Wharfedale Diamond 10.5, Diamond in the rough

WHY DIAMOND?

• Dynamics, punch, good, precise and controlled bass response, and an emphatic, musical and cohesive presence

• Price: €495

• Specialists' rating: 5

• Text: Fernando DE LA FUENTE

The British manufacturer Wharfedale has always stood out for offering excellent value for money and for having a wide range of products that make it accessible to all kinds of buyers. That is why it has become an "entry" brand into the world of high fidelity and home theater for many enthusiasts new to this wonderful hobby.

Following that premise, it launched the Diamond 10 series, a very extensive range made up of the 10.0, 10.1 and 10.2 monitors; the 10.3, 10.4, 10.5, 10.6 and 10.7 floorstanders; the 10.DFS and 10.SR surround speakers; the 10CC, 10CS and 10CM center channels and, finally, three subwoofers: the 10 SX SUB, 10 MX SUB and 10 GX SUB models. This is its basic, entry-level range into the Wharfedale universe, which is completed by the Evo Signature, Onyx, Amber, Achromatic and Vardus series and the impressive Airedales.

Out of this whole array of products, the Diamond 10.5 has become a best-seller, and it is the model to which we devote this Lab.

In terms of configuration, these are three-way floorstanding speakers. They are made up of three drivers: a 165 mm woofer, a 50 mm midrange and finally a 25 mm tweeter. They are mounted on a piano black panel that helps lend our guests a certain elegance, as well as providing stability and reducing vibrations. On the back we find a bass-reflex port and gold-plated binding posts, ready for bi-wiring, with jumpers. It is worth noting how increasingly often manufacturers arrange the binding posts diagonally, something those of us who handle cables all day greatly appreciate, as surely do enthusiasts. The design is very classic, and the most noteworthy feature is the number of finishes available: up to seven different ones, all in wood tones. This will make integration into any room much easier. We also find curved shapes in the cabinet to avoid parallel lines. This was already present in the previous range, the Diamond 9, but the new 10 series uses a new method of curving the panels in order to obtain greater enclosure rigidity and avoid resonances. They also come with decoupling spikes, although they can be placed directly on the floor. In our case, we used them on carpet with good results.

TESTED

I connected the speakers to a system made up of a Marantz PM7003 amplifier and a NAD C545BEE player, all wired with Van den Hul cables.

Given the impressions their big sisters, the Opus2 2s (CEC No. 67), had made on me, I decided to start with popular music, something I don't usually do. I began with Bruce Springsteen, who brings out all the virtues of these speakers: dynamics, punch, good, precise and controlled bass response, and an emphatic, musical and cohesive presence. The sound is very full and emphatic. However, at high sound pressure (roughly from -25 dB upward), the music tended to bunch up and the instruments to blur, smearing a soundstage that had been very effective until then. They also offer an excellent sense of spaciousness, which also aids directionality. In this way, on the one hand, speaker placement becomes easier and, on the other, we can enjoy good sound quality from any listening position. The truth is that listening to the Boss at a reasonable volume was really spectacular, thanks to the bass already mentioned and superb midrange. The treble also did its job, although I had the impression that it was somewhat "cut off" at the top (24 kHz is a correct frequency response figure, but not a remarkable one), sacrificing some musicality for greater punch, thus gaining in balance.

They also proved to be undemanding speakers in terms of current delivery and amplification, thanks to their 6-ohm impedance, given that their sensitivity is 86 dB. This allows the amplifier to work comfortably.

Changing style radically, I turned to W.A. Mozart with "The Abduction from the Seraglio" in John Eliot Gardiner's version for Archiv. Besides the Austrian genius's usual harmony, it offers oriental rhythms, owing to its subject matter, that are very useful for a Lab.

In this opera, the Wharfedales revealed their intentions, virtues and limitations all at once. The intention is undoubtedly to be versatile speakers, accessible to all audiences and, above all, balanced. Their virtue is that they undoubtedly achieve their aim. And their limitation is that they do not reach the level of excellence in any of the respects mentioned.

With classical music, they reveal their rock vocation, and one misses a little more musicality, transparency and level of detail. However, their virtues are still present and we can still enjoy good punch and a wide soundstage. Instrument localization is harder work, more precise when there is a solo instrument, and a slight tendency toward smearing can be perceived. There is also a lack of subtlety in voices as complex as that of soprano Luba Orgonasova in the arias of the Mozart opera, which comes across as somewhat flat.

I am aware that I have put the Diamond 10.5s through a very tough test on hostile ground, but I want to make it very clear that our guests fulfill their purpose, especially at a price below €600, a budget segment in which it is very difficult to find floorstanders that do not simply assault our ears.

When I returned to their natural habitat, for example with The Waterboys, "The Whole of the Moon" gave a splendid result. Natural, direct, comfortable and simple. Without complications of any kind. This is where they deliver their full potential and we can squeeze them like a lemon. "Fisherman's Blues" and "A Man Is in Love" convey the same sensations, with natural and, to put it very colloquially, "pretty" flute and violin solos. The Wharfedales may have certain shortcomings and limitations under close analysis, but rest assured that you will find many hours of pleasure and long enjoyment with them.

They also handle vocal jazz or near-soul passages with ease, such as Corinne Bailey Rae's superb latest work, The Sea. It is a very carefully crafted production that especially showcases the singer's alluring voice. In this case, unlike what happens with the operatic recording discussed earlier, the voice is richer and brings out nuances I had not found, or rather, had struggled to find before. It is clear that when you demand the maximum from the speakers (tuttis, crescendos...) they will be able to reproduce it, but they will suffer. With pieces that have few instruments, or popular music (by which I mean rock, pop, etc.), they will give everything they have.

CONCLUSION

In summary and by way of conclusion, I think they are excellent entry-level speakers into the world of high fidelity, for many reasons. The first is the extraordinary value for money Wharfedale has always been known for, which is demonstrated here once again. It is very difficult to find three-way floorstanders for under €600 that perform like these, which cost less than €500. There is a legion of buyers looking for this type of product, whom they will allow to acquire a good-quality system without much damage to their pockets. I wouldn't dare call it an "impulse buy" (in electronics the term usually applies to under €200; in audio the standard is somewhat higher), but it comes very close. What's more, and more importantly, none of those potential customers will feel let down, because they are such honest speakers.

WE LIKE

- Value for money.

- Easygoing sound and ease of placement.

COULD BE IMPROVED

- Tendency to smear at high sound pressure.

- Lack of nuance in complex pieces.

Toni Monsalve Vegas, Director of CPP2000.



We fully agree with the review. Excellent speakers that fulfill one of the brand's principles: bringing high fidelity to newcomers at truly attractive prices.

WHY DIAMOND?

Although product ranges often have a completely random name or one set by the marketing department, this is not the case with the Diamond series. The reason is a wide flange supporting the chassis of the midrange and bass drivers, secured by six screws. It is all protected by a diamond-shaped molding that surrounds the entire Kevlar cone, which can be seen by removing the protective grille. In this way, clearer treble is achieved and sonic cohesion between the tweeter and the mid- and low-frequency drivers is made simpler, according to Wharfedale.

Wharfedale Diamond 10.5, Diamond in the rough

Specifications

RECOMMENDED AMPLIFICATION 20-120w. NOMINAL IMPEDANCE 6 Ohms. SENSITIVITY 86 dB. FREQUENCY RESPONSE 35 Hz – 24 kHz. DIMENSIONS 850 x 223 x 301 mm. WEIGHT 14.3 Kg. DISTRIBUTOR CPP2000 (935861730).

Price: €495