Following on from the critically acclaimed 121 and 220 models from their Diamond range, Wharfedale are back with the latest creation – the Diamond 11 range.
The 11.1 sits between the smaller 11.0 and larger 11.2 standmounts and is part of a range that also features 3 floorstanders and 2 centre speakers. Although sporting a curvaceous cabinet design harking back to their 10.1 range a decade ago, Wharfedale has kept their instantly recognisable “slot” port design in the base of the speaker used in their most recent models. With a traditional rectangular grill on the front and the understated but classy design of the cabinet, the Diamond 11.1 has a lot going for them in the looks front straight out of the box.
Development has gone into the Kevlar bass/mid speaker system which sits in a basket with a network of ribs that maintain the rigidity. According to Wharfedale, this is aimed at delivering better transient response and to reduce early reflections within the cabinet. The tweeter has also been revamped in order for it to “contribute to a lucid midrange performance in addition to precise high-frequency detailing”. Fancy words but how do they fare when the horde of colleagues at Richer Sounds Bristol commence their onslaught of varied musical tastes?
The evolution of a classic, the Wharfedale Diamond 11.1 continues to lead the compact speaker market.
Starting off by hooking the Wharfedales up to a Cambridge CXA60 and CXC shows us that the 11.1 immediately mean business. The driving rhythm of The Prodigy’s “The Way It Is” proves no challenge and as the electronic beat snaps along with plenty of attack and energy, the synthesized melody seems thick and full-bodied without being too flabby or unfocused. Bass has definitely been improved upon in comparison to the still current Diamond 220 model, although they aren’t quite as solid and defined as other competitors however and can occasionally mean that the low frequencies come across as a bit woolly. Switching to something mellower such as “Sweetest Kill” by Broken Social Scene does nothing to dull the talent of the 11.1 and shows that the gentle layers and floaty vocals are separated well whilst keeping a cohesive feel. This is especially evident between the mid-range and high frequencies which contributes to an excellent sense of scale and dynamics. Instrumentation is detailed and clear and manages to knit well together, even when things build up to the atmospheric ending. Overall, this new 11.1 really put the 220 in the shade whether it’s dynamics, bass reach, scale or vibrancy. The 220 just sound, well… bland by comparison.
Whilst smaller than the current favourite of sub £300 standmounts, the Monitor Audio Bronze 2, the Diamond 11.1 are bigger than others such as the Dali Zensor 1 and sound it. You’ll find better balance between all the frequencies with the Bronze 2 and an altogether fuller and bigger sound, but in certain areas the 11.1 go further such as bass depth (especially in electronic music). With the curved cabinets, they aren’t ideally suited to mounting on speaker brackets but you’ll not get the best out of any speaker when doing that. You’ll also only find a single pair of speaker terminals on the rear so if bi-wiring is your thing then these speakers aren’t going to be on your Christmas list, but they should be on everyone else’s when deciding which standmounts to look at. Come and say hello at your local Richer Sounds to try them out and make sure you bring your favourite CDs along too.
Click to find out more about the Diamond 11.1 speakers.
Author: Steve, Bristol store
