Wharfedale Diamond 8 Screen 2 AV Speaker Package

[Paul.Scrivens]

Hi,

I have a Marantz SR-4200 Reciever with Mission Cinema 6 speaker package. I also have a Marantz DV-4200 and regularly listen to music CD's

Was thinking of upgrading and came across the Warfdale 8.1's. Is this a good choice for my set-up? Will I notice much difference?

Wharfedale Diamond 8.1 Speakers - Black
Wharfedale Diamond 8.2 Speakers - Black
Wharfedale Diamond 8 Centre - Black

HiFiBitz are selling this package for £309. has anyone seen a better deal?

Regards

Paul

 

[monkeyWRENCH]

Check out http://www.qed-uk.com

 

[enajh2]

In What-Hifi, Hyperfi (green and white advert - 8 page spread) are doing the Screen 3 pack for £269.99!!!! That's 2 * 8.3s, 2 * 8.1s and the centre, all in mahogany! It's listed as Diamond Cinema.

Their 8.x diamond separates are now advertised as Ex display/demo units for £69.99, £89.99 and £129.99 respectively.

They are not on the web.

Hyperfi
67/73 Longbridge Road, Barking, Essex, IG11 8TG
020 8591 6961/8594

[Edit] Just gave them a ring myself because I'm thinking of getting a set for Xmas and they order the Diamond Cinema in direct and should have them in most instances anyway, and when they don't they can get them!

 

[Paul.Scrivens]

Nice one thanks guys. Will get on phone to them now - wonder if they do trade-ins

So will these Warfdales go well with my Marantz SR-4200? or will i need something with a bit more power?

 

[enajh2]

I'm sure I've seen What Hifi recommending the Wharfedales with the Marantz before....all my older issues are boxed away under my bed right now...but after reading this http://www.area450.com/homecinema/speakers.htm and having bought the Sony STRDB1070 myself I am seriously considering getting myself a set.

I'm guessing your Marantz outputs something similar to 100W (although I know in multichannel mode the wattage is something less that 100W when I am driving all six channels).

What does the 4200 output?

 

[Paul.Scrivens]

70W x 5 (8 Ohm)

 

[Paul.Scrivens]

Hey just phoned Hyperfi about the Warfdale Diamond 8 sets - They don't have any in stock and don't know if they will get them back in!

Not very helpful.

Any other suggestions?

 

[enajh2]

I don't feel I am qualified to answer this now, although What Hifi May 2002 put the Diamond Cinema Screen 3 with a 5200, a Philips 32PW9617 TV, and a Pioneer DV-646A DVD (the supertest winner).

The 5200 delvers 90 * 5 W and includes the six-channel input yours is lacking. Sounds familiar when I was reading up for my receiver purchase.

Have you got this What Hifi edition? I could do a scan if you want to see it for looks etc.?

[Edit] That's not what Hyperfi told me?!!

 

[Paul.Scrivens]

www.qed-uk.com are selling the Screen 3's for 302.47 and the Screen 2's for £266.

Is there much difference in these 2 sets? (i.e the 8.3's and 8.2's).

 

[enajh2]

8.3s are floorstanders (80x21x26 cms), 8.2s are 36x21x26 cms compared to the 8.1s, 30x20x18 cms (HxWxD).

I can't get the QED-UK page to load right now - although I think this is NTL my ISP to blame!

I'll do the scans anyhow.

[Edit]

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/alan.hazell/Images/Wharfedale_Screen_3_Page_1.jpg
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/alan.hazell/Images/Wharfedale_Screen_3_Page_2.jpg
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/alan.hazell/Images/Wharfedale_Screen_3_Review.jpg
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/alan.hazell/Images/Wharfedale_Diamond_8.2_Review.jpg

 

[digitalmonkey]

Is there much difference in these 2 sets? (i.e the 8.3's and 8.2's).[

8.3s are floorstanders, as has already been pointed out. My advice would be to go for the 8.3s, considering that if you went for the 8.2s you would also have to shell out for stands if you want to hear them at their best. I think this makes the 8.3s the more cost-effective solution, which is why I have a set myself!


So will these Warfdales go well with my Marantz SR-4200? or will i need something with a bit more power?

I have the exact same combination myself, and it works a treat! I am not an expert, but from the research that I did, I found the Diamonds to be the best speakers for the money to partner that receiver.

