Dali Zensor 3 vs Wharfedale Diamond 10.2

[Halfwit]

Good day,

I'm upgrading the speakers of my small HiFi system. They will be used on my PC table, on the left and right side of the monitor, with me sitting about 80 centimeters to 1 meter (about 3 feet) away. I'm using my PC as the audio source. The PC is connected to Cambridge Audio DAC Magic (the original version) via optical, and the DAC is connected to NAD C326BEE stereo amp.

I'm listening to all sorts of music, but mostly metal, rock, singer-songwriter and ambiental.

Both speakers will have a glass window behind them (about 60 centimeters away), which I know isn't ideal, but that's something I cannot change. The left one will also have a wall to its left (about 30 centimeters away).

I'm having trouble deciding whether to go for Dali Zensor 3 or Wharfedale Diamond 10.2. They cost exactly the same in my country so the price can be put aside.

Did anyone happen to listen to both of those speakers? Any inputs on how do they compare?

Cheers!

 

[Deleted member 116933]

Good day,

I'm upgrading the speakers of my small HiFi system. They will be used on my PC table, on the left and right side of the monitor, with me sitting about 80 centimeters to 1 meter (about 3 feet) away. I'm using my PC as the audio source. The PC is connected to Cambridge Audio DAC Magic (the original version) via optical, and the DAC is connected to NAD C326BEE stereo amp.

I'm listening to all sorts of music, but mostly metal, rock, singer-songwriter and ambiental.

Both speakers will have a glass window behind them (about 60 centimeters away), which I know isn't ideal, but that's something I cannot change. The left one will also have a wall to its left (about 30 centimeters away).

I'm having trouble deciding whether to go for Dali Zensor 3 or Wharfedale Diamond 10.2. They cost exactly the same in my country so the price can be put aside.

Did anyone happen to listen to both of those speakers? Any inputs on how do they compare?

Cheers!

Seems like a very complicated system for some one sitting so close to there computer.... Really neither will be ideal as there not nearfild monitors but if i had to chosse one it would be the Wharfedale as i find there a much warmer speaker and that suits me. Also the dalis have to many nooks and crannies fore me (over designed). But its all personal preference.

Have you given any thought to active speakers? some on here use them to great effect.

 

[Halfwit]

Seems like a very complicated system for some one sitting so close to there computer.... Really neither will be ideal as there not nearfild monitors but if i had to chosse one it would be the Wharfedale as i find there a much warmer speaker and that suits me. Also the dalis have to many nooks and crannies fore me (over designed). But its all personal preference.

Have you given any thought to active speakers? some on here use them to great effect.

Yeah, it is indeed a bit complicated, but I bought the system when I was living in a different house, with a different room configuration Now I see no point in selling the components or financial sense in purchasing everything from scratch.

I did try a pair of active speakers, Tannoy Reveal 502. The sound was good, but I'm getting a much better sound with Dali Zensor 3 connected to the system mentioned in my original post. Even on this short sitting distance.

I forgot to mention that I'm actually testing Zensors 3 for the past couple of days at home. I'm liking them a lot, although I do have to wonder if Diamonds 10.2 would be better.

The only problem I have with Zensors 3 is that the bass is a bit boomy (on certain songs/types of music). I managed to sort it out via equalizer, by lowering 125 Hz range by 3 dB, which eliminated most of the boominess. My room and speaker positioning is probably to blame for the boominess of the bass.

Another option I have is to get put the speakers on stands, get a different (narrower) table and move it away from the speakers. The speakers would still have to have a glass window behind them, though. There's no way around that in my new house.

Any thoughs, anyone?

 

[davedotco]

Zensor 3s are really a bit big for a desktop setup, even more so if close to a wall. If you are noticing bass issues now, that will only get worse with time.

Stand mount them if you can, makes all the difference. Personally I would use Zensor 1s and try and find some deaktop stands such as those made by AudioEngine, the DS1 or DS2.

Personally I would go with the active option, the Tannoys you tried are really not very good, I would stretch to a pair of Adam A5x if I could, the A3x if not and drive them straight of the dac. Though I do understand your reluctance to go down that route.

 

[Halfwit]

Zensor 3s are really a bit big for a desktop setup, even more so if close to a wall. If you are noticing bass issues now, that will only get worse with time.

Stand mount them if you can, makes all the difference. Personally I would use Zensor 1s and try and find some deaktop stands such as those made by AudioEngine, the DS1 or DS2.

I suppose my next order of business is to mount the Zensor 3s on stands and move the table (my sitting position, in other words) away from them. If that's gonna work in terms of sound quality, I'll get a different (narrower) table and have speakers placed behind the table on stands. Luckly, a friend of mine has a pair of metal stands which I can try. I'll post my impressions after giving that a go, some time next week.

