[bcwang]

I've been hearing lots of good things about the rocket ELT package and it seems that it's a good one to get at the price range. However, looking around I've seen the Wharfedale Diamond 8's seem to sell quite cheap and have pretty good reviews too. In fact, you can get the diamond 8.3 floor standers, 8.1 bookshelfs, and diamond cc for $700 msrp, cheaper if you look around. If you add a $300 subwoofer, then it's priced identically to the rockets but you get floorstanding fronts.


So since they are about the same price, which setup will sound better for HT and music? Has anyone actually heard the two setups before? How do the rocket satellites compare to the 8.1 and 8.2 bookshelves?


Thanks!

 

[Mad Dog]

you'd need to hear them yourself...


i've owned wharfedale emerald 93 monitors in the past...they sounded good for the money, but the drivers aren't that great as they would start to distort and bottom out around 90dBs losing their composure and sound compressed...the Diamond series is a lower level line than even the emeralds...

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0...1.LZZZZZZZ.jpg


i've driven the ELTs to over 90dBs with no problems...they do start exhibiting a little bit of harshness but the drivers never bottomed out and they were still pretty composed...


you might want to go to www.audioenvy.com to see if someone close to you owns them and will allow you to audition them. good luck...

 

[mr.rs]

I haven't heard the rockets but I can tell you the Diamond 8s are a great bargain for the amount of sound they're capable of.

I purchased a set of 8.3 towers, a center, and the dfs diamond dipoles for a grand total of $483 plus shipping.

At that price it made my choice between Paradigm, Dahlquist, Axiom and the Wharfedales very easy to make.

 

[bcwang]

mr.rs,


Where did you get that price for the diamond package? That's a very good price. Do you have any problems with the drivers distorting under high volume as mentioned by Mad Dog about the Emerald line? They do spec to be difficult to drive being 6 ohm and 86 [email protected], do you think they require lots of power to get to high volumes cleanly?


Has anyone else there heard both the Diamond 8's and the ELT's and can comment?


Thanks!

 

[mr.rs]

bcwang, you have a PM.

 

[BigguyZ]

Mad Dog- I think the diamonds are actually a higher end speaker than the Emerald. Maybe I'm wrong- but the diamonds use a woven teflon cone, which is also the type of driver used in their flagship speakers, the EVO and the new Opus. The Emerald's cone in that pic is not the same cone..... The Diamonds might do better with a faster cone....


I have a pair of Saphire 87s. Love em', but looking to upgrade soon.

 

[mr.rs]

Actually the Daimonds and Evos have woven kevlar, the Crystals have woven poly (yes woven poly), and the newest Evo Opus have carbon fiber woofers.

 

[Toaster Oven]

bcwang, at that price range I suggest you consider the Wharfedale Pacific EVO line over the Diamonds. I listened to a pair of Diamond 8.2s and EVO-10s side by side while auditioning speakers and the EVOs were IMHO far better than the Diamonds in every way that I can think of. Yes they're a little pricier (ok a lot pricier) and you won't find them on the typical discount sites like the Diamond line, but they definitely merit a listen if you have a Wharfedale dealer nearby. Powered and biamped by my Panny XR45 receiver, the EVO-10s sound stellar for music. For HT use, I bump the treble control on the XR45 +1 or +2 for the bang em up action movies and they work great as well (I prefer neutral for music and bright for HT).

 

[Mad Dog]

Quote:

Originally posted by BigguyZ Mad Dog- I think the diamonds are actually a higher end speaker than the Emerald. Maybe I'm wrong- but the diamonds use a woven teflon cone, which is also the type of driver used in their flagship speakers, the EVO and the new Opus. The Emerald's cone in that pic is not the same cone..... The Diamonds might do better with a faster cone.... I have a pair of Saphire 87s. Love em', but looking to upgrade soon.

BigguyZ,


The Emeralds have now been discontinued, but when they were in production, they were in the middle of the Wharfedale lineup...IIRC, entry level was the Modus, then Sapphires, followed by the Emeralds...I also liked my Emeralds when I owned them...Warm, sweet sounding speaker...just couldn't handle higher volumes. At moderate volumes, they sounded fine.


While the Diamond utilizes different drivers, it is still just their entry level speaker...I'm quite certain the Opus drivers while maybe similar in technology are not the same drivers used in the Diamond line...


Come to think of it, I have heard the Diamond speakers before...Not bad for the money...but if it were my money, i'd go with the Monitor Audio Bronze B2s or ELTs instead...

