Riaad

wharfedale Diamonds - combination

Hi

I have waited along time and now finally going buy some decent speakers.Ill be using it mostly for 80% Ht 20% music.

I have decided on the Diamond series.

The room Ill be using is not very big.
Amp - HK 300RDS

Should I go for the
8.4 Mains
Diamond center
8.2 rears
or
8.3 Mains
Diamond center
8.1 rears
or
8.2 Mains
Diamond Center
8.2rears

Is it worth it going for a floorstander rather then a bookself speker?
Taking into account ,I will be looking to buy a sub(looking at the Sony WM500) at a later stage and maybe looking to use them in a bigger room some day.

I just need some guidance into what will be the best combination.

Thanks
Riaad

Geoff L

Riaad

Will this be for strickly for HT-80% and music-20% stereo, and NO DVDA or SCAD playback???

Room size and the placement options available in it, should certainly be considered. The 8.2 bookshelf or the Diamond Bi-pole can be wall mounted for the surrounds and eliminate taking up valuable floor space..

The Diamond bookshelf sized Bi-pole speaks are very good and quite a few here are running them in their HT's.. Not a speaker I'd use if your plan to get into SCAD and or DVDA). JMO

If you have the room, definitly go with the 8.4 up front (better pick for 2-channel stereo) and the surrounds should be picked based on what you plan to use the system "mostly" for.
If you were to go with 8.2's all round you have to "budget stands" in for at least the front main L & R speakers and possibly also the surrounds, this if you were to decide to NOT wall mount.

If you may be moving to a larger room anytime soon, certainly factor that into your speaker pics at this time. Nobody wants to buy to turn around and re-buy. Adding to your speaks, (rear center/s), etc, is one thing, but bigger mains and maybe even surounds you don't want to re-purchase again. Of course you could move the 8.2 surrounds to the rear center and add towers to the surrounds later if you went this way now. This only if you wanted to make use of 6.1 DD-ES DTS-ES later.

Compramises sometimes have to be made, but try to look ahead as you make your choices now.

Hope this might help with things to think about and in the end you have to make the choices for your HT system!

You might try a search for (Wharfedale Diamonds) if you have not already. Just as of late a few threads have sprung up dealing with new buyers of the Diamonds. You might find some useful info with those and other older threads dealing with the Diamond line your looking into.

Doubt you will be disapointed with the speaks, an excellent speaker line for the money and come very highly rated by the Audio Press....

Cheer s
Geoff

Riaad

Geoff

Thanks for all the info.
I think im going to go with 4 8.2's and a center and the money I do save, invest in a better sub.
I have had a look at all the posts on the Diamonds and have noticed that they do require alot of power and they also have a 6 Ohm Impedance.

I know that the 6 Ohm rating according to Wharfedale is compatible with 8 Ohm Amps.Is this true?
I a just a bit worried as the Amp im currently using is a
HK 300RDS which i think is rated 55 or 60 watts per channel.
(not sure).Will this be ok to drive these speakers.?I know that HK are very Conservative on there power rating but I don't want to be disappointed.
Also could I use 16g wire all round to connect, or do I need 12g wire?


Thanks
Riaad

Geoff L

You H/K H/K will drive the Diamonds fine and as far as speaker wire, unless very long runs have to be made (25ft+), 16g is fine.

12g is what most run and would be fine for all but the very longest speaker wire runs...

Cheers
Geoff

Bill_San

Riaad,

I'll echo most of what Geoff says above.

Your HK 300 should have no problem with the 6 ohm Diamonds and the power should be more than adequate for any reasonable listening level.

Since You only get about 10% of program material from the rears, I would rather put my money into the best main L and R I could get. I would opt for the 8.4 mains, Diamond center and either 8.1 or DFS bipoles for the rear. I like the bipole sound, some prefer direct radiators. I would even go with the WH-2 rear bipoles, which are very inexpensive here in the US. I've heard them and like 'em. They timbre match the Wharfedales as they sport the silk dome tweets.

For me the fronts are so much more important than the rears--the musical score of most films is a big part of the experience--and the deep bass parts of good scores really shine through a good pair of front floorstanders.
Also, the 8.4 fronts can make a sub a "next upgrade" item rather than a current requirement if you need to keep a to a tight budget.

And a plus for the bipoles--they can be hung on a back wall (or side wall), taking up no floorspace at all.

But anyway you configure it, you'll like the Wharfedale sound.

Bill

Riaad

Hi Guys

Thanks. Any doubts have now been erased.What do you guys say of Bi- Wire-ring them.Would that make a big difference.?
If it would would you get a special bi-wire cable or just use two wires to connect them.?

Riaad

Shane_Lentini

Riaad,

Another "my 2 cents" post

I have the 8.4s up front and the 8.1s mounted on the wall...couldn't be happier. I listen to a little more music so I opted for the towers and was pleasantly surprised with the sound they produce. They are powered by a Denon 1803.

Enjoy the Wharfs, whichever ones they may be!

Geoff L

Bi-Amp yes, Bi-wire don't bother!

Leave the gold jumpers on and wire as normal. The costs in wire (even cheap wire) do not justify what little sound improvment their "might" be.
Notice the word, MIGHT!

I doubt very very much that blind folded you could tell a difference Bi-wired or not,,, no matter how good the wire used.

Save your money, buy some DVD's and call it a day!

Regards
Geoff