wharefedale diamond 8.1 actives

[LP2006]

I have an oportunity to get some wharededale 8.1 actives for $175 shipped to my door. Anyone have any experience with these monitors? opinions? alternatives?

[daav]

About what I paid for mine if i recall. I like em, but they are the only nearfields I have had any real experience with so my opinion is nothing to be too excited about. A great improvement over computer speakers, and headphones, and a home stereo reciever.

daav

[TheDewd]

Save up more and buy some KRK, Samson Rubicons, Events, etc..
Why settle for $175 Wharfesh*** ?

[Thunder33]

Originally Posted by TheDewd

Save up more and buy some KRK, Samson Rubicons, Events, etc..
Why settle for $175 Wharfesh*** ?

or spend the $175 for the set that has been pretty much renowned as the leader of active monitors in that price range.

This makes two threads where I have seen you telling people that they need to spend more than what they are planning to spend. Why don't you just bank roll all of us so we can have the obvious sweet set up that you have.....dewd.

[TheDewd]

Originally Posted by Thunder33

or spend the $175 for the set that has been pretty much renowned as the leader of active monitors in that price range.

This makes two threads where I have seen you telling people that they need to spend more than what they are planning to spend. Why don't you just bank roll all of us so we can have the obvious sweet set up that you have.....dewd.

Why encourage mediocrity and cheapness instead of quality ?
Our society needs more quality, not more cheap products.

[Thunder33]

Originally Posted by TheDewd

Why encourage mediocrity and cheapness instead of quality ?
Our society needs more quality, not more cheap products.

Because this forum is populated by people who are trying to do the best with what they have. Besides, I have heard music produced by inferior equipment that far surpasses some music made with thousands of dollars in gear. It is not the paintbrush, Dewd, it is the artist.

[TheDewd]

Originally Posted by Thunder33

Because this forum is populated by people who are trying to do the best with what they have. Besides, I have heard music produced by inferior equipment that far surpasses some music made with thousands of dollars in gear. It is not the paintbrush, Dewd, it is the artist.

That last statement can only go so far.
I agree that good things can be done with $500 monitors, one you get to know them well.
But Wharfesh*** ? You must be kidding. I prefer my RatShack Minimus 7 to those easily. When you decide to pay for monitors, you need to get something that is actually a step UP from most hi-fi small speakers.

[Thunder33]

Originally Posted by TheDewd

That last statement can only go so far.
I agree that good things can be done with $500 monitors, one you get to know them well.
But Wharfesh*** ? You must be kidding. I prefer my RatShack Minimus 7 to those easily. When you decide to pay for monitors, you need to get something that is actually a step UP from most hi-fi small speakers.

isn't that cute? You have little euphomisms for everything. I can't wait until you call me Thunder Turdy Three or something.


Again, you are right, we are wrong. Sorry.

[TheDewd]

Originally Posted by Thunder33

Again, you are right, we are wrong. Sorry.

I think it only comes down to what your objectives are.
If you want to buy cheap now and improve one year from now, then go ahead.
Again, you might not agree with the need to improve, but most folks with better reputation than me who started on small cheap speakers have ended up improving shortly after. Bottom line is that if you're minimally serious, get some $500 monitors and build your system around those.
Skipping on the monitoring chain is not a thing you should encourage people to do,

Also, I listened to the sounds on your studio's website. I have a few constructive comments:

1) You seem to have a nice talent for mixing, since the mixes are well balanced and sound good overall.

2) The distorted guitar sound is very bad. It sounds (nearly) as awful as a BOSS MT-2 straight into the board. I would suggest investing in a POD or a good miked amp and redo those guitar tracks. It would improve the mix by at least 100%.

3) The drums are a little too much in the background for the genre. Especially the bass drum and snare, which should punch out some more. However, on the track #3, it seems the bass drum level is right on, but there is too much bass resonance (i.e the attack is very good, but too boomy).

BTW, the songs are quite cool...I dig this !
I'm a guitar intrumentalist myself.

[LP2006]

Originally Posted by TheDewd

I think it only comes down to what your objectives are.
If you want to buy cheap now and improve one year from now, then go ahead.
Again, you might not agree with the need to improve, but most folks with better reputation than me who started on small cheap speakers have ended up improving shortly after. Bottom line is that if you're minimally serious, get some $500 monitors and build your system around those.
Skipping on the monitoring chain is not a thing you should encourage people to do,

Also, I listened to the sounds on your studio's website. I have a few constructive comments:

1) You seem to have a nice talent for mixing, since the mixes are well balanced and sound good overall.

2) The distorted guitar sound is very bad. It sounds (nearly) as awful as a BOSS MT-2 straight into the board. I would suggest investing in a POD or a good miked amp and redo those guitar tracks. It would improve the mix by at least 100%.

3) The drums are a little too much in the background for the genre. Especially the bass drum and snare, which should punch out some more. However, on the track #3, it seems the bass drum level is right on, but there is too much bass resonance (i.e the attack is very good, but too boomy).

BTW, the songs are quite cool...I dig this !
I'm a guitar intrumentalist myself.

I'm looking for some monitors that have decent clarity. Keep in mind I will be coming off a pair of sansui tower speakers, so im guessing im going to notice a big difference right away. Also keep in mind that in less than a year I will have access to some Genelecs. I just wont have access to them on a "whenever I feel like" basis! So, I need a pair of affordable monitors that I can use unitill then, and so I can do a bit of mixing when i can't get to those Genelecs.

[TheDewd]

Originally Posted by LP2006

I'm looking for some monitors that have decent clarity. Keep in mind I will be coming off a pair of sansui tower speakers, so im guessing im going to notice a big difference right away. Also keep in mind that in less than a year I will have access to some Genelecs. I just wont have access to them on a "whenever I feel like" basis! So, I need a pair of affordable monitors that I can use unitill then, and so I can do a bit of mixing when i can't get to those Genelecs.

