I'm not happy with my speakers.. Please help! (1 Viewer)

[Adrian Ferrari]

I purchased a pair of diamond 8.1's about 3 months ago. Soon after, I added an Onkyo 501 receiver and a dayton 10" sub. I bought the diamond 8.1s after hearing great things about them on this forum and elsewhere on the internet. Unfortunately, I bought them over the internet without listening to them first.

At first I really liked the diamonds. They have a very wide soundstage and are very smooth and clear. After listening to them over the past 3 months however I have come to realize that I prefer a tad bit brighter sound. The diamonds are great for the price, but to my ears they don't sound "forward" enough and at times can get a little too muddy. I don't dislike warm sounding speakers, but the diamonds coupled with my onkyo receiver is just too warm.

Anyone have any upgrade suggestions? I'd be willing to spend $300-$500 to upgrade.

Ive heard good things about

Klipsch
Athena
Axiom
Polk
B&W
JBL
Fluance (although I am skeptical that they are white van speakers)

Thanks in advance.

Man I love this forum!

 

[Leigh_M]

You may want try your current speakers with a Yamaha Receiver. I like onkyo, but not matched to my Boston Acoustics. Boston tend to be warmer and great music speakers. I hooked them to a yamaha receiver and it made a big difference. Just a thought.

 

[Sheldon C]

I own axiom m60's and m3's. The m60's are in my basement where my main ht setup is. They sound sooo damn good. I can't decide which I like better, their amazing clarity, huge soundstage, or their precise imaging. I must say howewver, that my m3's in my pool table room aren't really that far behind and they cost a fraction of the price. I can't believe that such sweet sound can come from a bookshelf speaker!

Anyway, good luck with your decision.

 

[TosH]

If you liked the sound of your Diamonds but want a more forward sound, then check out Wharfedale's Pacific Evo line. Specifically the Evo-10 and possibly the Evo-20 which should be in your price range. I have a pair of the Evo-10 bookshelves hooked up to a Panasonic XR-45 receiver and a Dayton 10" sub and I couldn't be happier. I'm especially impressed with their clarity, detail, and depth of soundstage which is important to me as I do a lot of low level listening. This also happens to work very well while watching movies as the vocals really distinguish themselves without resorting to jacking the volume. They are forward sounding speakers with a neutral sound bordering on bright. But they're not harsh and fatiguing like some of the other speakers I've auditioned, no matter how loud I play them.

From what I understand, this line shares no components with the Diamond line, although they use the same kevlar material for the woofer. The tweeter as I understand it is completely different from the ones used in the Diamond line. The cabinet on these speakers are absolutely gorgeous with their curved faces and walls and real wood veneer. I really don't think I'll be able to buy another vinyl wrapped boxy speaker after owning these They are also relatively heavy for their size as they have a considerable amount of internal bracing.

I could go on and on but I think you're best bet would be to get out there and audition anything you're considering buying. If you have a Wharfedale dealer in your area, that would be a great starting point as you could compare the Diamonds to whatever they carry. Bring along your current speakers wherever you go so you can play them side by side with whatever you're auditioning.

BTW, apparently the grilles on the Diamond series really suck. If you're not already, try removing the grilles from your speakers and see if that helps at all.

 

[john michiels]

I've got Axiom M40's and M3's. Sweet! I can't be happier.
M20's are supposed to be even better than the M3's. 400 for a pair. Find the right crossover point on your sub and you'll be amazed.
John

 

[Robert Cowan]

uh, didnt you say you made a bad decision because you took and online recommendation?

maybe you should do your own footwork and see what sounds good to YOU.

 

[ericLee]

People might say this is stupid but why don't you turn up the treble? Or maybe try SACD.

 

[Mike_Skeway]

I would take a listen to what you have on your list, see what you like the best. You might want to add Paradigm to your list too. Try to audition them in your house if you can. Your could also try a different receiver, that may do the trick as well.