Wharfedale Diamond 10.1

...point in the arsenal of Wharfedale speakers but it's notable just how clear the notes are and thus just what a difference it makes to the overall listening experience. The icing on the cake is the treble which despite the volume, remains neutral and thus integrated to the rest of the sound. So if you are a fan of slow music or classical, you are bound to revel in this and for those who like their music, faster and harder, the bass extension and detail ...
...market remains fiercely competitive and Wharfedale have really been forced to up the ante in terms of sound quality to compete with Monitor Audio, but it's clear that they have now set the standard for others to follow.

I would highly recommend these speakers and honestly see little to fault them on. If we are comparing like for like, then perhaps the BR2's retain a certain more excitement to the music which might be welcomed in some ... more

The Wharfedale's have consistently made good speakers but for a while now in my eyes, it has failed to make outstanding speakers. Well of that changes with it's latest incarnation the 10.1's which have only landed in the shops in the last couple of weeks. The range attempts to build upon the qualities which made the 9.1's a very attractive speaker but improve upon the areas of sound quality which were ultimately bettered by the Monitor Audio BR2's. Fresh out of the box and onto the speaker stands, in looks alone these speakers look a snip at the price with a very eye catching design which is sure to win the approval of many current fans of hi fi and potential fans alike.

In addition to this despite being rear ported, this poses no problems when positioning them near walls. Therefore takes away some of the notable problems of boom which can be encountered when space is at a premium. Although having said that, I would recommend positioning these at least 8 inches away from the walls as it is important to let the bass breathe so nothing is overshadowed by the lower end notes. Where the 9.1's really fell down in my opinion was their notable lack of bass and thankfully these address this problem with great bass extension and transparency. When listening to rap music for instance this becomes very evident.and really helps to resonate the snap of the bass drum on Eminem's The Way I Am.

The midrange is equally impressive and conveys both depth, openness and detail. This was an area which has never been a weak point in the arsenal of Wharfedale speakers but it's notable just how clear the notes are and thus just what a difference it makes to the overall listening experience. The icing on the cake is the treble which despite the volume, remains neutral and thus integrated to the rest of the sound. So if you are a fan of slow music or classical, you are bound to revel in this and for those who like their music, faster and harder, the bass extension and detail will not disappoint one bit. It is good to see that this relatively cheaper end of the market remains fiercely competitive and Wharfedale have really been forced to up the ante in terms of sound quality to compete with Monitor Audio, but it's clear that they have now set the standard for others to follow.

I would highly recommend these speakers and honestly see little to fault them on. If we are comparing like for like, then perhaps the BR2's retain a certain more excitement to the music which might be welcomed in some genres. However the BR2'st fail to capture the clarity of these speakers and with the improvements that Wharfedale have made to areas of weakness, then it's clear to see that others will have their work out in trumping these speakers. In my opinion these are sure to sell like hot cakes because they are truly excellent speakers and even better for the price they are retailing at.

 

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