 

[enajh2]

Did you hear the 8.3s next to the Mission M73s? The Mission's sound an awful lot more brutish and tighter for what are very similar specs. The tweeter is lower on the Missions but it was the clout of the cabinet as a whole that impressed me.

I also heard the Sony SSB4EDs through the same Sony 940 amp and these blew both sets away. The clarity, soundstage and presence was just staggering!! And this for a Miller Brothers store that don't bother with quality cables etc and display their speakers on wall shelves!!!

I know the Sony's are in a different price bracket but I could get a pair of these for the same price now as the Wharfedale Screen 3 pack.

What are the Wharfedales like for music in a smallish room?

Does using a sub with them make a big difference? i.e. can you get away with not having one for music.

My tastes are pretty much all popular indie/alternative bands (Stone Roses, Ash, Mansun, Travis, Coldplay, OCS, Shed Seven, Manics, Oasis etc) and oldies (Hendrix, Stones, Beatles, Who etc). Big classical pieces (Tchaikovsky, Dvorak etc) and Trance (everything goes here)

[EDIT] And U2!!! Can't believe I forgot them!!

I am looking to Xmas for my purchase so any feedback or thoughts on the above will be appreciated.

I have a Sony 1070 and NS900 DVD/SACD player.

 

[digitalmonkey]

I haven't listened to the Sonys so I couldn't comment on them. From what you said, it sounds like they were more expensive so I guess it is for you to judge whether they are worth the extra money.

I did listen to the Mission M73s and personally I preferred the Diamonds, though I did like the Missions as well. Maybe it just comes down to your own personal taste.

I use the 8.3s for music and am very happy with their performance. However I am led to believe that a good sub will give them a big boost, so I have ordered a Velodyne CHT-10 through the powerbuy forum, and it should hopefully be with me early in October. If you can wait until then, I can let you know how much of a difference the sub makes.

 

[enajh2]

Ok. The Sonys are £329 speakers that you can buy for £236!!

I am trying to weigh these up against the Wharfedale Screen 3 pack? If you have this, does it gel as a package. Some of the reviews criticise the 8.1s for not wrapping rear sounds around you like proper dipoles do but then you would expect this.

Also, something that I am bearing in mind is that the Sony's will not be matched to my existing Videologic satellite speakers which work quite well with my old hifi speakers (on proper stands) at the moment. I do tend to listen to a lot more multichannel music now that I have the kit for it.

For movies though, I can't imagine that I could get away with a Velodyne in my room regardless of whether i could afford one!! My place is privately owned but modelled very much on a halls of residence with thinnish partitions. I'd probably bounce my fellow students out the front door and into the street still in their beds!!!

**************************************************

Paul Scrivens, are you going to buy the Screen 2 or 3 pack from QED-UK then?

 

[Paul.Scrivens]

Gonna go for the Screen 2's as I have 4 speaker stands (Mission Stancettes).

Does anywhere do trade-ins? I have a Mission Cinema6 setup.

 

[digitalmonkey]

Those Sonys, are those the ones that were reviewed in WHF a few months ago?

It sounds like you have found a very good deal on them, so it is really up to you whether you think the extra money would be worth it. It also depends on the quality of the rest of your system, and any future plans that you might have for upgrading. For example if you plan to get a better amp in future then you may want to invest in better speakers that will not be outclassed by a more expensive amp. On the other hand if you don't plan to upgrade then the pricier speakers may be too good for the rest of your system.

As you would expect, the Diamond package forms a cohesive unit for movies etc. It is true that the 8.1 rear speakers don't quite do as good a job as bi/dipoles, although you can improve this by angling them towards a wall rather than directly at the listening position.

Having said that, the possible problem that you mentioned, about your existing satellites not matching the Sonys, may not be too serious. I know all the magazines bang on about getting matching speakers all round, but personally I think it only really matters on the front 3. I am not saying there is no benefit whatsoever to matching the surrounds, but I certainly don't think that non-matching surrounds would be quite the disaster that some people would have you believe.

Just my opinion.

You could get the Sonys and then use your existing hifi speakers as the surrounds, which could work as an all-round upgrade. In a way this would be more cost-effective than splashing out on a completely new package.

 

[enajh2]

Originally posted by digitalmonkey
Those Sonys, are those the ones that were reviewed in WHF a few months ago?

Yep.

You could get the Sonys and then use your existing hifi speakers as the surrounds, which could work as an all-round upgrade.

