Short answer: the Wharfedale Diamond 9.1. It ranks #79 of 100 bookshelf speakers by sound quality; the Aperion Audio Verus V8B ranks #83.
The case for the Wharfedale Diamond 9.1: The first design was a pretty good sounding speaker. The tradeoff: All current new ones sold today are the crap version.
What the Aperion Audio Verus V8B offers: Low-distortion bass that reaches a reasonable level for an 8-inch mid-woofer - the reviewer had no complaints about bass cleanliness, just extension. Watch for: A large mid-range scoop from about 100Hz-500Hz strips out the “meat” of male and female vocals, giving the speaker an overall dull, subdued character the reviewer specifically didn’t care for.
Buy the Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Aperion Audio Verus V8B if the price matters more than sound quality.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip both of these and look higher up the 100 bookshelf speakers instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 | Aperion Audio Verus V8B | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Discontinued | $1,499 |
| Ranked | #79 of 100 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #83 of 100 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 6 ohms nominal (manufacturer spec), 5.7 ohms nominal / ~3 ohms EPDR minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 87dB | 85dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner; 88dB manufacturer specified) |
| Drivers | 6.5" Kevlar cone woofer, 1" soft dome tweeter | 8" Woven Kevlar long-throw woofer, 1.1" Custom Aperion ASR dome tweeter with ferrofluid |
| Weight | 12.1 lbs / 5.5 kg (good version), 9.9 lbs / 4.5 kg (bad version) each | 28 lbs each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | ported, rear |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Dimensions | 11.7"H x 7.6"W x 10.9"D (296.0 x 194.0 x 278.0 mm) | 17"H x 10.6"W x 13"D |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | - | 55Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 39Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Frequency Response | - | 30Hz - 35kHz ±3dB (manufacturer specified) |
| Recommended Power | - | 20-150W |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Triangle Borea BR03 vs B&W 805S
- Klipsch RP-600M vs B&W 805S
- Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator vs Triangle Borea BR03
- Ascend Acoustics Sierra-LX vs Aperion Audio Verus V8B
- JBL XPL-90 vs Wharfedale Diamond 9.1
The Two Speakers In Full
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 Triad In-Room Gold LCR
- Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 vs Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2
- Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 vs Emotiva Airmotiv B2+
- See all 11 comparisons
Aperion Audio Verus V8B: $1,499 Aperion Audio
Pros: Low-distortion bass that reaches a reasonable level for an 8-inch mid-woofer - the reviewer had no complaints about bass cleanliness, just extension. Wide-enough horizontal radiation to give some room involvement without being uncomfortably narrow. HDF (high-density fiberboard) cabinet construction instead of the more typical MDF. Nice aesthetic in the gloss cherry finish (also available in black); solidly built at nearly 28 lbs each.
Cons: A large mid-range scoop from about 100Hz-500Hz strips out the “meat” of male and female vocals, giving the speaker an overall dull, subdued character the reviewer specifically didn’t care for. Two back-to-back resonant peaks (around 4kHz and 10kHz) cause sibilance and an overbearing hi-hat crispness on some tracks; toeing the speakers 30 degrees off-axis helps a little but doesn’t remove the underlying resonances. At $1,499/pair, the reviewer felt EQ shouldn’t be necessary to get a satisfying result out of the box. Minimum impedance (EPDR) dips to around 3 ohms despite a 5.7-ohm nominal rating, so a Class AB amplifier needs to be 4-ohm capable. Bass extension is modest for an 8” driver - measured F3 55Hz/F10 39Hz, getting into the mid-40s Hz in-room rather than truly deep bass.
Full Aperion Audio Verus V8B review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 55Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 17"H x 10.6"W x 13"D |
| Drivers | 8" Woven Kevlar long-throw woofer, 1.1" Custom Aperion ASR dome tweeter with ferrofluid |
| Frequency Response | 30Hz - 35kHz ±3dB (manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal (manufacturer spec), 5.7 ohms nominal / ~3 ohms EPDR minimum (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Recommended Power | 20-150W |
| Sensitivity | 85dB (measured average, Erin's Audio Corner; 88dB manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 28 lbs each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Aperion Audio Verus V8B vs B&W 805S
- Aperion Audio Verus V8B vs Triangle Borea BR03
- Aperion Audio Verus V8B vs Klipsch RP-600M
- Aperion Audio Verus V8B vs Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator
- Aperion Audio Verus V8B vs KEF Q350
- Aperion Audio Verus V8B vs HSU Research CCB-8
- Aperion Audio Verus V8B vs Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2
- Aperion Audio Verus V8B vs JBL HDI-1600
- See all 9 comparisons