Short answer: the Polk Reserve R100. It ranks #75 of 105 bookshelf speakers by sound quality; the Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 ranks #84.
What the Polk Reserve R100 offers: Compact cabinet, unusually useful bass for its size and well-controlled woofer breakup. The tradeoff: Erin measured only about 85dB sensitivity and the impedance reaches 3.6 ohms, so it is neither efficient nor an entirely benign AVR load.
What the Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 gets right: 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]. The catch: All current new ones sold today are the crap version.
Buy the Polk Reserve R100 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 105 bookshelf speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Polk Reserve R100 | Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $649/pair | Discontinued |
| Ranked | #75 of 105 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #84 of 105 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 68Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 49Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | - |
| Sensitivity | 85dB/2.83V/1m (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 87dB |
| Impedance | 3.6 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 6 ohms |
| Drivers | 1" Pinnacle ring-radiator tweeter; 5.25" Turbine Cone midwoofer | 6.5" Kevlar cone woofer, 1" soft dome tweeter |
| Dimensions | 12.8"H x 6.5"W x 10.2"D | 11.7"H x 7.6"W x 10.9"D (296.0 x 194.0 x 278.0 mm) |
| Weight | 12.2 lb each | 12.1 lbs / 5.5 kg (good version), 9.9 lbs / 4.5 kg (bad version) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear X-Port | ported |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- ELAC DB63 vs Polk R200
- Polk R200 vs Emotiva Airmotiv B2+
- Revel Performa M22 vs Polk R200
- SVS Prime Bookshelf vs Polk Reserve R100
- Polk Reserve R100 vs KEF Q350
The Two Speakers In Full
Polk Reserve R100: $649/pair Amazon Polk Audio
Pros: Compact cabinet, unusually useful bass for its size and well-controlled woofer breakup. Erin measured F3/F10 points of 68Hz/49Hz, and the X-Port vent avoids much of the chuffing and pipe resonance common to budget rear ports. The 5.25-inch Turbine Cone woofer and 1-inch Pinnacle ring-radiator tweeter produce good detail at moderate levels, while listening roughly 20° off-axis reduces part of the elevated top octave.
Cons: Erin measured only about 85dB sensitivity and the impedance reaches 3.6 ohms, so it is neither efficient nor an entirely benign AVR load. The treble runs roughly 3dB above the midrange and becomes aggressive above about 85dB SPL. A directivity discontinuity through the woofer/tweeter crossover means EQ cannot fully repair the power response, and a 400Hz impedance feature plus 500Hz-1kHz response irregularity suggests a cabinet or system resonance. Substantial low-frequency compression at higher playback levels limits clean dynamics.
Full Polk Reserve R100 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 49Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 68Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 12.8"H x 6.5"W x 10.2"D |
| Drivers | 1" Pinnacle ring-radiator tweeter; 5.25" Turbine Cone midwoofer |
| Impedance | 3.6 ohms minimum (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 85dB/2.83V/1m (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 12.2 lb each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear X-Port |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Polk Reserve R100 vs Polk R200
- Polk Reserve R100 vs JBL XPL-90
- Polk Reserve R100 vs Emotiva Airmotiv B2+
- Polk Reserve R100 vs Revel Performa M22
- Polk Reserve R100 vs Focal Aria 906
- Polk Reserve R100 vs Sonus Faber Lumina II
- Polk Reserve R100 vs Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2
- Polk Reserve R100 vs Polk Monitor XT20
- See all 16 comparisons
Wharfedale Diamond 9.1: Discontinued
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 |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 vs Klipsch RP-600M
- Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 vs Triangle Borea BR03
- Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 vs Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator
- Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 vs B&W 805S
- Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 vs KEF Q350
- Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 vs Aperion Audio Verus V8B
- Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 vs Triad In-Room Gold LCR
- Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 vs Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2
- See all 15 comparisons