Topic: Wharfedale Diamond 9 Series

[gearhead]

Is it possible to connect these speakers dirrectly in the dvd player with built-in amp since I'm running out of budget to buy a decent AVR?  Ipon muna ako for a good AVR???  Hindi po ba masisira ung speakers???

Thanks...Newbie here

you would need an avr (audio video receiver ) or amplifier to power these types of speakers.

your dvd player will not be able to drive these types of speakers.

ipon ka nalang ng kaunti pa to be able to buy an avr to power your speakers.

meron din lower priced avrs such as sakura or konzert (check-out PDVD's buy and sell section).

goodluck and happy hunting!

yes... given that you're in a budget, the sakura might be a better option than driving them with your dvd player. kaya lang, for sure later on, baka mag-upgrade ka din naman sayang lang. as everybody here says, save up na lang for a decent ht setup and it will be more cost effective that way. for the meantime, you can still watch dvd pa rin naman just use your tv audio na lang muna. at least their speakers are properly driven.

maybe you can post your needs and target budget in the more ht related threads here... for sure many members would be glad to give you clear and sound (pun intended  ) advice.

[gearhead]

just got a diamond 9.6 and now in the breaking-in process. first time i heard it, was still a bit muddy. gave it the chance to play some more and now is beginning to sound sweet. really, this speaker lives and dies by its mid hf driver. it's what gives this pair the balanced sound which is its main selling point.

with my hk5550 as the common source, i will still say my diamond 9.5 the more bang for the buck pair from the whole diamond 9 line up. it's sensitive enough and easier to drive than the 9.6. i also like the former's bass response - tight and engaging. the 9.6 is a bit timid but can go low if asked to, but i think will benefit from a more powerful amp in the order of 130w or more (like the bada sir matz is offering.  ). the hk5550 is an 85wpc when in stereo mode, but if i crank up the volume a bit harder... the sound becomes brighter and the amp seems to be running in saturation mode. good thing you really don't need to crank this baby up as the midfreq would be too overpowering. in a comfortable listening volume, the sound is full, sweet and balanced. gives just the right subtlety to music.

same in the multi-channel setup. so if anyone's planning to get the 9.6, i suggest you invest too in a high power amp to be used for both music and movies. that way, you might just need to get one of the entry-level avr of say, yamaha to be the decoder and center/rear driver, and let the front speakers run off the higher powered amp.

p.s. - about 5 hrs more from posting the above comments... with the hk5550 and wharf 9.6 continuously playing, the whole system is really beginning to open up. gone is the confused sound that greeted me when i first powered the unit on. i'm now the one being confused whether i would like to use it more for HT or more on music.      

[allan1836]

gearhead, you guessed it right. The 9.6 really shines with a powerful amp. I read a review comparing it with a mega buck Genesis flr. stand speaker with almost the same speaker configuration with a dome midrange too and the reviewer was really impressed with the 9.6, specially for its price. Using a powerful amp, the reviewer noted the deep bass the 9.6 can deliver and actually commented that the overall sound is not far fetched from the genesis which is  around 6x its price I think.
By the way, did you buy your 9.6 new or used. How much is the going price for a used unit? Tnx     

[gearhead]

i bought mine used from a fellow pdvd member here. let's just say he gave it to me at a price i can't resist.  the unit is in mint condition, not perfect but you won't notice unless you really gave it a closer inspection. it's more of a test buy really coz his unit is rosewood while my preference (and the system i have to match it with) is cherry, so if i didn't like it i could always dispose of it. don't want to buy a new unit and then not be able to like it, then have to sell at sacrifice prices. also, my primary purpose is to be able to home audition it to decide nga whether to go with my cherry purchase.

during the audition, i just played some vocal dominated tracks (emi fujita). there are some really deep bass tracks in there too... but when i played it i noticed the low response to be quite timid. i'm familiar with the track and it's really thumping and rolling with my 9.5 without sub assistance. i noticed that the amp we're using seems to be a low wattage yamaha amp so i thought it might be the culprit. anyway, since what i heard so far are passable naman notwithstanding the not so ideal conditions, we packed the pair up with some huffing and puffing and off i go with a hope for much better results with my home setup.

after hooking up with my gear at home... i had mixed emotions since as i've said previously the sound seems confused. the mids are not what i expected from such a dedicated mid driver... as the bass response too from such large drivers. i was tempted to swap it again with my 9.5, but the weight of these monsters prevented me from doing so at that moment. i just told myself i'm giving them a few more days to see/hear if anything will change for the better.

i didn't have to wait that long pala coz after several hours of play they began to open up and sound coherent already. maybe they weren't properly broken in with the previous owner but since they already got some months of play with him all i need is to "form" the drivers a bit more. now they're sounding so good i have dug up my few music collections to listen to them again through these beauties. be that as it may, i'm still sure that they will give their true potential when driven with a more powerful amp, say 120wpc or more. the hk5550 is 85w true rms power per channel in stereo mode but i feel the low end will still greatly benefit from a more powerful amp.

so for those who has this pair connected to an entry-level amp and feel they sound great already... wait till you hear them being properly driven by a more capable amp.

