Topic: Wharfedale Diamond 9 Series

[H a n $]

Yes

Crap = ngongo, disoriented, incoherent. that is the 9.5 i'm describing. not even the low price compelled me to buy one. BUT, i'm not writing it off. heard it in one store (Spectra, and I have no complaints on the store and it's staff), surely would like to hear it somewhere else.

arnoldc,

Where you able to auditioned a broken in unit? kasi I remember when we home audition two models of 9 series 9.2 and 9.4 ganun din napansin namin but as we used it nagimprove naman nawala yun stiffness.

[arnoldc]

hans, tinanong ko yung staff at sabi may katagalan na din daw yun dun pero di gaano katagal 

[s2kov]

hi arnold,

so far, what speaker you heard and passed your torture cd?

[shotgun]

...The 9.5 is not a perfect speaker but when I auditioned the Infinity Primus 360, MA B4, AE Evo 3, Concept 2, B&W 602, a Jamo speaker (forgot model), MS 904, 908 and 914 that made up my mind.  Of course some of the speakers I mentioned are better than the 9.5 but considering their price (near twice that of the 9.5) I was not convinced that those sounded twice better than the diamond.....

Perect way to describe it bhongskie!

[aHobbit]

jcob, as much as i'd like to, i'm not sure din.
.... muntik ko na nga bilhin without auditioning, buti na lang.

Diyata't ikaw din ... may tendencies ...

bumili ng hindi nag-aaudition!     

[arnoldc]

aHobbit, i'm supposed to get it once ok na sa pandinig ko, kaso hindi nga eh. kahit na mura, kung di pasado sa kin eh wag na lang.

s2kov, sa version 1, PrimaLuna ProLogue 1 + Infinity Kappa 200 = fast and furious and Fase Integrated + Opera speakers . version 2 na ito, have not made its rounds yet, so fresh start.

[s2kov]

how about the concept2 and concept6?

aHobbit, i'm supposed to get it once ok na sa pandinig ko, kaso hindi nga eh. kahit na mura, kung di pasado sa kin eh wag na lang.

s2kov, sa version 1, PrimaLuna ProLogue 1 + Infinity Kappa 200 = fast and furious and Fase Integrated + Opera speakers . version 2 na ito, have not made its rounds yet, so fresh start.

[H a n $]

onedown, jcob, thanks for the link, but i'm sure magulo yun. daming protagonist gagawin ko na lang yung CMoy ko ngongo yung sennheiser sa Acer notebook ko eh, but on the Harman Kardon it shines!

Funny bro di ka naman namin nakasama sa session how can you say magulo and daming protagonist?? protagonist in cheap but very good sounding gears pwede pero on a particular brand hmmm I doubt.

[bumblebee]

5.5k lang kc e kaya paborito ko I think I'm getting one again. This time, in cherry

The Star Online: AudioFile - No roughs in these Diamonds

[arnoldc]

hans, my objective is to evaluate the wharfe lang. with four speaker in there, magulo sa kin yun. besides noon ko pa di gusto yang monitor audio. at anong session ba yung tinutukoy mo? yung sinagot ko na post kanina ang tinutukoy ay yung saturday session daw.

[H a n $]

hans, my objective is to evaluate the wharfe lang. with four speaker in there, magulo sa kin yun. besides noon ko pa di gusto yang monitor audio. at anong session ba yung tinutukoy mo? yung sinagot ko na post kanina ang tinutukoy ay yung saturday session daw.

Thanks for clarifying kung ano magulo sa iyo... I thought yun session namin hindi organized btw yun nagpilot ng session this saturday ay kami. 

[H a n $]

5.5k lang kc e kaya paborito ko I think I'm getting one again. This time, in cherry

The Star Online: AudioFile - No roughs in these Diamonds

Nice to hear that bro.. Congrats in advance.

[bumblebee]

Nice to hear that bro.. Congrats in advance.

Thanks, Sir Hans. The little gems were just right for my small living room. Hope to get a better amp this time. Have fun this Sat. I wish I have time to at least see you guys. Dami akong tanong e Don't forget the pics

[H a n $]

Thanks, Sir Hans. The little gems were just right for my small living room. Hope to get a better amp this time. Have fun this Sat. I wish I have time to at least see you guys. Dami akong tanong e Don't forget the pics

Thanks.. pix sure will post some specially the speaker included.

[ESi]

hans et al.,

Im really looking forward this saturday since I missed several oppurtunities  in hearing the wharfs on a seroius set-up. Ive listened to the Concept 6 several times already in different venues and honestly ive been quite fond of it. But Im not discounting the fact that the 9.6 is a true contender. Ive heard it once at spectra ( kudos JIM ) which was satisfactory but can't really make out a good justifiable judgement prematurely. Very good design and fabulous drivers. Despite what others might think of it, IMHO the diamond 9 series esp. the 9.6 earns my respect and praise. Moreover, Ive found out that Absolute Sound raved about it in a review in a recent issue. The Mag being very respected in the the Audiophile Community took notice...lets give it a fair chance. Just my 2 cents. Can't wait

[s2kov]

hans,

What amp will be used during the shootout? I am interested to hear those speakers in the line-up using st70.

