← The components

Wharfedale Diamond 12.1

Loudspeakers

Relative price

well below typical

Among the 26 loudspeakerss in the catalogue, this one is well below typical.

A band places a component against its peers and carries no price. It is deliberately the only price indicator on this page: a second one, measured against a different set, would narrow the two together far enough to give the figure away.

What it is

What Hi-Fi 5-star: "broad spread of abilities... place high on your shortlist." Voicing fractionally warm-of-neutral.

BRAND PATTERN NOTE: ALL current Wharfedale speakers (Diamond 12 series, Heritage Series Denton/Super Denton/Linton/Aston/Dovedale) are rear-ported designs. Wharfedale fundamentally does not make a sealed or front-ported model in the current catalogue, so Wharfedale as a brand is structurally mismatched with sealed-cavity placement constraints regardless of physical fit.

Competition record

Assessed against 7 rivals across the sixty systems: 3 head-to-heads won, 47 lost.

Where it gives ground

The dimension the engine names as the weakest link, counted across every head-to-head it lost.

  • timing and drive ×11
  • bass control ×6
  • low-level clarity ×2
  • vocal presence ×2

Who it comes up against

Emmae Reginae (custom)

30 lost · Anchored, Artisan, Characterful, Intimate, PRaT, Reference, Romantic, Silent Path, Twin Arms, Vocals-First

Against the Anchored brief, the Emmae Reginae (custom) keeps the slot decisively.

With the Longdog Audio P6100M Biamp 2x2 (4 units), the pairing gives up most on bass control.

On its own merits the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 is the weaker loudspeaker for that brief.

It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the loudspeaker position.

lowest-distortion midwoofer he had testedZaph|Audio 6.5" shootout + ZRT measurements (driver-level)

Neat Iota 2

7 lost · Artisan, Characterful, Intimate, PRaT, Reference, Silent Path, Vocals-First

Against the Characterful brief, the Neat Iota 2 keeps the slot by a whisker.

On its own merits the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 is the weaker loudspeaker for that brief.

It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the loudspeaker position.

ProAc Tablette 10 Signature

5 lost · Artisan, Intimate, PRaT, Reference, Twin Arms

Against the Intimate brief, the ProAc Tablette 10 Signature keeps the slot by a whisker.

On its own merits the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 is the weaker loudspeaker for that brief.

It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the loudspeaker position.

Neat Petite Classic

2 lost · Anchored, Characterful

Against the Anchored brief, the Neat Petite Classic keeps the slot by a whisker.

On its own merits the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 is the weaker loudspeaker for that brief.

It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the loudspeaker position.

Epos ES-7N

2 lost · Silent Path

Against the Silent Path brief, the Epos ES-7N keeps the slot by a whisker.

On its own merits the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 is the weaker loudspeaker for that brief.

Falcon LS3/5a Gold Badge

1 lost · Vocals-First

Against the Vocals-First brief, the Falcon LS3/5a Gold Badge keeps the slot by a whisker.

On its own merits the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 is the weaker loudspeaker for that brief.

It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the loudspeaker position.

NVA Cube 3

0 lost· 3 won · Anchored, Romantic, Twin Arms

Against the Anchored brief, the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 takes the slot by a whisker.

On its own merits the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 is the stronger loudspeaker for that brief.

It sits well below the share of the budget this brief aims at the loudspeaker position.

What the reviewers said

entry Wharfedale Diamond, Award winner heritage Wharfedale Diamond range positioning + What HiFi· Tonal body
bold and full-bodied What Hi-Fi? 2020· Tonal body
surefooted sense of drive What Hi-Fi? 2020· Dynamic coherence
smooth and forgiving but nicely balanced What Hi-Fi? 2020· Tonal consistency
small boxes... look elsewhere What Hi-Fi? 2020· Bass extension

How it scores

Voice

  • Tonal body 76 from listening evidence

Bass

  • Bass extension 64 from listening evidence

LowerVolume

  • Tonal consistency 76 from listening evidence

Specifications

speaker typestandmount
enclosure typeported (rear)
way count2
drivers130mm Klarity (mica-augmented polypropylene) mid/bass + 25mm woven polyester soft dome
crossover hz2600
sensitivity db86.0
nominal impedance ohm8.0
minimum impedance ohm4.0
recommended amp w25/100
frequency response hz65/20000
dimensions mm180/312/250
weight kg5.3
finishesWalnut Pearl, Black, Light Oak; 12.1i adds Deep Black, Stone Grey, Classic Walnut
stand requiredTrue
notes