Wharfedale diamond 10.7 vs KEF Q300 vs KEF Q350

[Potatofarmer]

Hello,

I recently bought my first set of speakers, a second hand kit of Wharfedale diamond 10.7's, for 400 euros (around £370). I've paired them with my dad's Yamaha amplifier (don't know the exact type by heart), since I haven't bought my own amp yet, I'm really happy with the result.
When I went to my local hifi shop yesterday though, I tested a pair of KEF Q300's paired with a Yamaha A-S501 amp. I was amazed by how articulate and refined they sounded compared to the wharfedales, like I could pick songs apart layer by layer. I'm going there today to check them out again and hear if they really are my cup of tea.

I could sell the Wharfedales for the exact price I bought them and the Q300's were €450 (~£415). Would you say it's worth it?
I also read some reviews on the new Q350's, which supposedly sound even better at a price of €550 (£505).
Would you say it's worth dropping an extra €100 (£90) for these?
I'm pretty sure my local shop will give me an additional discount if I buy them paired with the A-S501 amp, since I need my own amplifier anyway.

Cheers!

 

[JWC]

I would say it really depends on your level of disposable income, and whether you have a tendency to get caught in an endless upgrade cycle. If you plan to use these speakers for a long time, let's say 10 years, then an extra 100 isn't much in the long run. If you think you'll be tempted to upgrade again, then it's up to you whether the upgrade is worth it to you at this point in time.

It's also possible the difference in sound is due to the amplifier, especially if your Yamaha is an old one. You may want to consider buying the A-S501 first and trying it with the Wharfedales. I figure you can work something out with the store, so that if you ended up upgrading to Kefs, then you could still get some kind of package deal.