Wharfedale - Evo 2 vs Diamond 9

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Wharfedale - Evo 2 vs Diamond 9

geekiegeek

2513 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#82567 2-May-2011 11:46

Hi all,

I'm thinking about updating my speaker setup from Diamond 9s to Evo 2. Does anyone have any opinions on the Evo 2s - specifically the evo 2 30 and evo 2 40.

I'm currently using Diamond 9.5 fronts with Diamond 9CS centre and Diamond 9.1 rears.

1 | 2

Mad Scientist
29052 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#464461 2-May-2011 13:02

answer is yes there will be significant improvement, but the magnitude of improvement vs $$$ spent depends on many factors:

- do you listen to high quality music (lossless) channeled through high quality hardware (imagine plugging your ipod into a $9000 amp, imagine plugging a $3000 player into a lousy amp and paperthin 25G wires)? if all the way good you'll get the most from these babies

- if you're buying it for movies i'm not sure if they'll give you much satisfaction - buy a good centre speaker and sub instead

- do you have a mansion with sound treated walls or an apartment? if apartment i suggest you don't upgrade

- if you have just won lotto buy whatever you want. if you're at the time of the month for men and need to buy something may just do window shopping until the urge is gone

correct me if wrong but the evos are made of roughly the same speaker cones BUT with much higher quality wood and engineers pay more attention to balancing the individual cones to get you better balance and soundstage - (it's like the all blacks vs the barbarians - all good players but one team has much better cohesiveness). correct me if wrong

GoodSync

GoodSync. Easily back up and sync your files with GoodSync. Simple and secure file backup and synchronisation software will ensure that your files are never lost (affiliate link).

timmmay

19638 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#464462 2-May-2011 13:08

As an aside (and sorry to hijack the thread), can anyone compare either of the above with the Wharfdale Vardus speakers? I know Vardus are cheap, but I wonder how much improvement i'd get going to better mains, center, or sub. I listen to Jazz (mp3 through a new midrange Onkyo amp) as well as movies.

Jaxson

7681 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#464466 2-May-2011 13:19

There is a HUGE improvement going from the bottom end - say the Crystal (are these Vardus equiv units?) to the Diamond 9.6's. The 9.5's were good but the 9.6 was stunningly better.

Lately I've reverted to Stereo settings for my music, not the simulated surround sound.

As above, if it's for movies then a good centre and sub are hugely important. If it's for music then the front 2 are essentially all you need and it's worth spending the money here.

Sorry I can't comment specifically on the Evo's as you require.

Batman

Mad Scientist
29052 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#464469 2-May-2011 13:26

probably not much from the source and amp you're describing but i no nothing about vardus.

what is the THD (total harmonic distortion) of your 'midrange' amp? if not much more than 0.05% through the entire range of the output (20-20,000Hz) then you've got a chance with better speakers but i still don't know about your source.

the best MP3s have terrible loss in the higher frequency range

Batman

Mad Scientist
29052 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#464470 2-May-2011 13:28

[ oh one more thing ... everybody talks about buying the best sound equipment but nobody actually mentions getting their ears checked ... you know what i mean>! ]

geekiegeek

2513 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#464513 2-May-2011 15:25

well looks like you cant get the EVOs in NZ anymore. Had Harvey Norman call Monaco (the importer) and apparently they havent brought any in for a while.

So I'm now looking at a different idea as part of a phased upgrade over time starting with front speakers (I listen to a lot of lossless audio so this will be the best thing to upgrade first I think).

I currently use a Sony STR-DA1200ES 100w\7ch amp and I'm thinking of upgrading the fronts to Wharfedale Opus 2-1s.

I know that a more powerful amp would be better for this but in the meantime (untill I have more $$$) do you think the Sony amp will be ok?

Also what are peoples thoughts on using the Diamond series rears and center with the Opus fronts?

Batman

Mad Scientist
29052 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#464516 2-May-2011 15:32

this guy is selling the evos half price http://www.paulmoney.co.nz/shop/speakers/floorstanding/
ask for john tom (i'm not connected to him - he just helped me get my 9.6s at half price and rather grateful for that)

Batman

Mad Scientist
29052 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#464517 2-May-2011 15:35

use whatever you like for rears. they only fire up like <1% of the time in movies!

centre need to be good. they fire up 70% of the time in movies. the problem is many manufacturers make lousy centres (can't be bothered) even in amongst their well respected 'range'. not very helpful sorry - coz i bought my 9.CM thinking it's gonna be as good as the 9.6s but they're inferior to the 9.1s bleh

geekiegeek

2513 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#464518 2-May-2011 15:36

joker97: this guy is selling the evos half price http://www.paulmoney.co.nz/shop/speakers/floorstanding/
ask for john tom (i'm not connected to him - he just helped me get my 9.6s at half price and rather grateful for that)

Part of my problem is that I need to use my available finance with GE - hence going through Harvey Norman.

geekiegeek

2513 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#464524 2-May-2011 16:03

Found some details on the Opus 2-1s that states an amp of 60w plus so I should be OK. The Opus 2-2s need 100w plus and I guess the Opus 2-3s would need even more.

Harvey are pricing the Opus 2-1s for me so hopefully they come back with a good price - they have the 2-2s in store at $5999 so I'm hoping for maybe $4999 or less.

timmmay

19638 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#464527 2-May-2011 16:08

You'd really go into debt to get a small to moderate increase in sound quality?

geekiegeek

2513 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#464535 2-May-2011 16:25

timmmay: You'd really go into debt to get a small to moderate increase in sound quality?

The Opus 2s are a major upgrade in sound quality from the 9.5s. I have no problem using credit with interest free terms. Payed off in 12 months its not really that big a deal.

geekiegeek

2513 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#464538 2-May-2011 16:28

timmmay: As an aside (and sorry to hijack the thread), can anyone compare either of the above with the Wharfdale Vardus speakers? I know Vardus are cheap, but I wonder how much improvement i'd get going to better mains, center, or sub. I listen to Jazz (mp3 through a new midrange Onkyo amp) as well as movies.

I have both the Vardus 400s and the Diamond 9.5s. The 9.5s have more mid range and just sound "fuller" even my wife has mentioned the difference - I have both running off the same amp in different rooms.

You can pick up a full set of Diamond 9s including front, center, rears and sub for $1300 which is a pretty cheap upgrade if you sell the Vardus. Personally I would do it.

timmmay

19638 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#464539 2-May-2011 16:33

If I was going to upgrade from the Vardus i'd probably want a pretty serious improvement. I'd go to 9.6 over 9.5 if what's said above is right, or 10s, or a different brand. I'm happy enough with the Vardus for now, the only place I notice i'd want an improvement is with live jazz, though the center speaker and sub would be an easy and cheap win.

Batman

Mad Scientist
29052 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#464542 2-May-2011 16:33

if you're going to pay that much check out theophany. they give very difference presence and sound stage but have a go. you'll probably end up with the opus though ...

1 | 2