I'm jazz musician, I've purchased these booksheilf after lookin around 'net and I just did known they would sound great. Then I went to Hi-fi shop and listened to diamond and B&W303: no way, the diamond were more analitic and with less dispersion(yes they got less bass then B&W but their bass are , for me, better 'cause youi got it in front of box and no problem with wall and distances). Best purchase after my digital piano...

* Amazing sound stage rivalled only ny spreakers at quadruple the price - images like a champ though positioning is vital for this feature. * Tight bass albiet not deep. * High's are crystal clear and the midrange * My gilrfried thinks they look great without the grill on. How many speakers have inards that appeal to girlfriends?

* Coloured sound i.e. Not accurate like a reference monitor. Having said that all speakers in this price range are going to be inaccurate and I suspect that they are delibertely made this way to complent the imaging. * Low sound pressure level and 6 ohm so you need a good amp to push them. Something with enough head room and to add to my budget stereo I chose a NAD 320.

These are legends. They are astonishing speakers for the price. I'd owned earlier models at various times when I was in the audiophile game and now that I'm on a budget, it was the obvious choice. These are not for your techno music or thumping rap but more for being able to hear the tibre of indivdual instruments and having the speakers disappear creating a true stereo effect. Poor man's audiophile speakers.

Similar Products Used:

*Artisan - pilot (my all time favorite imaging bookshelf) *Tannoy - Unmemorable model *Mission - Unmemorable model

price, look good, sexy, different (no so_y, Ya_aha, b_ose,pio_eer), sound good, small, bi-wire, banana plugs or squeeze the speaker wires in.

too high, not enough bass sometimes, cabinet too small, price(i wish they were cheaper ($40/pair)) so i can get 2 other pairs. only two colors available(I would get them all if more). highs too high!!!

Review for wharfedale Diamond 8.1. I wish I can give 5 stars but the trebble is way too high. But I have to say I am very impressed with these babies. They are strong, solid, loud, and small. However, small can sometimes be a problem - warmth and some lack of bass. They look extremely sexy, but of course you have to take the cover out. I recommend this to anyone. I had some 5-year old yamaha and they sounded great. However one of the differences between the two is that the 3-way yahama will break (literaly) when volume is high. The diamond 8.1 sounds great in my opinion. I think wharfdale in general is great. Break-in time: 40 hours ambiance volume and a little higher.

Clarity and openness. These babes rock with style. They sound better than most 2-3 times more expensive speakers.

Mid bass could be a bit more accurate. A small hint of occasional boom, when you turn up the volume. But hey, for the price, they are a bargain.

Bought these speakers based on articles & reviews, which is usually not a very good idea. However, I'm happy to say that these speakers fulfill every requirement and more which you can demand from 150 $/pair speakers.

Sound

grills

I'd like to clarify my review, it's the bass that's a little light, the mids are where it excels. The grills are still awful though.

Similar Products Used:

Klipsch, KEF, Wharfedale

Well built enclosure, bi wire posts, the sound!

The grills are the worst.

I Bought a pair on faith, I wasn't disappointed. Nice bass, very tight, not muddy at all. Light in the mids but you can't expect a 2 way speaker this size to act like a 3 way tower. The best part about these speakers are the way they hit you square in the face. They aren't lazy or distant like some others I've heard. The box is solid, real wood veneer, ash black, bi-wired and 6 ohms nominal. The one complaint is those dang grills, come on Wharfedale! I like the Kevlar, lets see if it's really treated like they claim.

Similar Products Used:

KEF Q-5's, Wharfedale Diamonds & Pacific, Bose (yuck), JBL, Sony (beats the bose.

Refined sound. Impressive soundstaging considering their small size. I find the maple finish (they are not cheap looking at all!) and the kevlar woofers pleasing to the eyes.

Lack of bass. I got a Paradigm subwoofer to give these speakers some impact. Very effective!

Since there are no dealers near my area, I did not get to audition these speakers. I bought these just basing on the research I did on the internet and audio magazines like What Hifi and Audiophile. Besides the ability to do accurate music reproduction, price (I have a modest budget) and size (I live in an apt.) were also 2 major factors that I was considering. The Diamond 8.1 fulfilled all of these factors. They match well with my Cambridge Audio CDP and NAD Amp. The soundstage is wide, and the midrange and high's are refined, as long as you don't play them too loud. Also, these speakers work best on sturdy stands and in small listening rooms. Speaker placement is also key - closer to the wall, you'll improve the bass but you'll degrade soundstaging, and you get the opposite results when you place them away from the wall. If you are looking for monitors that can produce hefty bass, these speakers are not for you. You should check out systems (more expensive!) from B&W, Dynaudio, Proac, Mission, or Acoustic Energy.

Similar Products Used:

B&W 801 and 602. Infinity SM105 and Bose 301.

mid range

Bass. However, I did not buy them for LFE. I have them coupled with an HSU VTF2. They work well together.

Needed 4 bookshelf speakers and a center channel to go with a Denon 2802 and a 55” widescreen Mitsubishi. Purchased the 8.1’s and matching center solely on Internet reviews. They are everything I read and more. Unbelievable sound for so little money. I'd compare them to the B&W, Klipsch and other bookshelfs that I demoed at Tweeter and Home Theater. Excellent sound stage and imaging. They work super for home theater. With music they tend to expose any shortcomings in the recording.

Very soft and "round" sound. Sound much bigger than their size. Good base.

Boxy, muffled sound due to excessive midrange and weak treble?

I purchased these speakers as a smaller stereo setup in another part of the house. Having read many positive reviews here and in the press, I bought them without listening. Bad idea! They sound very very dull, constricted, flat, unexciting... whatever you want to call it. Listen to a voice and it sounds like it's coming out of a shoebox. Twisting the treble to maximum improves things slightly. Muffled is the word I was looking for. It sounds like all instruments are wrapped in cotton wool. This despite running the speakers at ear splitting levels for a few days, while away at work. The only review that offers some consolation is the one from Russia which mentions you have to play music a lot to wake the Diamonds 8.1's up and that he twisted the tone controls to get a normal sound. I've had them for two weeks now. How long will it take to get a half way descent sound out of these? How long do you have to suffer through the muffled sound?

Similar Products Used:

Eltax Monitor III: a much better sound and look at $100!n

Very natural midrange. Imaging, soundstaging, disappearing act. Refinement beyond expectations for it's price.

Missing deep bass. Not for large rooms.

I still remember the first time I fired these speakers up at home - played Dave Brubeck's Time Out - I was stunned by their refinement! Simply did not expect this level of performance for <$200. They sounded more natural and open than they had any right to - and that's BEFORE break-in! Unlike most speakers today that sound way too lean when compared to live music, the little 8.1's sound full and warm. Case in point: I prefer the 8.1's to the highly touted Triangle Titus, which to me sounded too lean. Being a mini-monitor, deep bass is missing. You can get more bass by placing them closer to the rear wall, but then you sacrifice some openness and soundstaging. I bought mine from Omer at Oz Enterprises in Ottawa. Superb customer service from a guy who loves music. A refreshing change from most snobby dealers...you know the type - either they ignore you or once you get their attention, they always have to tell you that they own a Krell or a Levinson (even though you didn't ask), as if that makes them more authoritative.

Similar Products Used:

PSB 300 & Alpha, Paradigm Atom, original Reference 3a MM, Triangle Titus