[levi]

Does the Wharfedale 9 series have the same sound characteristic as the Diamond 8? I bought one before but I returned it after a day. I find it ngongo also but thats just me.

[H a n $]

hans,

What amp will be used during the shootout? I am interested to hear those speakers in the line-up using st70.

Iceman AMC 6550 tube amp will be used to drive those speakers + Wonderlust JD labs Prerotica preamp.

[H a n $]

hans et al.,

Im really looking forward this saturday since I missed several oppurtunities  in hearing the wharfs on a seroius set-up. Ive listened to the Concept 6 several times already in different venues and honestly ive been quite fond of it. But Im not discounting the fact that the 9.6 is a true contender. Ive heard it once at spectra ( kudos JIM ) which was satisfactory but can't really make out a good justifiable judgement prematurely. Very good design and fabulous drivers. Despite what others might think of it, IMHO the diamond 9 series esp. the 9.6 earns my respect and praise. Moreover, Ive found out that Absolute Sound raved about it in a review in a recent issue. The Mag being very respected in the the Audiophile Community took notice...lets give it a fair chance. Just my 2 cents. Can't wait

Doc see you Saturday.

[jerix]

Of course some of the speakers I mentioned are better than the 9.5 but considering their price (near twice that of the 9.5) I was not convinced that those sounded twice better than the diamond.  So my choice was easy and I was happy with my purchase though there is more to be desired from the 9.5

Once again, another proof that Price is really very influential in this hobby

[arnoldc]

Thanks for clarifying kung ano magulo sa iyo... I thought yun session namin hindi organized btw yun nagpilot ng session this saturday ay kami. 

salamat naman na-realize mo na i will not make a comment such as you thought i did on  a session that i've never been to. i am brutally honest on my opinions about a product, but it is not my character to ridicule, you or your group.

[av_phile1]

Of course some of the speakers I mentioned are better than the 9.5 but considering their price (near twice that of the 9.5) I was not convinced that those sounded twice better than the diamond.  So my choice was easy and I was happy with my purchase though there is more to be desired from the 9.5

Twice the price tag doesn't mean twice better in sound quality.  Price and sound quality are rarely commensurately proportional.

Often within the commercial price ranges that are affordable, twice the price can just mean a slight improvement in phase coherence (which is difficult to identify), or absence of lobing,  or an extension of just another 5 hz lower or higher, or it could be just better cabinet finish, or lesser cabinet diffraction, or it could mean better off-axis or on-axis dispersion.  It could mean a combination, but rarely all.  To get all these improvements will bring the cost of production much higher than just twice.

Different driver materials and construction as well as crossover network complexity can also drive the price twofold without necessarily perceiving a twofold increase in sound quality, which can often only be subjetively assessed.  It's the cost of production that dictate the price, not the sound quality.    There are so many things to consider in sound propagation that different brands handle the design and construction differently that affect the  final price tag.   Hand-made speakers ofcourse will have a higher cost of production and thus a higher price tag than mass-produced ones.  Will they sound twice better?   For some, it may, for others it's just incremental.  It all depends on your value judgement.

To you and  others, twice the price may not justify the perceived difference in sound quality.  For other audiophiles I know, a mere perceived improvement in stereo imaging often associated with phase coherence and smooth and extended frequency response will cause them to abandon a $1,000 pair in favour of a $15,000 pair.  That's not just twice.  Incremental improvements in speaker performance often account for wide disparities in tag prices, depending on the cost of production.  And pedigree.   It's really up to the consumer's value judgement on what he wants and what he is willing to pay to get it. 

[arnoldc]

tama av_phile. good egfineering has it's price- in many situations, diminishing returns.

i definitely does not have the capability to buy $15K speakers, but i will get the best my money can buy, even if that means twice as much but it will "get me there."

initially, i only wanted to have something that sounds "ok" and at the wharfe's price point it seems "what have i got to lose?" but when i heard it (the 9.5 specifically), it lacks the minimum qualities i'm looking for in a speaker, so even if it is cheap, will i live with it's imperfections? definitely not! if i buy it based on price alone, and everyday i listen to it i will just long for things i cannot hear or just sound  not right for me, nagsayang lang ako ng pera. might as well look for something else, maybe in the same price range, or twice as much.

a week after i've auditioned both the 9.4 and 9.5 at spectra, i went to architectural audio and listened to the Dali Concept 2 (bookshelf). based on my preferences, it creamed both 9.4 and 9.5 in all areas except bass. but then again, the bass of the 9.5 was loose, wobbly and disoriented so even if it has "more" bass than the Concept 2, i still wouldn't want "more" but is "not passable" for me.

in fairness, the Concept 2 has enough break in period, the reason i was looking for a wharfe setup (broken in) as i would like to give it another go before i remove it from my shortlist.

i am not expecting over the top performance for my other setup. i just want the replacement to sound better than what i currently have- BOSE 301 Continental Special Edition (this is a 15 year-old speaker!). napakadali sanang talunin, di ba?

