Once the company settled down and moved into further development, it produced the then new Diamond 8 series in 2001 which triggered a steady improvement process to the Diamond 12 series I’m looking at today. CHINA Diamond 12.1 can handle a max power of 100 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Diamond 12.0 has a max power handling value of 60 watts RMS, 40 watts less than the Diamond 12.1. So it all depends on which ones people, as you say, are referring to. The upper Wharfedale ranges like Jade, Opus, Evo and Diamond are outstanding audiophile class speakers. Then there is the real junk like the Zaldeks.

I've been very satisfied with how this little system handles music. Even in "Direct" and "Pure Direct" mode where the subwoofer is by-passed - these little bookshelves seem to go down quite low for most needs. I think they would be hard to beat at their price point. There's still plenty to admire in the way the Diamond 10.1s perform, but the emergence of some seriously talented rivals – such as the Arcaydis DM1 and Monitor Audio BX2 – has slightly taken the shine off this Award-winning speaker. The bottom line here was balance but balance that maintained the essential impact from the performance. This music has soul. It had spirit and passion. The Wharfedales egged you on. Go on my son, they cried! CONCLUSIONAs for the Diamond 12 Series’ treble unit? It has a 25mm dome made from a woven polyester film with a high gloss coating. The front plate is flat and exposes the dome as much as possible. Both Diamond 12.1 and Diamond 12.0 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring. If space is an issue, our speakers range also includes a range of soundbars, which still giving you a taste of real home cinema surround sound, without the number of speakers and cables necessary for a full 5.1 or 7.1 speaker system and many of these models now also feature Bluetooth connectivity to play music from your phone or portable player, and this section also includes soundbases, which are designed to sit underneath rather than in front of your screen. Every product and process in speaker design and manufacturing is handled in-house making it the most advanced research and development program, meaning that Wharfedale are able to design exactly to their own spec without limitation - and can exact this vision to perfection. Such design principles are evident in the finished product.

I once owned a full 5.0 set of Diamond 9's anchored by the flagship 9.6's up front. These were very well designed, built and sounding speakers for the money. They had a warm, lush sound and very musical. When I upgraded, a friend liked them so much he bought the LCR's from me. So now I get to enjoy them whenever I am over at his place listening to his rig. I kept the Diamond 9.2's by the way as currently use them as my surrounds. They blend in great with my Viennas. Finally another acquaintance has the TOTL Opus 2-2's and these sound incredible in his system being powered by a Mac amp. I haven't proven that through testing, but I think it is a reasonable assumption. They may have slightly tuned the voicing between the 9's and 10's, but given that the drivers are very similar and made for the same material, I suspect the general tonal characteristics are very similar. You can also find slightly more refined tweeters in the price group directly above the Diamonds. The Diamonds do provide a very smooth high end response that slopes slightly downward. And they have great in-room dispersion that allows for a strong and stable sound stage with real depth. But there are speakers available for a few hundred more that offer even greater detail with slightly rising response curves.Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Wharfedale 12.1's and Wharfedale 12.0's external dimensions. Wharfedale 12.1 has external dimensions of 312.0 x 180.0 x 278.0mm ( 12.2 x 7.0 x 10.9inch) whereas Wharfedale 12.0 has external dimensions of 265.0 x 160.0 x 228.0mm ( 10.4 x 6.2 x 8.9inch) . Wharfedale has also tried to enter other markets. For example, you can buy Wharfedale brand PA equipment. For a while they tried to enter the DJ market with the Valdus and Xarus speaker lines. These were high-powered high-output speakers, that were a bit less refined, but very attractively priced. Perfect for Amateur or small venue DJs. Valdus-Big and massive, really good if you want loud speakers that aren't very detailed but can play at ludicrous decibel levels but without clipping.

What they give you is top-table performance but they basically sit on a different facet on the same diamond (no pun intended), giving you something different and unique in terms of sonic style and choice. And I love the fact that choice is out there, ready to be selected. Both of the Diamond 9.1's drivers have been replaced for the Diamond 10.1. The new mid/woofer has a 4.9" (125mm) cone of woven Kevlar, a nylon-filled homopolymer chassis with an oversized flange, and, in the cone surround, diamond-pattern ribs intended to smooth the acoustic rolloff. The 1" (25mm) soft-dome tweeter has a metal phase corrector and is claimed to offer smooth, clear reproduction of the high frequencies. The two reflex ports on the 10.1's rear panel (in the 9.1, they were on the front) are intended to reduce the effects of distortion. Electrical connection is via two offset pairs of terminals to allow bi-wiring and easy cable dressing. The extra information around the lower end also provides more presence for even those demure details that can be easily missed. The extra solidity and self-assurance from the Wharfedales means that the sound impresses you. These speakers make music a memorable occasion. 3020i The ensuing pursuit of the invading Frost Giants showcases more of this solid bass work, alongside crisp mids and highs that fire across the expansive soundstage. It’s thrilling stuff, managing to sound aggressive and dynamic without stepping over the line into harshness. And though others might disagree, I think the general tonality of the speaker is consistent enough that you can blend Diamond 9 and Diamond 10 components in the future should you ever decide to expand the system.Many people see IAG’s Chinese connections as a bad thing, one that affects the brand name of Wharfedale plus other brands like Audiolab and Leak (two other brands under the IAG umbrella). This tonal balance gives the delivery a sense of maturity while also adding a layering effect to the arrangement. You feel that, now bass has been properly integrated into the music, subtle aspects of the soundstage are now better formed and solidified. Easily recognisable, in effect. This enhances the transparency because even shy areas of the music have a more confident air about them.

Following the highly successful and award winning Diamond 9 series was always going to be a difficult task. But Wharfedale engineers were determined to bring the latest Diamind right into line with the standard of performance expected from a stand mount/bookshelf speaker in 2009. Consequently, the Wharfedales produce a surprisingly mature sound for the money. Listen to Ellie Goulding's Starry Eyed and her dulcet tones are beautifully reproduced in a sweet-sounding and natural manner.

Wharfedale Diamond 10.1 - Pros & Cons

The Wharfedale 10.1 showcases new and improved individual drivers, while the tweeter has been redesigned to deliver a clean and seamless high-frequency thanks to an extra diffuser grill. So we know what’s coming next then, eh? Top class engineering, perhaps? To make its Klarity drivers, Wharfedale adds mica to increase stiffness. Apparently, this helps to reduce flexing. compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters The company was sold to the Rank organisation in 1958. In 1981 work began on the Diamond, the first in this venerable series. In the early 90s, Rank sold Wharfedale to the Verity Group, who also bought Quad and Leak. None of this would be possible without the talented sub, which anchors it all with lean, purposeful bass notes that fuse tightly to the satellites. This little bass box is a revelation, doing its job without making a song and dance about it.