[jambam]

Hi Gearhead,

I think  I actually auditioned the you unit you bought  since I was looking for a rosewood unit to serve as my front speaker for my HT and complement my 9.1 and Sw150 rosewoods .. He was using a Nad as preamp and a yamaha as power , it looked like a 100+ watt amp to me... Anyway maybe you are right it being low powered as I did not get the model no..

I wanted to buy it but the wife insist I buy new for the new house. Pls. keep us advised on your findings ...It might be that the 9.5 is a better buy as you said

[MAtZTER]

read Reply #33 regarding power amps

In amplification, even my 130w receiver is beaten hands down by my 100w power amp w/ torroidal transformer. Also, to note, the cheapest receiver that uses torroidal transformers is the HK7300... @ Php120k...  (needs 2 people to carry)

[gearhead]

Hi Gearhead,

I think  I actually auditioned the you unit you bought  since I was looking for a rosewood unit to serve as my front speaker for my HT and complement my 9.1 and Sw150 rosewoods .. He was using a Nad as preamp and a yamaha as power , it looked like a 100+ watt amp to me... Anyway maybe you are right it being low powered as I did not get the model no..

I wanted to buy it but the wife insist I buy new for the new house. Pls. keep us advised on your findings ...It might be that the 9.5 is a better buy as you said

haha.... exactly, yun nga! so nag-pilgrimage ka rin pala sa LP.     (o baka naman magkalapit lang kayo)?

didn't know at first whether the amp or the yamaha is the one powering the system since medyo madilim sa room. traced the speaker wire and sa yamaha pala connected. the bass is really loose and timid so i assumed it was a low-powered amp given its size also. didn't have much time to optimize the setup since me puntahan din siya after. i just put my faith in its large woofers and the capabilities of my hk5550 at home.

i was eyeing it the first time it was posted, but backed out a bit coz of the distance to their place. it was only when he gave me a good price for it that i became really serious about it. at the last minute, i discovered di nga pala rosewood yung setup ko kundi cherry, so konti na ulit mag-backout.

how about you? how did you find the speaker during your audition? after breaking in and forming the drivers the whole day yesterday, i'm all excited to try out most of my cd's. it's an altogether different beast now from the one i auditioned. if i would sell it again (to get a cherry), i should charge for the breaking in process. 

[jambam]

Yes not far from me , kaya napuntahan ko

I have not been been doing a lot of listening lately, as my setup has been compromised due to lack of space, so i did not find major faults when i listened , nagmamadali rin ako nun time na yun..

Anyway part of the fun is breaking in ... I got some good power amps to use just in case...

[gearhead]

I wanted to buy it but the wife insist I buy new for the new house. Pls. keep us advised on your findings ...It might be that the 9.5 is a better buy as you said

galing naman ng wife mo, very supportive.  at talagang siya pa nagtulak sa iyo na bago na lang ang bilhin.

well, i say the 9.5 to be the better value coz for its low brand new price you get a performer without breaking the bank for a new amp. the 3xx-series hk's , 6xx- series yamahas,  and  6xxx-series marantz would be enough to drive them with ease (again, not to say it won't benefit from a hi-power/hi-current amp). bass delivery is satisfying already, and in fact in that aspect i like it better than the 9.6... tight and controlled bass with weight. the 9.6 sounds like it does go low, but at a more conservative and laid back pace. maybe if i have a dedicated amp, the 9.6 would be more complete. it is really in the mid-hf response that the 9.6 shines though. the 9.5 can sound shrill in some material with its relatively low 2.0khz crossover. the 9.6 is more musical and transparent, but for ht it's a toss-up between the two. the low freq response of the 9.6 adds an ambiance/atmosphere to the mix... while the 9.5 gives better slam being the more forward of the two, and is  easier to integrate with subs.

might sound contradictory... but the smaller d9.5 gives louder/more audible (i couldn't say lower) bass than the d9.6. the larger d9.6 is more open-sounding though. for a given volume, although i don't have an SPL meter, the d9.6 sounds louder. i have to crank the volume a bit for the 9.5, about 4-6db more to have the same perceived loudness as the d9.6.