Thanks for your suggestion regarding Adams, but I'd really hate to get rid of my beloved NAD, since it's been serving me so well for such a long time. And Adams are quite steep where I live, they cost more than I originally payed for NAD + CA DAC Magic + my original speakers (Klipsch B2)

Any inputs on the Zensor 3 vs Diamond 10.2 dilemma?

 

[davedotco]

Zensor 3s are really a bit big for a desktop setup, even more so if close to a wall. If you are noticing bass issues now, that will only get worse with time.

Stand mount them if you can, makes all the difference. Personally I would use Zensor 1s and try and find some deaktop stands such as those made by AudioEngine, the DS1 or DS2.

I suppose my next order of business is to mount the Zensor 3s on stands and move the table (my sitting position, in other words) away from them. If that's gonna work in terms of sound quality, I'll get a different (narrower) table and have speakers placed behind the table on stands. Luckly, a friend of mine has a pair of metal stands which I can try. I'll post my impressions after giving that a go, some time next week.

Thanks for your suggestion regarding Adams, but I'd really hate to get rid of my beloved NAD, since it's been serving me so well for such a long time. And Adams are quite steep where I live, they cost more than I originally payed for NAD + CA DAC Magic + my original speakers (Klipsch B2)

Any inputs on the Zensor 3 vs Diamond 10.2 dilemma?

Of course I have a preference, as does everyone.

I have a lot of time for Dali as a company, which would make the difference for me if they were the only option. Soundwise, neither are to my taste but it really shouldn't matter to you.

Where are you based by the way?

 

[Halfwit]

Of course I have a preference, as does everyone.

I have a lot of time for Dali as a company, which would make the difference for me if they were the only option. Soundwise, neither are to my taste but it really shouldn't matter to you.

Where are you based by the way?

Fair enough, point taken.

I'm based in Croatia. Which explains my less-than-ideal use of english, to some extent...

 

[Deleted member 116933]

Better than my english and i live in england!!!. I have the same problem with windows behind speakers but as with everything its all about comprimise.

For an experiment try placeing the speakers on top of some soft material to help soak up the bass abit.... A few folded towls or what ever is to hand. If you can hear a difference invest in some proper foam isolation plinths (sorry cant remember the name of them). you couls also try some foam behind them if you have room.

But the comment above about down sizing is right.

Also try blu tac.

But stands will help alot! basicaly try moving them off the desk completly.

I know your attched to your NAD but ask your dealer about active options it would be much better for you in the long run. You can always use the NAD in another room some day

 

[Tibor]

I think the Wharfedale Diamond will be also boomy at bass.

I would try a speaker with bass reflex port situated frontal like Dali Lektor 2

For me Zensor 3 are better speakers, and a touch faster compared with Diamonds

 

[Halfwit]

Okay so I managed to get my hands on a pair of stands. After putting the Zensor 3s on them, I can definitely hear a big difference in the way the system sounds.

I snapped a couple of photos of the current setup so please do share your comments. I'm especially interested to hear your comments regarding speaker positioning. Should I try to position them in a different way? Anything else I'm missing, that would further improve the listening experinece?

In case I decide to keep the stands, I'll get a smaller (narrower and shallower) table, primarely for aesthetics.

 

[gasolin]

Try isoacosustics stands i think they are very good and often better the heavy floor stands

 

[Halfwit]

Personally I would go with the active option, the Tannoys you tried are really not very good, I would stretch to a pair of Adam A5x if I could, the A3x if not and drive them straight of the dac. Though I do understand your reluctance to go down that route.

Just a small update. After a long and painful hassle with various room treatment options and speaker positioning, I simply didn't manage to get rid of boomy bass of Dali Zensor 3s. Luckly, I have a close friend and different business partners in various music shops so I managed to test everything out without any expenses.

So today I decided to go down the Adam A5x route. They're sitting on my table and playing as we speak. The connection with my PC is quite simple, sound goes from soundcard to external DAC (Cambridge Audio Dac Magic) via optical, and to Adams via XLR. Wow, what an impressive sound from a box of that size, I'm absolutely shocked! Also, the boomy bass is gone (since the speakers don't have rear firing ports, I suppose?), even though one of them is fairly close to the corner.

The only problem is, if (or when) I decide to buy them, they will cost exactly like three pairs of Zensor 3s (because I can get those really, really cheap, for under 200 EUR)

But it simply works better for the way I use the speakers - on a close distance and on a table which is close to the corner of the room so all the money savings in the world won't do me much good.

So now I'm left with two questions:

1. Should I put A5x on some sort of a table stand or just blu-tack them to the table?

2. Should I consider A7x? I can give them a test too, but they're super expensive so I'm afraid that I'll like them too much. Is there a huge difference compared to A5x for a setup like mine?

Thanks for any and all of your valuable input

 

[Blacksabbath25]

I would buy some speaker brackets and put them on the wall I have with mine i have the same speakers as you and yes they are supposed to go on stands but I have issues with my little one poking holes in them if she had a chance and they still sound good up high too