[H a n $]

salamat naman na-realize mo na i will not make a comment such as you thought i did on  a session that i've never been to. i am brutally honest on my opinions about a product, but it is not my character to ridicule, you or your group.

Clear as crystal.. labo kasi yun initial post mo like as you put it crappy.   

cheers.

[arnoldc]

hans, with all due respect, hindi malabo yun. i am surprised that a person such as you, much respected in this forum, would call my posts "funny" and "crappy"

[H a n $]

hans, with all due respect, hindi malabo yun. i am surprised that a person such as you, much respected in this forum, would call my posts "funny" and "crappy"

Arnoldc, I dont find your post for Wharf speakers funny and crappy, your post pertaining to to our session na magulo caught my attention.

[av_phile1]

tama av_phile. good egfineering has it's price- in many situations, diminishing returns.

i definitely does not have the capability to buy $15K speakers, but i will get the best my money can buy, even if that means twice as much but it will "get me there."

initially, i only wanted to have something that sounds "ok" and at the wharfe's price point it seems "what have i got to lose?" but when i heard it (the 9.5 specifically), it lacks the minimum qualities i'm looking for in a speaker, so even if it is cheap, will i live with it's imperfections? definitely not! if i buy it based on price alone, and everyday i listen to it i will just long for things i cannot hear or just sound  not right for me, nagsayang lang ako ng pera. might as well look for something else, maybe in the same price range, or twice as much.

a week after i've auditioned both the 9.4 and 9.5 at spectra, i went to architectural audio and listened to the Dali Concept 2 (bookshelf). based on my preferences, it creamed both 9.4 and 9.5 in all areas except bass. but then again, the bass of the 9.5 was loose, wobbly and disoriented so even if it has "more" bass than the Concept 2, i still wouldn't want "more" but is "not passable" for me.

in fairness, the Concept 2 has enough break in period, the reason i was looking for a wharfe setup (broken in) as i would like to give it another go before i remove it from my shortlist.

i am not expecting over the top performance for my other setup. i just want the replacement to sound better than what i currently have- BOSE 301 Continental Special Edition (this is a 15 year-old speaker!). napakadali sanang talunin, di ba?

Arnoldc, I agree, you have to be satisfied with whatever you're buying.  You don't buy things just because they're affordable.  

I guess it really shouldn't be difficult replacing a BOSE.  But only if you've started to hate it.  (Much like replacing your spouse.  Difficult to replace if you still have love between.  ) It can be so easy to fall in love with the speakers you've lived for so long.  Being two familiar with it, you might be looking for the same quality in new speakers that's not there.  And unless you've heard another speaker set that really impressed you over what you have, not any speaker can replace what you've lived with for so long.

Have you also considered room accoustics in choosing your speakers.   The reason I asked earlier if you checked the Klipsch speakers that Spectra is also carrying is to establish a better comparative on the same listening conditions.  You could then check if their listening room might be absorbing more high frequencies to make any speaker sound "ngongo."  Klipsch is known for its high efficiency and strong highs.  If the listening room is very dead, even a Klipsch might sound ngongo.  If not, then you can safely fault the diamond as really HF challenged.    You would then also have a more solid comparative for your assessment.

Am no apologist for the 9.5, but the way it looks, it seems like a 2.5-way design that should have ample bass and can really rock a typical room.  It's possible its mids and bass drivers do overpower the tweet to give the impression you had.   Some designers often exaggerate certain parts of the spectrum to impress the consumer, expecting consumers to tone down if they have too much of it.  Consumers are often more impressed with more bass.  I can understand this philosophy in the entry level market as it is much easier to tone down the bass.  If the speaker is bass challenged, it's relatively more difficiult and expensive to add to it.  If I recall right, this is also the impression of many with the Diamond 8 series.  The tweets seemed less detailed and revealing than those in other brands.  More soft than bright.  Tweaking the crossover network did some wonders.  It's definitely not for everyone.  At my age, I can't be expected to hear anything above 17khz.  That's probably why I also find some speakers ngongo and that what younger people consider bright is just right for me.    Just my thoughts.

[arnoldc]

hans, yes precisely. you referred to that post as funny and crappy. FIN.

av_phile, although it is a 15 year-old speaker, it is actually doing temporary duties. the resident  speakers then were the JBL LX-2002 that i never wanted to replace but a friend wanted it, i gave him a price not to sell, and still went for it. so enter the BOSE from hibernation, as something to fill-in (i have no front speakers left).

i have auditioned the Klipsch (RB-2) at home, and I don't have a problem with that, but i will do your suggestion of auditioning them at spectra.

and again you're right. i go for quality, not quantity.

[akyatbundok]

guys clarification lang ha we'll be listening (again) to the 9.6 this sat, not the 9.5 or 9.4.

[H a n $]

guys clarification lang ha we'll be listening (again) to the 9.6 this sat, not the 9.5 or 9.4.

chief,

Actually 9.6, Concept 6, B4 & M34i.