Wharfedale Lintons

[Canetoad]

Are these any good? :scratch:

[istari_knight]

Linton 3XP were my first hifi speakers along with a NAD 3020A :D

They sounded fine at the time but in hindsight they were pretty poor & easily outclassed by budget models from Mission or Kef... Best left in the history books IMO but if you do want to try some I wouldn't pay more than £20 for a pair in good condition.

[DSJR]

Nigh on forty year old memories, but I suggest the original Linton and Super Linton may be worth a punt, as I believe them to be related to the Denton W20's I have, but in a usefully taller box. Rough and ready and possibly a tad "foggy," but entertaining and surprisingly capable I think from memory.

The later Linton XP models should be avoided I think. By this time, they were hopelessly outclassed and very coloured. Just my memories and not refreshed with a pair on a modern and clearer system...

[Wakefield Turntables]

Linton 3XP were my first hifi speakers along with a NAD 3020A :D

.

OMG I actually listened to this pairing early this year and think that a decent pair of celestion speakers works better.


Rough and ready and possibly a tad "foggy,"
.

+1 i think that this describes them to a tee. I think you'd be better off looking elsewhere mate.

[shane]

Add an SP25 mk2, a Goldring G850, an Amstrad 8000, a tank top, a bloody great afro and a pair of crushed velvet loons. You'll be so involved stopping yourself throwing up as the incense from your joss stick mingles with the patchouli oil you poured on your afghan coat to stop it smelling like a dead goat when it rains that you won't notice how totally crap Cat Stevens is sounding today.

There's a good reason why all of the above have disappeared from our lives.

[Alex_UK]

Shane - that's one of the funniest posts I've seen in months - classic! :lol:

[Wakefield Turntables]

Add an SP25 mk2, a Goldring G850, an Amstrad 8000, a tank top, a bloody great afro and a pair of crushed velvet loons. You'll be so involved stopping yourself throwing up as the incense from your joss stick mingles with the patchouli oil you poured on your afghan coat to stop it smelling like a dead goat when it rains that you won't notice how totally crap Cat Stevens is sounding today.

There's a good reason why all of the above have disappeared from our lives.


:rfl: I agree with all of that, except the NAD 3020a is a great little performer.

[DSJR]

And the SP25 is well due for a revival :lol: :rofl: Especially when fitted with a Rega Carbon bought from my mate dave :rolleyes: - His samples sound even better you see [snigger]

[walpurgis]

Add an SP25 mk2, a Goldring G850, an Amstrad 8000, a tank top, a bloody great afro and a pair of crushed velvet loons. You'll be so involved stopping yourself throwing up as the incense from your joss stick mingles with the patchouli oil you poured on your afghan coat to stop it smelling like a dead goat when it rains that you won't notice how totally crap Cat Stevens is sounding today.

There's a good reason why all of the above have disappeared from our lives.

Nice one Shane!

That's exactly the system I had back then, except I built my own speakers using EMI 450 eliptical units with the tweeters on the front. Pretty horrendous really.

My friends had Lintons and Dentons and nobody was impressed, not even them.


Geoff.

[DSJR]

My Dentons are lovely - really - but I certainly wouldn't EVER use a G850 cartridge, or the replacement G820 DJ - I have one of these latter and the treble is notable for its complete absence...

[Firebottle]

except I built my own speakers using EMI 450 eliptical units with the tweeters on the front. Pretty horrendous really.
Geoff.

Oh the memories, only then I couldn't quite afford the EMI 450s.

Some years ago I acquired some elliptical speakers that I think came off a super 8 all in one projector, they are the worst sounding speakers I have ever owned.
They sound like a frog stuck up a drainpipe.
Needless to say they are not used, I used the case of one to house a portable airband transceiver for the flying club.

:cool: Alan

[synsei]

Add an SP25 mk2, a Goldring G850, an Amstrad 8000, a tank top, a bloody great afro and a pair of crushed velvet loons. You'll be so involved stopping yourself throwing up as the incense from your joss stick mingles with the patchouli oil you poured on your afghan coat to stop it smelling like a dead goat when it rains that you won't notice how totally crap Cat Stevens is sounding today.

There's a good reason why all of the above have disappeared from our lives.

Suddenly I've come over all nostalgic like... :lol:

[Canetoad]

They were Linton 3XPs so glad I didn't bother. :)

[walpurgis]

I don't recall anything from Wharfedale with the name Linton on that sounded decent. The now very rare Triton was OK, the Melton was crippled by that horrible tweeter with the big purple plastic diaphragm that afflicted many other models. The Dovedale III was fun though in a seventies sort of way, much like its cousin the Leak 600. The Rosedale was so rare nobody ever heard them and they were bettered by the Goodmans Magister anyway. A pair of first series Celestion Ditton 15s would run circles round the lot, as would a pair of KEF Chorales (which were actually better than the famous Cadenza).

[Trickie_Dickie]

And the SP25 is well due for a revival :lol: :rofl: Especially when fitted with a Rega Carbon bought from my mate dave :rolleyes: - His samples sound even better you see [snigger]

Well, I have two - Mk 4 versions. When they're worth 500 notes, I'll put them on Ebay. I've had them from new, 1973 I think. Fitted with Shure EJ75 mk2 cartridges. :lol:

BTW, wots an Amstrad 8000 ?

[Rare Bird]

WORTH! how's that work??

