Short answer: the Wharfedale Diamond 9.1. It ranks #73 of 84 bookshelf speakers by sound quality; the Triad In-Room Gold LCR ranks #77.
What the Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 offers: 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… Watch for: All current new ones sold today are the crap version.
What the Triad In-Room Gold LCR offers: Built for serious home theater output: the sealed three-way layout uses dual 8.5-inch woofers, a 5.5-inch midrange and a 1-inch fabric dome. Watch for: At $6,600/pair, Erin found the raw response and value hard to defend without EQ: a 100-300Hz dip makes male vocals thin, a 1kHz dip adds hollowness, and a 4-5kHz rise makes sibilants harsh.
Buy the Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Triad In-Room Gold LCR 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 84 bookshelf speakers instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 | Triad In-Room Gold LCR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Discontinued | $6,600 per pair |
| Ranked | #73 of 84 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #77 of 84 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 4 ohms nominal; dips below 3 ohms (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 87dB | 88.9dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner; 92dB manufacturer specified) |
| Drivers | 6.5" Kevlar cone woofer, 1" soft dome tweeter | Two 8.5" metal woofers, 5.5" paper/fiber midrange, 1" fabric-dome tweeter |
| Weight | 12.1 lbs / 5.5 kg (good version), 9.9 lbs / 4.5 kg (bad version) each | 55 lbs (54.9 lbs / 24.9kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | sealed / acoustic suspension |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Dimensions | 11.7"H x 7.6"W x 10.9"D (296.0 x 194.0 x 278.0 mm) | 29"H x 10.75"W x 11.375"D |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | - | 57Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 40Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Power Handling | - | 100W - 450W recommended (manufacturer specified) |
| Frequency Response | - | 50Hz - 20kHz +/-3dB (manufacturer specified) |
| Country of Origin | - | USA (handcrafted, manufacturer specified) |
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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 |
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Triad In-Room Gold LCR: $6,600 per pair Triad Authorized Dealer
Pros: Built for serious home theater output: the sealed three-way layout uses dual 8.5-inch woofers, a 5.5-inch midrange and a 1-inch fabric dome. At 86dB/1m, Erin measured under 1% distortion to 50Hz; at 96dB it remained under 1% only above about 80Hz, supporting Triad’s intended 80Hz subwoofer crossover. Compression and 32-band multitone distortion were both low, even at high playback levels. Broad horizontal coverage (about +/-70 to 80 degrees through the midrange) and a roughly +/-20-degree vertical window give a generous listening area. It can be made substantially more linear with EQ, and its 89dB measured sensitivity is suitable for a capable AVR or power amplifier.
Cons: At $6,600/pair, Erin found the raw response and value hard to defend without EQ: a 100-300Hz dip makes male vocals thin, a 1kHz dip adds hollowness, and a 4-5kHz rise makes sibilants harsh. The directivity begins to narrow above about 5kHz as the tweeter beams. Despite its dual woofers, it requires a subwoofer; Erin measured F3 57Hz and F10 40Hz. Load dips below 3 ohms, so it needs an amplifier stable into 4 ohms. Plain, utilitarian styling will not suit everyone.
Full Triad In-Room Gold LCR review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 40Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 57Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Country of Origin | USA (handcrafted, manufacturer specified) |
| Dimensions | 29"H x 10.75"W x 11.375"D |
| Drivers | Two 8.5" metal woofers, 5.5" paper/fiber midrange, 1" fabric-dome tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz +/-3dB (manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal; dips below 3 ohms (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Power Handling | 100W - 450W recommended (manufacturer specified) |
| Sensitivity | 88.9dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Erin's Audio Corner; 92dB manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 55 lbs (54.9 lbs / 24.9kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | sealed / acoustic suspension |
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