Short answer: the Wharfedale Diamond 220. It ranks #19 of 56 bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $350; the JBL Studio 530 ranks #23 and costs $399, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Wharfedale Diamond 220 offers: Amir found the on-axis response smooth once the grille is removed, calling grille removal “a huge improvement” since the stock grille caused unusually strong comb filtering around 5kHz. Watch for: Response rolls off below 200Hz, so a subwoofer is recommended for full-range use.
On the JBL Studio 530 side: CEA2034 spinorama shows a fairly flat on-axis response. Set against that: A peak around 1.4kHz is attributed to a tweeter resonance, and shows up as a distinct spike in harmonic distortion at that frequency along with a second resonance-driven bump around 2kHz.
Buy the Wharfedale Diamond 220. It ranks higher for sound quality than the JBL Studio 530 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| Wharfedale Diamond 220 | JBL Studio 530 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $350 | $399 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #19 of 56 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #23 of 56 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Drivers | 5" (130mm) woven Kevlar woofer, 1" (25mm) tweeter | 5.25" (130mm) PolyPlas™ cone woofer with SFG magnet, 1" (25mm) compression driver with Teonex® diaphragm on Bi-Radial® horn |
| Dimensions | 12.4"H x 6.9"W x 8.9"D (315 x 174 x 227 mm) | 18.4"H x 8.4"W x 8.7"D (467 x 214 x 222 mm) |
| Weight | 11.7 lbs / 5.3 kg each | 17 lbs / 7.7 kg each |
| Sensitivity | 86.9dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review; 86dB manufacturer specified) | ~85dB (measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms nominal (4 ohms minimum, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, bottom-firing into secondary enclosure | ported |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | - | 88Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 65Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Crossover Frequency | - | 1.5kHz |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Klipsch RP-500M II vs ELAC Debut 2.0 B5.2
- Klipsch RP-500M II vs Boston Acoustics A25
- KEF Q150 vs ELAC Debut 2.0 B5.2
- KEF Q150 vs JBL Studio 530
- JBL Studio 530 vs JBL Stage 2 250B
The Two Speakers In Full
Wharfedale Diamond 220: $350 Amazon
Pros: Amir found the on-axis response smooth once the grille is removed, calling grille removal “a huge improvement” since the stock grille caused unusually strong comb filtering around 5kHz. Good horizontal dispersion from the waveguide-loaded tweeter and controlled distortion. After some EQ (a room mode filter and treble shelf), the reviewer called it “a truly hifi speaker” where “every audiophile track…sounded very good,” and said he was “happy to recommend” it for the budget class.
Cons: Response rolls off below 200Hz, so a subwoofer is recommended for full-range use. Some port rattling was noted at high volumes, traced to vibration rather than the woofer itself. Best performance requires removing the grille and applying the reviewer’s EQ filters.
Full Wharfedale Diamond 220 review and specifications →
| Dimensions | 12.4"H x 6.9"W x 8.9"D (315 x 174 x 227 mm) |
|---|---|
| Drivers | 5" (130mm) woven Kevlar woofer, 1" (25mm) tweeter |
| Impedance | 8 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 86.9dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review; 86dB manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 11.7 lbs / 5.3 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, bottom-firing into secondary enclosure |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs KEF Q150
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs Boston Acoustics A25
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs ELAC Debut 2.0 B5.2
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs Sony SS-CS5 M2
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs Wharfedale Diamond 12.1
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs Paradigm Monitor SE Atom
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs Wharfedale Super Denton
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs Klipsch RP-500M II
- See all 14 comparisons
JBL Studio 530: $399 Discontinued
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama shows a fairly flat on-axis response. Predicted in-room response is very smooth aside from the high-frequency roll-off.
Cons: A peak around 1.4kHz is attributed to a tweeter resonance, and shows up as a distinct spike in harmonic distortion at that frequency along with a second resonance-driven bump around 2kHz. Response rolls off in the high frequencies and the tuning is a bit bass-shy overall. Cumulative spectral decay (waterfall) shows the same 1kHz-region resonances lingering in time. Discontinued.
Full JBL Studio 530 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 65Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 88Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Crossover Frequency | 1.5kHz |
| Dimensions | 18.4"H x 8.4"W x 8.7"D (467 x 214 x 222 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 5.25" (130mm) PolyPlas™ cone woofer with SFG magnet, 1" (25mm) compression driver with Teonex® diaphragm on Bi-Radial® horn |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal (4 ohms minimum, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Sensitivity | ~85dB (measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Weight | 17 lbs / 7.7 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Studio 530 vs ELAC Debut 2.0 B5.2
- JBL Studio 530 vs Boston Acoustics A25
- JBL Studio 530 vs Sony SS-CS5 M2
- JBL Studio 530 vs Paradigm Monitor SE Atom
- JBL Studio 530 vs Dynaudio Emit M10
- JBL Studio 530 vs KEF Q150
- JBL Studio 530 vs ELAC BS U5
- JBL Studio 530 vs JBL Stage 2 250B
- See all 19 comparisons