As we already mentioned in the previous Blog entry on the modification of the LINTON, the filters that the boxes include as standard are a 2nd order electrical design with components of acceptable quality, especially taking into account the RRP of these speakers. We find 3 coils with iron core and one coil with open core (the latter corresponds to the tweeter section). Ferrite core coils are cheaper and smaller than air core coils if the same section of copper wire is used, but they introduce more distortion than air core coils. In the case of the coil in series with the midrange we would have used an air-core coil without question.

There is a polypropylene capacitor in the tweeter section and the rest of the capacitors are either mylar or electrolytic. Mylar capacitors are inferior in quality to propylene but still much better than electrolytic. Another highly improvable point are the electrolytic capacitors, especially a 22uF one in series with the midrange speaker.

The resistors are all very low quality 5W ceramics, we would have mounted at least Mundorf MOX type resistors in the tweeter and midrange section.

The wiring and "fast-on" connectors that come with the box are of very poor quality, in fact the cable has greenish tones at the ends, a sign of copper oxidation and indicative of poor quality cable, especially when this oxidation has produced in a few months.

Upgrade filter Wharfedale Linton

With the filter in hand, the first thing we have done has been to take out the assembly diagram. This is a second order 3-way filter (12db/octave slope). Once the filter has been analyzed, we have made the decision to mount a mid-range improvement that would keep costs under control and we have proceeded to remove the components that are not going to be used. The components are glued to the board so you have to apply some force to remove them. The recommendation is to glue the new components to the board and to each other to reduce the vibrations that will inevitably be caused by the speakers inside the enclosure.

From the original components we have left an 18uF polyester capacitor and two coils, one with an iron core and the other with an open core. The rest of the components, including the cables and fast-on connectors, have been replaced by those listed below:

2x Mundorf Mcap EVO Oil 6.8 uf

2x Mundorf Mcap EVO Oil 15 uf

2x Mundorf Mcap EVO SGO 0.68uf

2x Mundorf MCOIL L140 AIRCORE 2.7mH

2x Mundorf MCOIL L140 AIRCORE 0.68mH

4x Mundorf Mresist Supreme 2.20 ohm

2x Mundorf Mresist Supreme 5.60 ohm

2x Mundorf Mresist Supreme 6.80 ohm

2x Mundorf Ecap Audio Plain 82.00 uf

2x Mundorf Mcap Classic 22.00 uf

2x Mundorf Mcap Classic 8.20 uf

2x Mundorf Mcap Classic 2.20 uf

4m Tellurium Q Blue II Speaker cable

The cost of the materials to carry out the modification that we show here is approximately 560 euros, to which we would have to add a couple of meters of good quality tin (in our case we used Mundorf Msolder Silver Gold). The final result can be seen in these photographs and if you want to hear it, all you have to do is come to our store.

To buy this modification KIT made by Audiohum for the filter of your Wharfedale LINTON click here.

You can make an appointment here: https://www.audiohum.com/gb/contact-us

Conclusion

The improvement occurs across the entire frequency range and is very noticeable. Starting with the bass, which is much more contracted, reducing the tendency to bass ball that it presents with the standard filter. At the same time details and nuances that were previously hidden appear. In the middle the difference is even greater, the timbre is much more real, richer and more exciting. The attacks of the notes are much more defined and the treble has gained in refinement and extension. We can affirm that the Linton with the modified filter are tremendously superior and that this modification places them at a level in which they can look from your to your boxes of many thousands of euros. Therefore we have no doubt that the modification is worth it.

Anyone who wants to listen to them, even if they have original (or modified) Lintons, the doors of our store are open to come and listen to them.