[walpurgis]

I say, bit of a cheek, mentioning the Amstrad 8000 here. It's a diabolical piece of tat. I bought one new back in the day when I was skint, it sounded dire! It almost immediately went wrong and was sent back twice, only to be returned supposedly repaired, but on both occasions it was dead on arrival and rattled when shaken. Each time. half the components had fallen off the circuit board whilst in transit. I gave up at that point. No brownie points there Mr Sugar. Friends of mine had similarly disappointing experiences with Amstrad amps, etc.

[Roy S]

BTW, wots an Amstrad 8000 ?

First thing Amstrad made -

http://sphotos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/74300_170611866290157_5177389_n.jpg

Sold for £17, never had one of these but did have the 7000 & 8080 Cassette Decks

[wiicrackpot]

They were Linton 3XPs so glad I didn't bother. :)
Bernie,

Are you sorted for speakers?, if not could give you the choice of totally original and working Mordaunt Short MS400 for £40.00 or Ditton 44 (once sorted) for £120.00, pick up if you're in Glasgow or i could take a detour to yours when i go up your part of the woods to pick up my Goodmans 1220c ARU cabs.

[Wakefield Turntables]

120 quid for some 44s is your best bet :trust:

[wiicrackpot]

120 quid for some 44s is your best bet :trust:
Too true Andrew, especially the crossovers were renewed not modified to factory spec values, sounded lovely when i tried the new tweeters. ;)

[Westyman]

A bit o/t but prompted by reference to Am****d

How come folks who make c**p do so well? Eg Dyson, Sinclair, Sugar....marketing over substance?

[DSJR]

Dyson? What's crap about them other than extensive use of plastics? We have two Dyson cleaners both over ten years old, a DC03 upstairs and a powerful DC07 for main use downstairs and both have been reliable and entirely fit for purpose, only suffering in the case of the DC03 by my clumsiness, rather than bad design!

So there :ner:

[Wakefield Turntables]

Too true Andrew, especially the crossovers were renewed not modified to factory spec values, sounded lovely when i tried the new tweeters. ;)

Hmmmmm the 44s do respond very well to tweaking BUT if you get the cap values wrong it has a massive negative effect to the sound of the speaker. Have you seen the massive thread over on diyaudio regards cap replacement on the 44s x-o ?

[dantheman91]

+ 1 for the 44's i have the original MK1's

[walpurgis]

120 quid for some 44s is your best bet :trust:

Don't underestimate the MS 400, it was a very good speaker for it's time.

It had the big magnet, roll surround version of the EMI 13x9" elliptical bass driver which was at least as capable as the 12" Celestion unit (Celef and B&W used versions of it too). I used the EMI unit in several projects and it is quite potent. The KEF T15 used in the MS 400 works very well as a midrange driver, I used the same combination in large home built cabinets, but with a Goodmans DT3 as a supertweeter instead of the Coles unit in the MS 400. It all worked very well.

I've not done the comparison, but I'd expect the Mordant Shorts to be more detailed through the midrange than the Ditton 44s and the bass capabilty should be roughly similar.

[Wakefield Turntables]

Don't underestimate the MS 400, it was a very good speaker for it's time.

It had the big magnet, roll surround version of the EMI 13x9" elliptical bass driver which was at least as capable as the 12" Celestion unit (Celef and B&W used versions of it too). I used the EMI unit in several projects and it is quite potent. The KEF T15 used in the MS 400 works very well as a midrange driver, I used the same combination in large home built cabinets, but with a Goodmans DT3 as a supertweeter instead of the Coles unit in the MS 400. It all worked very well.

I've not done the comparison, but I'd expect the Mordant Shorts to be more detailed through the midrange than the Ditton 44s and the bass capabilty should be roughly similar.

Fair points Geoff, never heard the speakers you mention in your post so I have to take your word for it, regardless, it's still fun trying out older speakers, I just love em :cool:

[wiicrackpot]

Geoff,

my one's have Coles 4001 tweeter, KEF T15 mid and round bass units, not 13x9. :scratch:

[walpurgis]

There were variations, I think the round bass unit was used earlier. I've still got the MS brochure from about 1972 somewhere and other references too. I'll have a look.

[wiicrackpot]

Hmmmmm the 44s do respond very well to tweaking BUT if you get the cap values wrong it has a massive negative effect to the sound of the speaker. Have you seen the massive thread over on diyaudio regards cap replacement on the 44s x-o ?
Soz Andrew, missed this earlier. :o

No haven't seen the diyaudio thread, all i've been told by the seller was the crossovers were back to factory for service and matched, they certainly sound very good.

[wiicrackpot]

There were variations, I think the round bass unit was used earlier. I've still got the MS brochure from about 1972 somewhere and other references too. I'll have a look.
Thanks Geoff, they're just paper cone with Goodmans looking shiny surrounds, same as Goodwood's i had.

[Canetoad]

Bernie,

Are you sorted for speakers?, if not could give you the choice of totally original and working Mordaunt Short MS400 for £40.00 or Ditton 44 (once sorted) for £120.00, pick up if you're in Glasgow or i could take a detour to yours when i go up your part of the woods to pick up my Goodmans 1220c ARU cabs.

Scored a set of 44s off Martin (Macca) on New Years Day, so I'm sorted thanks. Listening to them right now... :eyebrows:

[Macca]

Scored a set of 44s off Martin (Macca) on New Years Day, so I'm sorted thanks. Listening to them right now... :eyebrows:

I saw that you got some stands for them Bernie - What are your thoughts so far?

[wiicrackpot]

Scored a set of 44s off Martin (Macca) on New Years Day, so I'm sorted thanks. Listening to them right now... :eyebrows:
Ah...well done, i need to be more attentive to threads in future, :o i've seen myself only latching onto threads which are days/weeks old. :rolleyes: