In this review, I’m checking out the Wharfedale Pro Diamond Studio 7-BT monitors. The 7-BT is an affordable 2-way monitor that features a silk soft dome tweeter, a fibreglass composite woofer plus Bluetooth input with TWS stereo linking. It’s priced at £209 (approx. $284) each.
Wharfedale Pro is a sister brand of the legendary Wharfedale speakers. Both brands are part of IAG group LTD. Wharfedale Pro aims to provide high-quality and affordable products for professional and amateur musicians and for corporate installations.
Disclaimer: This sample was provided by Wharfedale Pro for the purpose of an honest review. All observations and opinions here are my own based on my experience with the product.
Wharfedale Pro Diamond Studio 7-BT
Build and Design
Wharfedale Pro Diamond Studio 7-BT has a modern yet professional aesthetic. The splash of yellow adds some visual zing but I don’t find it distracting in the least on my desktop. Its cabinet is made of MDF with a matte black textured vinyl wrap.
The front baffle has a faceted shape while the rest of the monitor has a straight-edged box shape. Naturally, the 6.5″ fibreglass composite woofer is the standout visual feature on the front. It occupies the front baffle along with the dual front-facing bass ports and the silk soft dome tweeter. Between the bass ports is an illuminated LED Wharfedale Pro logo.
The reason for the woven fibreglass cone instead of using a paper-based cone is its rigidity and light weight. It’s especially good for low-frequency dynamic response and fast transient response.
On the back panel, we find a Bluetooth and TWS button, RCA inputs, an XLR combi jack and a power switch. In addition, there’s a master volume control plus dedicated HF level and LF level controls. These controls allow you to easily tailor the sound to your preferences or adjust for room acoustics.
Internally, there are 2 discrete amplifiers, one for each of the drivers. This is to ensure the amp stage is perfectly matched with the respective drivers. The total power of the combined Class-D amplifiers is 150 W.
Another interesting feature of the Diamond Studio 7-BT is the inclusion of a Bluetooth input. This is handy if you just want to stream some music from your phone or laptop and a convenient way to check mixes. You can connect to the monitors individually or you can pair two of them together using the TWS (True Wireless Stereo) system.
Sound
For my setup, I did most of the testing on my desktop in my untreated office using the Singxer SDA-2 DAC connected via XLR as the source. In this environment, I use studio monitors or headphones primarily for content creation, video editing and for general purposes such as watching YouTube videos.
I also tested the monitors in my living room using Bluetooth input. For this scenario, I used the 7-BT purely for entertainment, streaming Spotify and FLAC files from my phone and laptop.
My first impressions were of an uncoloured but powerful sound. This is exactly what you want from a studio monitor and right away, I could hear the accuracy of the tonal response. The frequency response is quite linear from top to bottom as you can see from the measurements below.
Considering the fairly compact nature of the speakers, I’m surprised at how big a sound they can generate. These things can get loud enough to shake the room yet at the same time, they’re not harsh or tiring on the ears, even when you turn up the volume.
The bass control is impressive for a speaker at this price point. I did notice some looseness in the low frequencies when the monitors were in my untreated room. However, this was due to the small size of my room and the position of the speakers. With a quick adjustment of the LF level control and some repositioning, I was easily able to almost eliminate any boominess.
I was especially impressed when listening to Aes Dana’s “Alkaline”. The bass sounds explosive and enormous on the 7-BT, yet even with the volume turned up loud enough for my neighbours to hear there’s no distortion or unwanted resonance. The dual front bass ports handle the exuberant bass without any noticeable chuffing or unruliness.
Vocal reproduction is accurate and detailed. Male and female voices sound articulate and natural, great for mixing vocals. The 7-BT is good for testing midrange voicing too. Tuber’s “Desert Overcrowded” is a busy song with lots of electric guitars and frantic drums. Listening to the 7-BT, the instrument separation and transients are impressive for a budget monitor. The guitars in this track sound detailed and textured and are nicely balanced with the kick drum, snare and cymbals. Another thing I noticed here was that even during the thrashy segments of this song, I didn’t feel listener’s fatigue, which is especially important when doing long mixing or recording sessions. Despite the energy of the song, it’s still comfortable to listen to but doesn’t sacrifice any of the details.
