Wharfdale Diamond - Pleb Audiophile speaker?

I've auditioned the warfedale diamond 10 series myself at a dealer here in denver and I was also very dissappointed. they look nice, but the sound leaves much to be desired. I immediately started listening to the offerings by quad, which were in the same room, they sounded much better.
there have been many posts on this about how great the diamond 9.1 bookshelf speakers are, but I have never heard them, I only auditioned the diamond 10 series.

I own a pair of Wharfdale Diamond 9.1 speakers, and they are a decent value for what they are, inexpensive bookshelf speakers that I use as rear speakers for home theater. I listened to them when I first bought them years ago, and thought they sounded pretty good considering the price (I think I paid $175?). I would not consider them as main speakers in a musical system though.

As Realremo also noted, I did hear a pair of Quad bookshelves later that I thought sounded better, but while I can't recall the price, I didn't think it would be worth the time/money just to upgrade some rear speakers for HT. The Wharfdale's that I have do fine for that.

Wow, dressed up white van speakers? Wharfedale - Britains oldest loudspeaker manufacturer? Thats a little harsh.

If you didn't care for the way they sounded, fine. But I certainly wouldn't call Wharfedale Diamond 10 series white van speakers! The Diamonds have been around through many incarnations and have been critically acclaimed worldwide. Just google them. Most reviews are foreign. Soon Wharfedale will be launching the Diamond 10 successors, the Diamond 100 line. Problem is they have a poor distribution network here in the USA, are not well known and have also produced some lower ranges that were real dogs. Ranges like the Zaldeks that not only sounded but looked like white van speakers. Really Horrible! But the higher ranges, Diamond, EVO II, Opus and now Jade are quality, very good sounding speakers. Especially the Opus and Jade lines.

The Diamond 10'S are value priced speakers and would compete favorably with the B&W 600 series. To compare them to the CM's would be unfair. But as a former Wharfedale owner, I would pit an EVO or Opus against a CM anyday and most likely would choose the Wharfedale.

BTW...the Quad L series are produced off the same assembly lines at IAG's (Wharfedale/Quad parent company) factory in China. My guess is that the drivers which are made in house by IAG, are the same in the upper Wharfedale lines and the Quad L line. They sure look alike. IAG is unique in that everything is made in house - drivers, enclosures, crossover networks, grilles, etc. Nothing is outsourced - all designed by Wharfedale/Quad in the UK and made at IAG in China from the ground up.

You asked for opinions on Wharfedales and the above is mine. Whether you love them or hate, they are not white van. And some models are truly outstanding.

A agree with Paraneer, I had the TOTL Opus for several months, great speaker for the money!