Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 Review (Speaker)

[SeriousSam70]

Please, a Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 owner: there are plugs for the bass reflex port included in the package (as in the case of KEF Q150, for example) ?

 

[Dumu]

Please, a Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 owner: there are plugs for the bass reflex port included in the package (as in the case of KEF Q150, for example) ?

Hi, I didn't get plugs with 12.1's or 12.3's. But I remember testing the 12.1 with port blocked and iirc it changed the whole tonality in a weird way so I ended up with using dsp.

 

[Musicofchance]

Owning a pair of 12.2 since April, I could swear that to me their sound has improved quite a lot during that time. I can’t believe that improvement could only be due to my »ears get accustomed« to it.

Its odd as i kept swapping them out but ive noticed a sharpness that theyve been known for (not by all), fade away. And ive had them since last year. I think these are a keeper.
Did you change the brass links to some jumpers? I bought the WBC's 15cm ones.
Cheers

 

[Timmy]

Did you change the brass links to some jumpers?

No, nothing.

 

[Benji L]

Hi, I didn't get plugs with 12.1's or 12.3's. But I remember testing the 12.1 with port blocked and iirc it changed the whole tonality in a weird way so I ended up with using dsp.

I have used 2 inch diameter aquarium pre filter sponges in the ports, which might be a reasonable compromise for you if the speakers are near a wall.

 

[Cadillacofminds]

Wharfedale is a brand that seems to be a safe bet for their price range; but maybe I am biased as I own a pair of Jade 5 towers:

I've got the Jade 3's, see a nice pair of the 5's available. When I run a tone sweep at even low volumes I feel like the bass isn't all that defined. JA measured mine as being underdamped, I can't say I know what underdamped should sound like, but I feel like there's maybe always a bit of harmonic distortion in the woofer, this Polish site "Audio" has a big bass hump in their measurement of the 5, how does the bass sound? Yours seems to have the same dip centered at 1000hz, like "cone edge resonance" or something, this something you notice(d)? With the 3 the dip is pretty broad, but I seem to be able to correct it with equalization, which is weird cuz I've read a few places the cone edge resonance can't be corrected? You feel the midwoofer has decently low harmonic distortion/high power handling, unfortunately I have a lot of hearing loss in the midrange..., don't know if it's cuz what I hear or just cuz it seems like such an unusual driver with the surround size to cone size ratio, but I have a suspicion my Revel F206's give me audibly cleaner mids (asides from being pretty confident the 3's don't have the..sharpest, bass)?

 

[MZKM]

I've got the Jade 3's, see a nice pair of the 5's available. When I run a tone sweep at even low volumes I feel like the bass isn't all that defined. JA measured mine as being underdamped, I can't say I know what underdamped should sound like, but I feel like there's maybe always a bit of harmonic distortion in the woofer, this Polish site "Audio" has a big bass hump in their measurement of the 5, how does the bass sound? Yours seems to have the same dip centered at 1000hz, like "cone edge resonance" or something, this something you notice(d)? With the 3 the dip is pretty broad, but I seem to be able to correct it with equalization, which is weird cuz I've read a few places the cone edge resonance can't be corrected? You feel the midwoofer has decently low harmonic distortion/high power handling, unfortunately I have a lot of hearing loss in the midrange..., don't know if it's cuz what I hear or just cuz it seems like such an unusual driver with the surround size to cone size ratio, but I have a suspicion my Revel F206's give me audibly cleaner mids (asides from being pretty confident the 3's don't have the..sharpest, bass)?

I have poor ears for discerning, I hear sound, I enjoy.

For earphones, I can hear differences between them when switching, but if you just plop me in a room to listen to speakers, unless there was some glaring issues I couldn’t point anything out.

When I go to an audio show for instance, the only speakers that stand out poorly to me are ones with exaggerated top-end. I’m mostly there to ogle.

 

[Cadillacofminds]

Hmm. ...I don't know if you still use those 5's, I would bet you anything that if you apply a boost centered at 1000hz that you can toggle on and off you will immediately realize there'a stuff missing in the mids.., also from what I see on this "Audio" site they very much seem to have the tweeter playing over 3db higher than the mid, lol just like my 3's, do/did you listen to the 5's without toe-in?
...I need to hang out with audio people and get to some shows, I suspect I'm similar to you though as far as my audio discernment abilities, which makes it super cool using Equalizer APO, toggling a filter on and off and feeling your learning about how you hear

 

[Cadillacofminds]

@MZKM Also, I find listening to this test tone pretty edifying (not sure what sort of test tone one should call it, something continuously rising in frequency I found on youtube). It's stuck in my head how Amir commented on how a test tone sounded through the low woofers of the Revel F328's, it seems he finds listening to bass test tones edifying when reviewing a speaker

 

[WDeranged]

I've been slowly falling out of love with my Dali Spektor 2s. Lately I find them a bit fatiguing in the upper midrange, slightly raucous. At the same time I don't feel I'm hearing the detail I should, especially compared to my KRK monitors.