Stereo imaging is another strength of the Diamond Studio 7-BT. The monitors maintain a stable centre image around which it’s easy to determine the positioning of sounds and instruments. The soundstage has a three-dimensional quality that extends well beyond the sides and behind the speakers.
Verdict
The Wharfedale Pro Diamond Studio 7-BT is a great option for musicians or content creators who are on a budget but need competent, accurate studio monitors. I’m really impressed with the overall build quality, features and sound. The added tone and volume controls allow you to easily make room adjustments or tweak the sound to suit your own personal preferences.
The addition of Bluetooth connectivity is a really handy feature too and makes it easy for people to share their mixes directly from their phones. Furthermore, it’s also a hassle-free way to simply enjoy some tunes during downtime and adds a lot of value to the already affordable price.
| Model Name | Diamond Studio 5-BT | Diamond Studio 7-BT |
|---|---|---|
| System Type | Active 5” 2-way Bi-Amplified | Active 6.5” 2-way Bi-Amplified |
| Freq. Range (-10 dB) Analog Input | 45 Hz-25 kHz | 38 Hz-25 kHz |
| Maximum SPL (peak @1 m) | 110 dB | 113 dB |
| LF Transducer | 5″ Fiberglass composite woofer | 6.5″ Fiberglass composite woofer |
| HF Transducer | Silk Soft dome tweeter | Silk Soft dome tweeter |
| Coil Size (mm / inches) | 25.4 mm / 1” | 25.4 mm / 1” |
| High-Frequency Coverage (H x V) | 135° x 110° | 135° x 110° |
| Total Power Amplifiers | 140 W | 150 W |
| Low-Frequency Power Amplifier (Class D) | 80 W Continuous / 160 W Peak | 90 W Continuous / 180 W Peak |
| High-Frequency Power Amplifier (Class D ) | 60 W Continuous / 120 W Peak | 60 W Continuous / 120 W Peak |
| Electronic Crossover: | ||
| Crossover Frequency | 2.2 kHz | 2.2 kHz |
| Controls | ||
| Equalization (dB) | HF / LF Level Adjust (-2, 0, +1 ,+2) | HF / LF Level Adjust (-2, 0, +1 ,+2) |
| System Volume | -∞ to +10 dB | -∞ to +10 dB |
| Amplifier Protection | Yes | Yes |
| Power On Protection | Power switch on / off mute | Power switch on / off mute |
| Thermal Protection | Amplifier shutdown, auto reset | Amplifier shutdown, auto reset |
| Driver, DC and Short Protection | Yes | Yes |
| Limiter Indicator | Red LED | Red LED |
| Power Indicator | Green LED/white LED (LOGO) | Green LED/white LED (LOGO) |
| Input type | Balanced / Unbalanced / Bluetooth | Balanced / Unbalanced / Bluetooth |
| Input Connectors | TRS JACK / FEMALE XLR/RCA | TRS JACK / FEMALE XLR/RCA |
| AC Power Options | 100 V-240 V | 100 V-240 V |
| Power-On Indicator | LED | LED |
| Cabinet Material | MDF | MDF |
| Cabinet Colour | black | black |
| Dimensions (Unpacked): | ||
| Height | 290 mm /11.42 in | 340 mm /13.39 in |
| Width | 180 mm /7.1 in | 210 mm /8.27″ |
| Depth | 240 mm /9.45 in | 260 mm /10.24″ |
| Dimensions (packed): | ||
| Height | 350 mm / 13.78 in | 400 mm/15.75 in |
| Width | 242.5 mm / 9.55 in | 272 mm/ 10.71 in |
| Depth | 303 mm / 11.93 in | 325 mm / 12.80 in |
| Weight | ||
| Net Weight | 5.62 kg /12.4 lbs | 6.84 kg / 15.1 lbs |
| Gross Weight | 6.47 kg / 14.2 lbs | 7.82 kg / 17.20 lbs |