Short answer: the JBL Studio 630. It ranks #78 of 131 bookshelf speakers by sound quality; the Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 ranks #109.
What the JBL Studio 630 offers: Excellent directivity linearity: harmonics of the same instrument stay collocated in the soundstage instead of drifting between positions, giving precise, stable imaging that holds up well into higher frequencies where many speakers start to beam and narrow. Good compression behavior - mid-bass stays taut and controlled from low to high volume without the sound falling apart or distorting as you turn it up. A pleasant, controlled mid-bass bump in the 60-100 Hz range adds punch to kick drums without bleeding into an uncontrolled boom on bass guitar. Horizontal radiation holds steady off-axis (about ±60°), so toe-in isn’t fussy. Compared directly to its predecessor, the JBL Studio 530, the reviewer would pick the 630 - smoother trend line through the upper mids and treble, and likely more dynamic headroom - as long as you’re willing to EQ. Watch for: Noticeable mid-range dip/scoop relative to the higher frequencies - not dramatic, but audibly “missing” something by the second or third track. Some tracks read as forward or aggressive around 2 kHz, like the upper frequencies are jumping out at you rather than sitting in stage depth. Needs EQ to bring the mid-range back up to be fully recommendable; without EQ available, the reviewer says he’d look at a different speaker entirely. Measured sensitivity (about 83.2dB) runs noticeably below the 85dB manufacturer spec, likely a byproduct of the mid-range dip skewing the average downward.
What the Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 offers: The first design was a pretty good sounding speaker, the speaker was then outsourced to China and lost 1.5kg and was made with cheap parts and sounds much worse. Slightly rolled off in the treble by about 3dB Watch for: All current new ones sold today are the crap version.
Buy the JBL Studio 630 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 if the price matters more than sound quality.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Wharfedale Diamond 9.1. It ranks near the bottom of the 131 bookshelf speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Studio 630 | Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $699 | Discontinued |
| Ranked | #78 of 131 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #109 of 131 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Drivers | 6.5" PolyPlas cone woofer, 1" compression driver (2414H-1) with waveguide | 6.5" Kevlar cone woofer, 1" soft dome tweeter |
| Dimensions | 14-13/16"H x 9"W x 11-5/16"D | 11.7"H x 7.6"W x 10.9"D (296.0 x 194.0 x 278.0 mm) |
| Weight | 19.9 lbs each | 12.1 lbs / 5.5 kg (good version), 9.9 lbs / 4.5 kg (bad version) each |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 4.7 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 6 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 83.2dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner; 85dB manufacturer specified) | 87dB |
| Frequency Response | 45Hz - 40,000Hz (manufacturer specified) | - |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 54.2Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 37.0Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | - |
| Power Handling | up to 150W | - |
| Woofer Cabinet | - | ported |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
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The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Studio 630: $699 Amazon eBay
Pros: Excellent directivity linearity: harmonics of the same instrument stay collocated in the soundstage instead of drifting between positions, giving precise, stable imaging that holds up well into higher frequencies where many speakers start to beam and narrow. Good compression behavior - mid-bass stays taut and controlled from low to high volume without the sound falling apart or distorting as you turn it up. A pleasant, controlled mid-bass bump in the 60-100 Hz range adds punch to kick drums without bleeding into an uncontrolled boom on bass guitar. Horizontal radiation holds steady off-axis (about ±60°), so toe-in isn’t fussy. Compared directly to its predecessor, the JBL Studio 530, the reviewer would pick the 630 - smoother trend line through the upper mids and treble, and likely more dynamic headroom - as long as you’re willing to EQ.
Cons: Noticeable mid-range dip/scoop relative to the higher frequencies - not dramatic, but audibly “missing” something by the second or third track. Some tracks read as forward or aggressive around 2 kHz, like the upper frequencies are jumping out at you rather than sitting in stage depth. Needs EQ to bring the mid-range back up to be fully recommendable; without EQ available, the reviewer says he’d look at a different speaker entirely. Measured sensitivity (about 83.2dB) runs noticeably below the 85dB manufacturer spec, likely a byproduct of the mid-range dip skewing the average downward.
Full JBL Studio 630 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 37.0Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 54.2Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 14-13/16"H x 9"W x 11-5/16"D |
| Drivers | 6.5" PolyPlas cone woofer, 1" compression driver (2414H-1) with waveguide |
| Frequency Response | 45Hz - 40,000Hz (manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 4.7 ohms minimum (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Power Handling | up to 150W |
| Sensitivity | 83.2dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner; 85dB manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 19.9 lbs each |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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- JBL Studio 630 vs Infinity IL10
- JBL Studio 630 vs Dynaudio Special Forty
- JBL Studio 630 vs ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
- JBL Studio 630 vs SVS Prime Bookshelf
- JBL Studio 630 vs Infinity Reference R162
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Wharfedale Diamond 9.1: Discontinued eBay
Pros: The first design was a pretty good sounding speaker, the speaker was then outsourced to China and lost 1.5kg and was made with cheap parts and sounds much worse. Slightly rolled off in the treble by about 3dB
Cons: All current new ones sold today are the crap version. Discontinued.
Full Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 review and specifications →
| Dimensions | 11.7"H x 7.6"W x 10.9"D (296.0 x 194.0 x 278.0 mm) |
|---|---|
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 6.5" Kevlar cone woofer, 1" soft dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 6 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 87dB |
| Weight | 12.1 lbs / 5.5 kg (good version), 9.9 lbs / 4.5 kg (bad version) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 vs Klipsch RP-600M
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