Have a look at my pictures
http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=45609 and you will see I haven't quite the room to use my Aiwa speakers as rears! I am hoping to take my hifi and these back home and keep it permanently set up in my bedroom in my parents house. My parents can use my stands in the living room with their hifi.

In a way this would be more cost-effective than splashing out on a completely new package.

I'm sold now I think to the idea of the Sony's. I am not going to need to upgrade my receiver or dvd player, in fact, for a good while, not until I have been working for 2-3 years I expect. My ratio for music listening:movies is probably 70:30 too.

The improvements I am going to get just using proper cables and banana plugs with my receiver and any quality floorstanders will suit me fine I'm sure. I'll probably go for the popular QED Silver Anniversary or something similar.

Thanks for your advice. I've just got to wait now because my birthday is on January 6th and I can't ask my Nan for my b'day money just yet, to go with my Xmas money, because she is earning interest on it!!

 

[digitalmonkey]

No problem, glad I could help. Just make sure you are satisfied that the Sonys are a genuine improvement, and are not just convinving yourself that they are better just because WHF gave them a good write-up
(I noticed from your earlier postings that you seem to rely on them quite a lot)
Oh one other thing - probably best to try and audition the SA cable before buying, as I think some people find it a bit too bright-sounding. It's still very good, and in fact I will probably buy some myself very soon, but it might not be to everyone's liking.

 

[enajh2]

Originally posted by Paul.Scrivens
Gonna go for the Screen 2's as I have 4 speaker stands (Mission Stancettes).

Does anywhere do trade-ins? I have a Mission Cinema6 setup.

Richers Sounds is the only place that springs to mind or do they only take old hifi-systems?

I missed your post at first because of the page jump!

 

[Ian J]

Originally posted by Paul.Scrivens
Hey just phoned Hyperfi about the Warfdale Diamond 8 sets - They don't have any in stock and don't know if they will get them back in!

Interesting to see whether they will still be advertised in the next edition (and the one after that).

enajh2

No point deciding now what you will buy at the end of the year as there will probably be a whole range of new special offers around then

 

[enajh2]

Originally posted by digitalmonkey
No problem, glad I could help. Just make sure you are satisfied that the Sonys are a genuine improvement, and are not just convinving yourself that they are better just because WHF gave them a good write-up

It's just that I've not been able to hear the Wharfedale's as a surround setup, only individually as pairs confused:). The Sony's really sang out across the shopfloor though! You do need to take the baffles off though as the review stated. They look better too.

I think even a pair of 8.1s, Mission M70/71i's, or B&W DM303s would be an improvement over my Aiwa's!!

(I noticed from your earlier postings that you seem to rely on them quite a lot)

I just buy a lot of magazines 'cos I like reading them!

Oh one other thing - probably best to try and audition the SA cable before buying, as I think some people find it a bit too bright-sounding. It's still very good, and in fact I will probably buy some myself very soon, but it might not be to everyone's liking.

I'll keep this in mind.

I just rang Hifibitz and I've been advised that I need to place an order for the Sony SSB4EDs now for guaranteed delivery for late November in time for Xmas.

They were unloading an HGV from Sony when I phoned!

 

[Ian J]

Originally posted by enajh2
I also heard the Sony SSB4EDs through the same Sony 940 amp and these blew both sets away. The clarity, soundstage and presence was just staggering!!

I know the Sony's are in a different price bracket but I could get a pair of these for the same price now as the Wharfedale Screen 3 pack.

Hifi Confidential are selling the Sony floorstanders for £279.99

Are they rear ported as if so they may not be best suited for small rooms as they would only give of their best away from the walls.

 

[glynndenniss]

i noticed enajh said hyperfi aint on the web...
they are at www.hyperfi.co.uk.
but u cant order from them and they only have a few items on
like the wharfdale diamond centre for £30

 

[enajh2]

Ian J, Hifibitz are doing them for £255 with free delivery!

I just went round the corner and had another listen. I heard U2, Travis, Schubert's 8th (Unfinished) , and some Ministry of Sound stuff b4 the old guy who runs the place got a bit miffed - I was getting funny looks from the couples looking for fridges etc - although the young chap who looks after the hifi in Miller Bros was enjoying it!!

I can place them up to 2 feet from my wall if need be, or bung them. Whathifi say Sony recommends 30cm so I might be alright. They do sound fantastic. The Mission M73's had gone since I last heard them but they sounded more refined and weighty than even the big and chunky M74's.

Looks like I'll be phoning my Nan tonight!!