A set of Diamond 12.1s will be here tomorrow.

 

[WDeranged]

First impressions are that it's a better speaker than my Dali Spektor 2s but I am struggling with the mid range dip. The Dalis are too shouty while the Wharfedales are too soft in that area. I can cut some of the shouty sound with the loudness knob on my Yamaha A-S301 but of course I can't add it back with the Diamond 12.1s. I'm just not getting the bite that I like.

It's a shame because in most other aspects the Wharfedales are clearly better. Much more spacious and detailed while the Dalis sound a little bit small and artificial by comparison. Though I think they're better for low volume listening.

One curiosity I noticed is that the Diamond 12.1s had very noticeable port chuffing when I drove them a bit harder. I was barely past half way on the volume knob of my relatively puny A-S301 amp.

Unfortunately I'm going to send them back.

 

[Timmy]

Unfortunately I'm going to send them back.

I guess your Diamonds set is brand-new? Then, if I were you, I’d postpone that decision for one or two weeks.

 

[WDeranged]

I guess your Diamonds set is brand-new? Then, if I were you, I’d postpone that decision for one or two weeks.

I did consider the break in factor. I do believe it's a real thing when it comes to moving parts. Though most people usually describe it as a mellowing of certain frequencies so I don't think these speakers are going to gain what I feel is missing.

 

[Benji L]

If you can, try some foam port bungs before returning them. I had port chuffing which disappeared once there was a bit of foam in the ports.

 

[WDeranged]

If you can, try some foam port bungs before returning them. I had port chuffing which disappeared once there was a bit of foam in the ports.

I don't often listen loud so it wasn't a serious concern for me. My only real complaint is the relaxed mids. Great speaker if you want that sound. I suppose it's a matter of taste and the kind of music you're playing through them. I'm big on vocals and guitars but they sounded a bit too distant for me.

 

[Yorkshire Mouth]

I have a WiiM Ultra (and previously used a WiiM Mini with these).

It’s very easy to apply Amir’s EQ settings from post 1. I have pre set EQs for flat, EQ/ing out the dip, and EQ-ing out half the dip (only half the dB boosts recommended, so +1.5 and + 1.0.

I usually listen flat, but can apply either of those if/when necessary.

 

[ricardomontalbahn77]

I don't often listen loud so it wasn't a serious concern for me. My only real complaint is the relaxed mids. Great speaker if you want that sound. I suppose it's a matter of taste and the kind of music you're playing through them. I'm big on vocals and guitars but they sounded a bit too distant for me.

I first noticed the recessed mids with the 12.1 on my Marantz pm 6006 then switched to a class D fosi amp on my office system and it sounded perfect.

 

[Dumu]

I don't often listen loud so it wasn't a serious concern for me. My only real complaint is the relaxed mids. Great speaker if you want that sound. I suppose it's a matter of taste and the kind of music you're playing through them. I'm big on vocals and guitars but they sounded a bit too distant for me.

I've noticed that the 2khz dip can get really pronounced in some rooms. Normally I would have to AB the 2khz dip with EQ or other set of speakers to even notice it, but when I tried these in our summer cabin the mid scoop was really noticeable.
Also the sound seems to change alot with speaker height, for me the tweeter should be just at the ear level or bit above. If you still have the speakers I suggest trying to see if changing the height helps.

 

[WDeranged]

I've noticed that the 2khz dip can get really pronounced in some rooms. Normally I would have to AB the 2khz dip with EQ or other set of speakers to even notice it, but when I tried these in our summer cabin the mid scoop was really noticeable.
Also the sound seems to change alot with speaker height, for me the tweeter should be just at the ear level or bit above. If you still have the speakers I suggest trying to see if changing the height helps.

I did play around with positioning and it made a noticeable improvement but not enough. I've probably gotten used to the forward Dali sound, I bought these speakers because I knew they were 'fun' rather than accurate.

 

[beagleman]

I did play around with positioning and it made a noticeable improvement but not enough. I've probably gotten used to the forward Dali sound, I bought these speakers because I knew they were 'fun' rather than accurate.

Had a very similar change, when I first got my 12.1s But in my case, the 12.1 seemed almost ideal, and made the old model seem way too forward and annoying.

After many months, I tried my old speakers (Polk Rti6) and almost unlistenable compared to the smaller 12.1s!

The Polks have elevated highs for sure AND a boost around 1-2.5 or so Khz.