 

[snb3]

I did a side by side comparo between the Monitor bronze2 & Diamond 8.4. The b2's had a significantly clearer high end & were more defined thorought. I had originally planned on purchasing the 8.3's but since the 8.4 didnt sound as good as the B2's, I ended up paying quite a bit more for the floorstanding b4s. Im no expert but the difference were quite noticeable and I considered it money well spent even though I am on a extremely tight budget. If I couldnt spend more, I would still take the b2's over the 8.4s or 8.3.

 

[IceTBC]

Quote:

Originally posted by mr.rs Actually the Daimonds and Evos have woven kevlar, the Crystals have woven poly (yes woven poly), and the newest Evo Opus have carbon fiber woofers.

FWIW, yes the Opus series uses woven carbon fiber for the 8" and 10" drivers. The Evo's use the woven kevlar. I know since I have a pair of the Opus 2's. Wharfedale also dropped the Evo name on the Opus speakers and their literature, at least on the pair I have, which were purchased in the U.S. .


I also auditioned them alongside a pair of Evo 40's and the Opus 2's sounded *noticeably* better, at least to my ears. However, they are nearly half again the price of the Evo 40's so one would hope that would be the case.


Rich

 

[mr.rs]

IceTBC, what color did you get on the Opus?

I know the piano black of the Opus is amazing to say the least.

Hell, the Evo line looks damn nice also.

 

[IceTBC]

Mine are in the light maple. They have the typical satin furniture type finish as opposed to gloss. The Evo's light maple finish seemed to have a slight yellow tint or stain to them as opposed to the natural light maple on the Opus. I will say the cabinetry craftsmanship on the Opus is absolutely top notch and the curved sides lend them a sleek uncluttered modern look. I'm very happy with their appearance as well as their sound.


Rich

 

[BigguyZ]

I meant Kevlar. I couldnt think that late, and was *quite* tired (as I am now, actually). But yeah, I know that the EVOs and the Diamonds used the same material. And the diamonds were second to the Pacific line until the Evos, then the Opus came along. IceTBC, I'm interested in getting the EVOs or teh Opus'... Have you listened to the internet vendors and can you compare? I'm thinking if I should buy two really great mains for $1200-$1500 or get the entire HT for that much.... I'm looking at Ascend or Axiom. But I listened to the EVOs for like 5 min- but they left an impression. I also thought the Pacifics were darn nice. If I may ask, how muchwere the Opus 20s? I know the EVO 40s are in the $1000 a pair range....

 

[IceTBC]

I haven't listened to any speakers sold only on the internet so can't really compare the Evo or Opus line to any of them. I payed $999 each or $1998 for the pair of Opus 2's, but I bought them from a local authorized Wharfedale dealer who was willing to deal a bit. That was $600 more for the pair of Opus 2's over the pair of Evo 40's, at least at what he was offering them to me at. Probably your mileage will vary on pricing on the Opus line.


Rich

 

[bcwang]

The Evo always seem to be better reviewed than the Diamond 8, but the price difference is substantial. I'm trying to choose a full 5.1 system for under $1k, and the evo's would not be possible to fit in that price. Right now the two best contender's are the Rocket ELT's and a Diamond 8 setup. There have been quite a lot of rave about the ELT's and that has been the favored choice for a while. I only recently read about the Diamond 8's and the fact that a system can be built with those speakers for less than the ELT while still getting floorstanders is amazing. This is especially amazing since the Diamonds actually get good reviews.


I think the most important thing is whether the Diamond Center is better than the ELT center, and whether the 8.3 will sound better than the ELT bookshelf. If those two are true then the diamond's may beat out the ELT's as the favorites because they'll be cheaper (no need for stands either) and better. Unfortunately I have found no local dealers that have Diamond 8's, and ELT's are an internet brand so comparison between them is unlikely for me.


There have been many who have ELT's and love them, and a few who own the Diamond 8's and love them. However seems like no one has actually compared those two before even though they are in the same price range.

 

[403forbidden]

I have a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 8.4, Diamond Center, and Diamond 8.1 for surrounds. (HSU VTF-2 sub). I could not be happier. However, I am moving the Diamonds to the bedroom theater because I am looking at an Axiom setup.

 

[403forbidden]

oh by the way...Amazon was selling the Diamond 8.4 for $199 each a few days ago.

 

[bcwang]

403forbidden,


Why are you moving your Diamond setup into the bedroom? Was there some aspect of it's performance that you found lacking?

 

[403forbidden]

Quote:

Originally posted by bcwang 403forbidden, Why are you moving your Diamond setup into the bedroom? Was there some aspect of it's performance that you found lacking?

No, I am totally happy with the performance of these Diamonds. I am only looking for a new set of speakers because I don't think the Diamonds are "sexy" enough for my living room. I know, that's not a good reason..but anyhow.


I think I like the looks of the Axiom and Rocket speakers more than the Diamonds. But as I said before, the performance of the Diamonds are top notch.