of the Leak products. I’ll avoid your time wasters in the future.

[@living_entertainment]

We don't believe in video audio demo's, they are a waste of time and give you no useful information. You can find plenty of other channels dedicated to that if it's what you are looking for.

[@borisbulldog]

Try listening to Lintons next time thru a turntable and vinyl. Hint- 1976 Bob Dylan’s Slow Train Coming will blow you away.