Well, I still believe you should invest a little more, probably around $300-$400 and get some Events or KRK. At least, get the 8.2 and not the 8.1 if you choose to stick to Whafies. You won't want to waste too much time tweaking things between the Genelecs and your monitors.

[jonnyc]

Hey as I always say nice monitors are...well...nice. But if people can mix on ns-10's then people can mix on wharfshits. Plus the wharfies look kinda cool.

[LP2006]

Originally Posted by TheDewd

Well, I still believe you should invest a little more, probably around $300-$400 and get some Events or KRK. At least, get the 8.2 and not the 8.1 if you choose to stick to Whafies. You won't want to waste too much time tweaking things between the Genelecs and your monitors.

I wan't really planning on "tweaking between" whatever i get and the Genelecs at all. Those Genelec monitors are way beyond what I could even dream to afford at the moment, so i would be sure to take advantage of the opportunity and do all my final mixes on those. There will be no balancing between the two. I'll gladly trust those genelec monitors over whatever I end up getting!

Also, you said go with the 8.2 instead of the 8.1. But at that price I could get a pair of rockit 5's or tr5's. So are you recomending? The Wharefdales or the events/krk? Maybe you were refering to different models from the ones I looked at? You kind of just said to get events or krk's, you didn't suggest an actual specific monitor type at all.

[TheDewd]

Originally Posted by LP2006

I wan't really planning on "tweaking between" whatever i get and the Genelecs at all. Those Genelec monitors are way beyond what I could even dream to afford at the moment, so i would be sure to take advantage of the opportunity and do all my final mixes on those. There will be no balancing between the two. I'll gladly trust those genelec monitors over whatever I end up getting!

Also, you said go with the 8.2 instead of the 8.1. But at that price I could get a pair of rockit 5's or tr5's. So are you recomending? The Wharefdales or the events/krk? Maybe you were refering to different models from the ones I looked at? You kind of just said to get events or krk's, you didn't suggest an actual specific monitor type at all.

Well, I may dislike Wharfies, but between some 8.2 and TR5/RP5, I'd actually go with the Wharfies. Really, I wouldn't suggest using anything less than 6 inch for a woofer. Larger drivers generally have more power/better amps.

[LP2006]

Originally Posted by TheDewd

Well, I may dislike Wharfies, but between some 8.2 and TR5/RP5, I'd actually go with the Wharfies. Really, I wouldn't suggest using anything less than 6 inch for a woofer. Larger drivers generally have more power/better amps.

more power I can understand, but isn't that becasue it takes more power to drive the larger drivers? And better amps? What? I would think that the amps used in one series of monitors are essentailly the same just different power.

[TheDewd]

Originally Posted by LP2006

more power I can understand, but isn't that becasue it takes more power to drive the larger drivers? And better amps? What? I would think that the amps used in one series of monitors are essentailly the same just different power.

Well, when you design an amp, you can't simply take a design and increase the power. It's A LOT more complex than this. But basically, larger and more powerful power amps have more linearity when used at medium levels than a smaller amp used near it's full potential.

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Yet another thread where people step up and recommend brands of loudspeakers without even hinting that they guy should check it out for himself, with no acknowledgement that everybody's ears are different and that one person's mush is another person's delicacy.

I quit the microphone forum on this board a loooong time ago because it was filled with that kind of biased, subjective noise. Please don't drag it here.

LP2006, the Wharfs will not likely cause you any mechanical trouble, they are a reliable enough brand construction-wise.

As to whether the sound will work for you only you can decide. If you have any opportunity to A/B compare speakers (including, in that price range, speakers that do not have the meaningless phrase "studio monitor" stamped on them) with a familiar CD or three, do it before spending a dime.

If you live in Siberia and are unable to find a reputable audio dealer where you can do this, then make sure anything you buy over the net or mail order is 100% refundable, in case you don't like what you get.

G.

[dmc777]

I voted go for the Wharfies but if I had the chance again I would concentrate more on taming the acoustics in my room before I bought the monitors. Not much you can do with monitors if your acoustics suck.

[daav]

I'd appreciate some reference as to where the wharfe's fall short. When i was buying mine, it was at the tail end of a cycle where everyone and their brother were praising them for their quality for the price. No one i was reading/listening to was saying they were equivalant to the $500+ options of some of the best brands and models, but they were effectively universally praised. Now all of a sudden it seem they are considered a minor notch above computer speakers. OK, I will buy that fro people with more experience than me, but WHY? I'm really curious where the warfe 8.1's fall short. Anyone want to help a guys out with some specfiics?

Thanks,
Daav

[sushi-mon]

Originally Posted by daav

I'd appreciate some reference as to where the wharfe's fall short. When i was buying mine, it was at the tail end of a cycle where everyone and their brother were praising them for their quality for the price. No one i was reading/listening to was saying they were equivalant to the $500+ options of some of the best brands and models, but they were effectively universally praised. Now all of a sudden it seem they are considered a minor notch above computer speakers. OK, I will buy that fro people with more experience than me, but WHY? I'm really curious where the warfe 8.1's fall short. Anyone want to help a guys out with some specfiics?

Thanks,
Daav

After listening to a lot of monitors, eventually my ears told me that the warfs did not have good bass definition and the mid range was very colored.

But for the prices the WARFS go for they are a good buy to start out with and I am sure you will be just fine. I had a $500 budget and considered them, but found the Event TR8s ($430 for the pair) to have the kind of full bodied smooth neutral sound I was searching for.

As Southside has suggested, it really is up to you to figure out what you like with your ears, what works for what you are doing, and what is within your budget. You are the person who has to be happy with your purchase.