The studio I recorded my first single in (1986) used Wharfdale diamond 3's as nearfield monitors. The main Monitor was soffit wall mounted Tannoy Classics with 15" dual concentric speakers. Hard to believe but I could never tell which monitors were being used. That's how good the diamonds were. I bought a pair of Diamond pros some years later for my wife with a Wharfdale 2050a amp (basically a Quad designed amp) and they were and still are great together not as good as the Diamond 3's as I remembered but bought on the strength of my studio experience with them. The Diamond 3's I believe, were the definitive version. I don't know what the engineer used for amplification so this may have a bearing on how good they sounded in the studio. The Diamond 3's are rear ported so if positioned close to a wall will give a bigger sense of bass (albeit not necessarily accurate) the later models tend to be front ported I believe. A classic budget speaker that exceeded all expectations, not unlike the Yamaha NS10s and Acoustic Research AR18's that were making waves at around the same time and for different reasons, they were sealed box designs that meant they suffered from no bass port note over hang. That is why they were appreciated for their consistent accuracy with bass ( or lack of it) and consistency in the mid range for balancing. The NS10 was not an easy listen (like the Auratone 5c) but great for checking mixes. The AR18 with its 8" bass driver was more forgiving. The diamond 3 however was punchy and fun to listen to. I am not sure if I would use it to monitor mixes as a sound engineer but they would make still a worthy 2nd or 3rd reference if positioned 8-12" from a wall. Great little monitor.

Very small and compact, nice looks, OK binding posts, never ever sound harsh

Fairly hard to drive (need a fairly good amplifier to sound their best, and they benefit from plenty of power).

Bought these speakers new as a student in Britain. Initially, I had bought a pair of Diamond III speakers in white vinyl, but the sound was'nt quite what I had expected. Sold them to a friend and bought a pair of Wahrfedale Super Diamond, whick essentially is the a Diamond III with a real wood veneer box (cherry wood). To me, these sounded much better, especially when used on tall Target loudspeaker stands. A great little speaker, which benefits from hood amps and source components. They just get better and better. Using them with a cheap amplifier isn't as much fun, though. They need quite a lot of power to come to life.

Customer Service

Never used.

Similar Products Used:

JPW Sonata, Wharfedale 510, Kef Chorale, B&O Beovox C75.

Good, well balanced sound, more than expected for its size and price.

Lacks bass punch and warmth compared with my bigger speakers.

I bought these speakers when they were described as best buy in British audio magazines in mid-90s. It was in the last batch of Wharfs built in England distributed in Asia since the new ones now come China. I've auditioned new Wharfs and other small British speaker brands but not one, even those sold twice my Diamond 4's price, could match its clarity and dynamics. Of course, it pales in comparison to my other current speakers such as Epos 14 and my old JBL 4311 and Electrovoice Interface A.

Similar Products Used:

Mordaunt Short 10, Acoustics Research 25, Infinity RSb, B&W550

I bought these small speakers as a substitute for my enormous Philips 9414 3-way speakers. These speakers are very large, but have a nice strong base. I was looker for something smaller, but it shouldn't sound any worse. Diamond III's are just it. Small speakers with a great performance. My amlifier is a Pioneer SX-1300.

I bought my pair of diamond 3's, new, in 1988. They still sound just as good as the day I picked them up from the shop. They have a nice tonal balance, clarity (but not in your face!)and, with careful positioning, good bass for such a small box. Highly recommended!

These speakers are really amazing. They are very good in the mid-range tones. The high and low tones are quite good as well. The vocals sound very lively. With the right equipment these speakers can give you the feeling of a live-concert. And all this at a reasonable price. Definitely worth four stars.

My equipment is:
Denon UDF-88 Component System with Wharfdale Diamond 3 speakers

Anyone know what Diamond II's are worth? anyone else have an opinion on them? please e-mail me at: paulgirvan@altavista.com.

Paul