Short answer: the Triad In-Room Gold LCR, if you are buying new, though neither ranks well in its class. The Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 ranks higher than it (#109 vs #115 of 131 bookshelf speakers, 2.8/5 vs 2.7/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the Triad In-Room Gold LCR is still sold new at $6,600. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 131 bookshelf speakers, and the Perlisten S4b, ranked #2 at $8,000, is a better place to start if sound quality matters.
The case for the Wharfedale Diamond 9.1: 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. The tradeoff: All current new ones sold today are the crap version.
The case for the Triad In-Room Gold LCR: 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. 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 Triad In-Room Gold LCR new; the Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 is no longer sold new, so it only makes sense as a used find.
Want more options? Browse the full Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 | Triad In-Room Gold LCR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Discontinued | $6,600 per pair |
| Ranked | #109 of 131 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #115 of 131 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 |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 compares with other leading options:
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- KEF Q Concerto Meta vs Wharfedale Diamond 9.1
- Wharfedale Linton 85 vs Wharfedale Diamond 9.1
- ELAC Debut 3.0 DB63 vs Wharfedale Diamond 9.1
- ELAC DBR62 vs Wharfedale Diamond 9.1
Prices on this page were last checked September 29, 2026 at 3:43 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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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
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- Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 vs B&W 805S
- Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 vs KEF Q350
- Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 vs Aperion Audio Verus V8B
- Wharfedale Diamond 9.1 vs Emotiva Airmotiv B2+
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- See all 25 comparisons
Triad In-Room Gold LCR: $6,600 per pair Triad Authorized Dealer eBay
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. Measured bass extension of 57Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 88.9dB.
Cons: 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. 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 | USA (handcrafted, manufacturer specified) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| 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) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.04 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.41 |
| Weight | 54.9 lbs (24.9 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | sealed / acoustic suspension |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons