Wharfedale speakers

[ianb]

Hello everyone
Having taken a lot on board I've decided to keep my beautiful sony ta fb740r amp and upgrade my speakers. After a lot of information gathering and having a budget of £700 for everything I've decided to get the wharfedale diamond 12.3s as my main speakers and a pair of wharfedale diamond 9.1s with stands for my second pair. Managed to get both sets and stands for just less than £650, just wondering if you guys have any advice or feedback? Obviously they're a step up from the speakers in currently running (apparently bottom of a barrel was mentioned!!)

 

[Al ears]

Hello everyone
Having taken a lot on board I've decided to keep my beautiful sony ta fb740r amp and upgrade my speakers. After a lot of information gathering and having a budget of £700 for everything I've decided to get the wharfedale diamond 12.3s as my main speakers and a pair of wharfedale diamond 9.1s with stands for my second pair. Managed to get both sets and stands for just less than £650, just wondering if you guys have any advice or feedback? Obviously they're a step up from the speakers in currently running (apparently bottom of a barrel was mentioned!!)

best of luck if you intend using both of these at the same time.
Let us know how it goes.

 

[twinkletoes]

Hello everyone
Having taken a lot on board I've decided to keep my beautiful sony ta fb740r amp and upgrade my speakers. After a lot of information gathering and having a budget of £700 for everything I've decided to get the wharfedale diamond 12.3s as my main speakers and a pair of wharfedale diamond 9.1s with stands for my second pair. Managed to get both sets and stands for just less than £650, just wondering if you guys have any advice or feedback? Obviously they're a step up from the speakers in currently running (apparently bottom of a barrel was mentioned!!)

Hi there, what is it that actually asking? or you just after validation of what you have bought? if you like them then what does it matter what we think?

as Al ears has stated dont use both together at the same time. Even though you have 2 sets of binding posts

 

[Gray]

any advice or feedback?

You've got a lot of value there for under £650 Ian.
But you've been given good advice - if you were to run all 4 speakers simultaneously, there's a risk of damaging the amplifier you love.
Best to pick one or the other pair and stick with 2-speaker stereo 👍

 

[ianb]

Hi there, what is it that actually asking? or you just after validation of what you have bought? if you like them then what does it matter what we think?

as Al ears has stated dont use both together at the same time. Even though you have 2 sets of binding posts

I haven't bought them yet its what I'm hoping to,obviously if someone says something negative I'd obviously have to reevaluate

 

[ianb]

You've got a lot of value there for under £650 Ian.
But you've been given good advice - if you were to run all 4 speakers simultaneously, there's a risk of damaging the amplifier you love.
Best to pick one or the other pair and stick with 2-speaker stereo 👍

Thank you so very much

 

[plastic penguin]

Hello everyone
Having taken a lot on board I've decided to keep my beautiful sony ta fb740r amp and upgrade my speakers. After a lot of information gathering and having a budget of £700 for everything I've decided to get the wharfedale diamond 12.3s as my main speakers and a pair of wharfedale diamond 9.1s with stands for my second pair. Managed to get both sets and stands for just less than £650, just wondering if you guys have any advice or feedback? Obviously they're a step up from the speakers in currently running (apparently bottom of a barrel was mentioned!!)

Having heard the Diamonds 9.1 and 10s they are excellent value for money. Not heard any of the 12s but should have the same house sound. The only thing I'm not sure about is the amp. It's a very well regarded amp but it's been a long time since I last heard one. Therefore, not sure how they will match tonally.

 

[Witterings]

Why do you want to run the 4 speakers as opposed to just a stereo pair?

Also room size would help, I've a pair of 9.1's I've had for ages as a desktop setup in a converted single garage and in that size room sitting close they're brilliant but I wouldn't want to run them in the lounge as a main pair as they'd be lost.

I've not heard the 12.3's but might you be better off spending the whole amount on a "better" set of floorstanders?

 

[robdmarsh]

Personally, I haven't been a fan of the Wharfedale speakers I've heard.I had a pair of 9.1s for a bit and thought they fell way short of my old Celestion 3 mkii. They just didn't come alive on my Marantz m-cr603. I did briefly own the Diamond 220s and they sounded sterile and lifeless with the same amplifier. Then I heard the 12.3 floor standers in a Richer Sounds and again I was left thinking "where's the life in this sound?".

These are all just opinions and your impressions may be completely different

 

[AJM1981]

Having heard the Diamonds 9.1 and 10s they are excellent value for money. Not heard any of the 12s but should have the same house sound. The only thing I'm not sure about is the amp. It's a very well regarded amp but it's been a long time since I last heard one. Therefore, not sure how they will match tonally.

