Short answer: the B&W 805S, since the Diamond 9.1 you can buy today is not the original design, though neither ranks well in its class. The 805S plays very loud with strong bass and dynamics for its cabinet size, but its CEA2034 spinorama shows directivity breaking down badly from about 1kHz to 3kHz, which the reviewer called clearly flawed execution and which leaves vocals recessed. The Diamond 9.1’s original was a pretty good speaker, but all current new ones are the crap version. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 134 bookshelf speakers, and the Perlisten S4b, ranked #2 at $8,000, is a better place to start if sound quality matters.
Buy the Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 or the B&W 805S, whichever you find used in better condition; both are discontinued. For a new speaker, start with the Perlisten S4b instead.
Want more options? Browse the full Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 | B&W 805S | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Discontinued | $2,500 per pair Discontinued |
| Ranked | #112 of 134 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #114 of 134 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms nominal (3.7 ohms minimum) |
| Sensitivity | 87dB | 86.5dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Drivers | 6.5” Kevlar cone woofer, 1” soft dome tweeter | 1” aluminum dome tweeter, 6.5” woven Kevlar cone mid/bass |
| Weight | 12.1 lbs (5.5 kg) (good version), 9.9 lbs (4.5 kg) (bad version) each | 25.4 lbs (11.5 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | ported, rear |
| Dimensions | 11.7”H x 7.6”W x 10.9”D (296.0 x 194.0 x 278.0 mm) | 16.5H x 9.4W x 13.8D in |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 40Hz (measured, Hi-Fi World) | 46.9Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 35.6Hz (derived, log-interpolated between spinorama.org -9dB/-12dB points) |
| Frequency Response | - | 49Hz - 22kHz +/-3dB (-6dB at 42Hz and 50kHz) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Handling | - | 50-120W |
| Spinorama Preference Score | - | 4.12 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | - | 6.07 |
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The Two Speakers In Full
Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i. It’s likely to perform similarly, though we don’t have measurements to confirm that yet.
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. Measured bass extension of 40Hz (-3dB).
Cons: All current new ones sold today are the crap version. Discontinued.
Full Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 40Hz (measured, Hi-Fi World) |
|---|---|
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 11.7”H x 7.6”W x 10.9”D (296.0 x 194.0 x 278.0 mm) |
| 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
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- Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 vs KEF Q350
- Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 vs Aperion Audio Verus V8B
- Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 vs Emotiva Airmotiv B2+
- Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 vs Triad In-Room Gold LCR
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- See all 25 comparisons
B&W 805S: $2,500 per pair Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the B&W 805 D4. It’s likely to perform similarly, though we don’t have measurements to confirm that yet.
Pros: Bass and dynamic performance are strong for the cabinet size, playing very loud with well-controlled bass distortion. Horizontal beamwidth stays reasonably smooth through -6dB. Build quality has enough of a “quality feel” that the reviewer said it kept the speaker from the lowest possible rating. Measured bass extension of 46.9Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 86.5dB.
Cons: CEA2034 spinorama shows directivity breaking down badly starting around 1kHz and staying poor to 3kHz: a wide crossover-region flaw the reviewer called “clearly flawed execution” that leaves vocals sounding recessed and masked without EQ correction. A high 4kHz crossover point appears to leave the tweeter’s small sub-enclosure resonating audibly during playback. Discontinued, superseded by the 805 Diamond/805 D4 series.
Full B&W 805S review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35.6Hz (derived, log-interpolated between spinorama.org -9dB/-12dB points) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 46.9Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 16.5H x 9.4W x 13.8D in |
| Drivers | 1” aluminum dome tweeter, 6.5” woven Kevlar cone mid/bass |
| Frequency Response | 49Hz - 22kHz +/-3dB (-6dB at 42Hz and 50kHz) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.7 ohms minimum) |
| Power Handling | 50-120W |
| Sensitivity | 86.5dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.12 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.07 |
| Weight | 25.4 lbs (11.5 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons