Short answer: the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i, if you are buying new, though neither ranks well in its class. The Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 ranks higher than the Triad In-Room Gold LCR (#197 vs #203 of 222 bookshelf speakers) but is discontinued; its replacement, the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i, is rated 4.0/5 at $499 and is still sold new. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 222 bookshelf speakers, and the Perlisten S4b, ranked #2 at $8,000, is a better place to start if sound quality matters.
The Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 is the deeper-bass choice. A discontinued ported Wharfedale bookshelf speaker with a 6.5 inch Kevlar woofer and deep bass for its size. Its bass reaches about 40Hz before falling 3dB, against 57Hz for the Triad In-Room Gold LCR. The catch: Owners report that later production units weigh about 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg) less, use cheaper parts and sound worse than early ones.
The case for the Triad In-Room Gold LCR: A sealed three way home theater speaker with dual 8.5 inch woofers, very low distortion at high volume and broad coverage. The tradeoff: At $6600/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 12.1i, the replacement for the discontinued Wharfedale Diamond 9.1; it is rated higher for sound quality than the Triad In-Room Gold LCR.
Want more options? Browse the full Passive Home rankings.
Measured Differences
- Bass depth: the Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 reaches 40 Hz (3 dB down) against 57 Hz for the Triad In-Room Gold LCR, about half an octave deeper. You hear more of the lowest bass notes and kick drums.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 | Triad In-Room Gold LCR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $350 per pair Discontinued | $6,600 per pair |
| Ranked | #197 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #203 of 222 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 | 54.9 lbs (24.9 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | sealed / acoustic suspension |
| 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) | 40Hz (measured, Hi-Fi World) | 57Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 40Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Power Handling | - | 100W - 450W recommended (manufacturer specified) |
| Frequency Response | - | 50Hz - 20kHz +/-3dB (manufacturer specified) |
| Country | - | USA (handcrafted, manufacturer specified) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | - | 4.04 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | - | 6.41 |
Where the Ratings Come From
- Wharfedale Diamond 9.1: reviews by GR-Research and Hi-Fi World Warfedale’s.
- Triad In-Room Gold LCR: Spinorama.org measurements and reviews by Erin’s Audio Corner.
This comparison is generated from the ratings, specifications and measurements on each product’s own page, and it updates when that data changes. How we rank explains how each rating is decided.
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