I would like to add that the Diamond 12.2 probably is closer in sound signature to the Denton 85th. I own the Denton and have owned the 11.2 and the 12.0. I really liked the 11.2 for its own sound and design but the 12.0 was more unveiled, to which the 12.2 just adds extra body and is probably sizewise and soundwise kind of comparible to the 85th given my own experience.

Unfortunately I have not been able to find any real comparing reviews or measurements between the Denton 85th and the Diamond 12.2. But I will throw in this estimated guess that they are at least not that far apart.

 

[plastic penguin]

I would like to add that the Diamond 12.2 probably is closer in sound signature to the Denton 85th. I own the Denton and have owned the 11.2 and the 12.0. I really liked the 11.2 for its own sound and design but the 12.0 was more unveiled, to which the 12.2 just adds extra body and is probably sizewise and soundwise kind of comparible to the 85th given my own experience.

Unfortunately I have not been able to find any real comparing reviews or measurements between the Denton 85th and the Diamond 12.2. But I will throw in this estimated guess that they are at least not that far apart.

Right. That's interesting. I briefly owned the Denton 80th. They were alright but wasn't blown away.

 

[matthewpianist]

I've owned plenty of Wharfedales - Linton Heritage 85th Anniversary, Diamond 7.2, Diamond 8.3, Diamond 9.1, Diamond 220...

They're very pleasant for long-term listening and/or if you like a fairly safe sound, but I wouldn't say life and energy are part of what they offer. They're voiced differently to the Mission alternatives made in the same factory.

 

[robdmarsh]

I briefly owned the Denton 80th.

Yep, had those as well. Don't know why I went with them, the description of the sound and the look probably. They were several levels below the Titus I have now, I'd say, even though they were a very similarly sized speaker.

 

[plastic penguin]

Yep, had those as well. Don't know why I went with them, the description of the sound and the look probably. They were several levels below the Titus I have now, I'd say, even though they were a very similarly sized speaker.

This was during the 1st lockdown. I purchased them cheap from another forum. They were fine but not great.

 

[AJM1981]

Right. That's interesting. I briefly owned the Denton 80th. They were alright but wasn't blown away.

You might like the 85th edition.

Users who like the 80th, like it because it is warmer. The 85th is a bit more natural and is compared to the 80th more pronounced in treble. But it can also be explained as the 80th been mellowed out in this area.

The difference in tone color and having two camps is probably why Wharfedale still sells both editions.

Some users tried to tune down the 85th's treble area with a resistor at the binding posts declaring they got the 80th sound while it simply puts less energy in the tweeter output.

Personally I really like its treble as it fits the overall tone of the speaker. I might be one of the few that don't really have a personal preference in these signatures because there is an idea behind choices. My Evo 4.2 is a little rolled off there, probably to tame the AMT tweeter of which many reviewers seem to be thankful.

Then a loudspeaker like the Denton 85th is a variation in listening experience and having listened to the clarity or a violin on its highest note I would not like to tune that down. I know some will argue hihats and rides might sound a little harsch, but they sound exactly like that in reality.

What I consider a nice quirk of the 85th are its offset tweeters. Basically having two different speakers optically speaken. Meant for decreasing side wall reflection and it seems to make a little difference there as it eliminated a fraction of reverb in the bedroom.

 

[plastic penguin]

You might like the 85th edition.

Users who like the 80th, like it because it is warmer. The 85th is a bit more natural and is compared to the 80th more pronounced in treble. But it can also be explained as the 80th been mellowed out in this area.

The difference in tone color and having two camps is probably why Wharfedale still sells both editions.

Some users tried to tune down the 85th's treble area with a resistor at the binding posts declaring they got the 80th sound while it simply puts less energy in the tweeter output.

Personally I really like its treble as it fits the overall tone of the speaker. I might be one of the few that don't really have a personal preference in these signatures because there is an idea behind choices. My Evo 4.2 is a little rolled off there, probably to tame the AMT tweeter of which many reviewers seem to be thankful.

Then a loudspeaker like the Denton 85th is a variation in listening experience and having listened to the clarity or a violin on its highest note I would not like to tune that down. I know some will argue hihats and rides might sound a little harsch, but they sound exactly like that in reality.

What I consider a nice quirk of the 85th are its offset tweeters. Basically having two different speakers optically speaken. Meant for decreasing side wall reflection and it seems to make a little difference there as it eliminated a fraction of reverb in the bedroom.

As I mentioned in my review on here at the time, I found certain vocals, particularly female, could veer towards slight harshness. It wasn't just me, my daughter and Mrs. P experienced the same thing, even the MA RS6s sounded more controlled in the HFs.

Tried moving the Wharfedales nearer and further away from the walls... no real change. Only heard that once before with a pair of old Focal speakers.

It wasn't fingers down a blackboard, just enough to put me off the scent. Really hard to explain. Still find it puzzling anytime I think about it.