[jerix]

Whats the current market price of the 9.5 today?  thanks.

[ericag_ph]

About P12500 new.

Whats the current market price of the 9.5 today?  thanks.

[jerix]

About P12500 new.

ganun pa rin pala.. thanks bro 

[gearhead]

well, i plan to change my d9.6 rosewood to a cherry-flavored  one. balita ko last audio fair eh less 20% off mga wharfedale, so abangers mode muna ako kung kelan susunod magse-sale ng mga units na ito. 

well, i say the 9.5 to be the better value coz for its low brand new price you get a performer without breaking the bank for a new amp. bass delivery is satisfying already, and in fact in that aspect i like it better than the 9.6... tight and controlled bass with weight.

been reading some reviews and got this word to describe the bass delivery of the 9.5 - ARTICULATE. it is tight, clean and quick. i don't have any spl meter, but i feel the 9.6 does go lower, at the price of being a bit slower, too and more laid back.

[dyerds]

What receiver (preferably yamaha) do you think would be good for Wharf 9.5? Budget for a receiver is only P20k-P25k, 50/50 for viewing and listening.

[barrister]

Try Yamaha RXV-659 ...  P25K, more or less.

[dyerds]

Pwede na ba'to as an entry-level set up?

[Miguel^]

yes and it is.

[audiojunkie]

Pwede na ba'to as an entry-level set up?

Yame  is a bit thin sounding and clipping comes when over driven..... audition other names... like denon,HK and marantz...

[dyerds]

Yame  is a bit thin sounding and clipping comes when over driven..... audition other names... like denon,HK and marantz...

What particular model? I'm not familiar with denon, HK amd Marantz when it comes to their model. Basta po entry level at P20-25k budget.

[@nk71]

What particular model? I'm not familiar with denon, HK amd Marantz when it comes to their model. Basta po entry level at P20-25k budget.

HK 245
Denon 1907

[audiojunkie]

What particular model? I'm not familiar with denon, HK amd Marantz when it comes to their model. Basta po entry level at P20-25k budget.

If possible to get with 5.1 or 7.1 pre-outs so you have option to connect external power amps if you need to, always look for gears with future expansion or flexibilities...  
 I guess denon has offered this in their entry levels.. 

[ASuL]

where can buy a binding post for my 9CS? 



if i cant find one...i plan on bi-wiring it instead...therefore i'll have 2 pairs of wire na...on one end i just connect to positive and negative in the speaker but what about on the end that connects to the amp? i'm using a yamaha 440...di ba 1 pair lang yung para sa center channel....dapat ba yung dalawang positive wires dun sa positive input into the receiver and ganun din sa negative. yung parang twist ko together yung positive wire bago ipasok sa receiver tas ganun din for negative

[dyerds]

HK 245
Denon 1907

Thanks!

Check out those models.

[audiojunkie]

where can buy a binding post for my 9CS? 



if i cant find one...i plan on bi-wiring it instead...therefore i'll have 2 pairs of wire na...on one end i just connect to positive and negative in the speaker but what about on the end that connects to the amp? i'm using a yamaha 440...di ba 1 pair lang yung para sa center channel....dapat ba yung dalawang positive wires dun sa positive input into the receiver and ganun din sa negative. yung parang twist ko together yung positive wire bago ipasok sa receiver tas ganun din for negative

that's correct, just like bi-wiring of fronts - 1 set + & - wires from AVR then 2 sets + & - to speaker's posts.

[threadlock]

Which is better, Wharfedale 9.1 or 9.2?

[3j]

.

Which is better, Wharfedale 9.1 or 9.2?

Wharfedale have taken their multi-Award-Winning Diamond 9.1 speaker and created this larger alternative, for those who want even more! The 9.2 features a larger cabinet and bass driver which create a bolder, fuller soundstage, with greater extension - yet the 9.2 retains all the finesse and sweetness of its highly-rated little-brother

[threadlock]

How about 9.2 vs Pi-10? Pi-10 is unique bec of its design but is there any difference in sound-quality between the two?

[allan1836]

hi threadlock! I owned the 9.2 once and now has the Pi10. I sold my 9.2 within a month's time but my Pi10 will stay (go figure ...).   

[LETOR]

Mga sirs,

Ano ba current prices nito:

Diamond 9.1
Diamond 9.5
Diamond Center 9.CM

Thanks for any info.

[gearhead]

Mga sirs,

Ano ba current prices nito:

Diamond 9.1 P5,500
Diamond 9.5 P12,500
Diamond Center 9.CM P6,300

Thanks for any info.

or you can just call butch of The Home Theater.