Short answer: the Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2. It ranks #74 of 100 bookshelf speakers by sound quality; the Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 ranks #79.
What the Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 offers: Two-way design with a 1.125” damped Apex Dome silk tweeter and 6.5” cone woofer, using a base of concrete, aluminum, and steel with under-cabinet venting. Watch for: Sounds notably bright pointed directly on-axis; toeing the speaker out about 30° reduces treble energy and sibilance meaningfully.
On the Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 side: The first design was a pretty good sounding speaker. Set against that: All current new ones sold today are the crap version.
Buy the Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 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 100 bookshelf speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 | Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3500 | Discontinued |
| Ranked | #74 of 100 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #79 of 100 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | - |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 62Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | - |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (4.2 ohms minimum, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) | 6 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 87dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 87dB |
| Drivers | 1x 6.5" mid-woofer (paper cone), 1x 1.1" (28mm) DAD soft dome tweeter | 6.5" Kevlar cone woofer, 1" soft dome tweeter |
| Weight | 38.4 lbs / 17.4 kg | 12.1 lbs / 5.5 kg (good version), 9.9 lbs / 4.5 kg (bad version) each |
| Dimensions | 16.3"H x 8.9"W x 14"D (414.3 x 227.0 x 355.6 mm) | 11.7"H x 7.6"W x 10.9"D (296.0 x 194.0 x 278.0 mm) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front | ported |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
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The Two Speakers In Full
Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2: $3500 Crutchfield
Pros: Two-way design with a 1.125” damped Apex Dome silk tweeter and 6.5” cone woofer, using a base of concrete, aluminum, and steel with under-cabinet venting. Notably more neutral than Sonus Faber’s own Lumina 2, which runs 2-5dB hotter in the treble. Horizontal directivity narrows at a fairly constant, well-behaved rate rather than narrowing-then-widening-then-narrowing like some rivals (including the Lumina 2), meaning sidewall reflections match the direct sound well enough that the reviewer doesn’t recommend sidewall absorption for this speaker. The tweeter-to-woofer crossover handoff around 3kHz looks clean, suggesting a higher-order crossover than typical for the size/price class. Good dynamic range - the low end loses only about 2dB from 76dB to 96dB, otherwise holding up well. Not a difficult amplifier load (about 4.2 ohms minimum impedance). Bass extension reaches a genuine 50Hz in-room, fuller than the Lumina 2.
Cons: Sounds notably bright pointed directly on-axis; toeing the speaker out about 30° reduces treble energy and sibilance meaningfully. A resonance around 700Hz gives vocals a slightly nasal, hollow quality. A dip in the upper midrange (roughly 1-2kHz) reduces perceived detail and attack, while the elevated treble can read as “analytical” or “detailed” to some listeners despite being a coloration rather than true resolution. Needs more clearance from the rear wall than some rivals - about 1.5-2 feet in an ideal room, more or less depending on your specific room modes - or the 80-120Hz region can become boomy. Vertical listening window is limited to about ±10-15° from the tweeter axis. Some unexplained directivity irregularities appear around 1.2kHz and 1.6kHz, possibly port-related, along with a longer decay in the 800Hz-1600Hz range in burst-decay measurements. Multitone distortion approaches the reviewer’s 3% threshold through the midrange, though likely not obviously audible without direct A/B comparison. A resonance in the cabinet appears around 400Hz in impedance measurements.
Full Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 62Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 16.3"H x 8.9"W x 14"D (414.3 x 227.0 x 355.6 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 6.5" mid-woofer (paper cone), 1x 1.1" (28mm) DAD soft dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (4.2 ohms minimum, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 87dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 38.4 lbs / 17.4 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front |
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- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 vs Audio Craftsmen Victoria
- Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 vs Pylon Jasper Monitor 18
- Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 vs KEF Q350
- Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 vs Emotiva Airmotiv B2+
- Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 vs Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator
- Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 vs JBL XPL-90
- Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 vs Polk Reserve R100
- Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2 vs Klipsch RP-600M
- See all 15 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
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- Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 vs Aperion Audio Verus V8B
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