Wharfedale Diamond 12 Owner's Thread

[funkera91]

which Wharfedale you suggest for surround speakers?
Front: Wharfedale Linton 85th
Center: EVO 4.C

 

[crappypanther]

which Wharfedale you suggest for surround speakers?
Front: Wharfedale Linton 85th
Center: EVO 4.C

maybe diamond 12.1. it's a good speaker

 

[Mal]

Today I tried the Wharfedale Diamond 12.0, unfortunately I sent them back. In my room of 16 m2, the speaker did not have much resolution, which I think is due to the plastic cone, and I was quite surprised by such strange aggressive highs...

I've been using Wharfedale Diamond 9.0s as computer speakers for a couple of years now and "strange aggressive highs" describes them very well! (I gotta change them... but I don't listen much on the computer anyway... ) The KEF LSX II LT speakers are on Black Friday discount... I'd suggest trying them... KEF LSX I are my main speakers, just right for TV and general medium level music listening in my small living room.

 

[knownothing]

It is not the money, it is the integrity of the science.

At present, it's the integrity of the known engineering and measuring tools available to "determine" a measured performance "difference" versus a very complicated, exhaustive and expensive subject test evaluating the averaged sensitivity of humans to detect an audible perfomance "difference" of a particular system change using appropriate controls and adequate replication. Those are our current options, and neither qualifies as "science", as in the "tools" currently available to attempt to discern a difference between one piece of gear and another don't advance the frontiers of knowledge, but rather might be applied to determine whether one incremental design solution or improvement works better in a particular application on a consumer product. Hardly the stuff of Nobel Prizes.

The concept that even very short runs of cable (conductor+configuration+dielectric+connector) of different resistance or other properties might make a difference in the sound of a speaker system is not outside well known scientific principles or design and manufacturing convention - why some high end speakers and electronics are wired internally with silver conductors as opposed to OFC, even though the wire runs can be very short. I will freely admit that until well designed and statistically valid subject tests are completed that fail to reject the null hypothesis that there is no audible difference between stock metal bars and aftermarket jumper wires (or full looms of different premium cable products, or two DACs that have radically different design philosophies that nevertheless measure the same, etc.), all we have are our current suite of measurement tools regularly applied by Audio Science Review. Actual "Science" or at least "science application" would come in if there were results of well run subject tests that gave repeatable results different from existing electronic measurement tools - and we are called on to explain why, and what might be wrong with current assumptions embedded in the standard ASR approach.

I agree ASR provides a valuable service and Amir and others seem generally careful in their approach and statements based on repeatable measurements. I think the site offers more of a review of product engineering and performance on a set of accepted measuring devices than a review of "science". And, I will accept that proof of some claims made by manufacturers in the industry and users like me that aren't corroborated by currently available measurement equipment and protocols bear the weight of responsibility to put up or shut up. In the end, different people have different ideas of "fun" and how we wish to spend our time. Hopefully it all leads to supporting artists, venues and music production so we will continue to have the basic material to fuel our discussions.

 

[funkera91]

maybe diamond 12.1. it's a good speaker

What about 12.2 or EVO 4.1?
Any better?

 

[crappypanther]

12.2

12.2 are also good. If they are not too big for surround speakers. I have not heard EVO 4.1

 

[funkera91]

12.2 are also good. If they are not too big for surround speakers. I have not heard EVO 4.1

Thank You!

 

[vadamp]

I have a pair of Diamonds 12.3 connected to a relatively old Onkyo surround receiver (I use it for stereo only). Do you think that WiiM Amp would make a significant difference in sound compared to Onkyo? Or should I leave the Onkyo and just add WiiM Pro Plus as a streamer? Thank you for your proposals.

 

[FBech]

Hello, I tried the Diamond 12.3 in a store and I liked how they sound. I found a deal on the 12.4 for a similar price to the 12.3. How these two compare? besides a bigger bass, is there a difference? Which one is better?

 

[funkera91]

12.2 are also good. If they are not too big for surround speakers. I have not heard EVO 4.1

Just bought EVO 4.1
They are heavy and bog, also they do sound low, nice, same as EVO center line.
But Lintons are better!

 

[muteki]

I have a pair of Diamonds 12.3 connected to a relatively old Onkyo surround receiver (I use it for stereo only). Do you think that WiiM Amp would make a significant difference in sound compared to Onkyo? Or should I leave the Onkyo and just add WiiM Pro Plus as a streamer? Thank you for your proposals.

I have more or less the same question as @vadamp
I have recently acquired a pair of 12.3's and I am planning to connect them to a repurposed Pioneer VSX-930 home cinema amp. I will be using a Wiim Ultra as a preamp and therefore I am considering changing the amp for two Fosi Audio v3 mono.
The other (more expensive) option would be a Yamaha A-S501, but I don't really need all the extra functionality since I have a Wiim Ultra.

Any comments or suggestions?

 

[Mike_Trueman]

Those wharfedales's are on sale now!

 

[Mike_Trueman]

I just measured my Wharfedale 12.1 speakers and the woofer is only 4.5" or 110mm is this normal?

They state the woofer is 5" or 130 mm

 

[Willem]

There are different ways to measure cones, so manufacturers choose what flatters their product.

 

[funkera91]

Evo series, should be better???

 

[beagleman]

I just measured my Wharfedale 12.1 speakers and the woofer is only 4.5" or 110mm is this normal?

They state the woofer is 5" or 130 mm

Just measured mine and I get right about Five inches.
Perhaps you are measuring only to edge of surround, if so yeah it does measure 4.5" but all woofers factor in a bit of a frame dimension also.

So would imagine about a 1/4" beyond surround to get the true 5 inches how most are measured.

 

[antcollinet]

I just measured my Wharfedale 12.1 speakers and the woofer is only 4.5" or 110mm is this normal?

They state the woofer is 5" or 130 mm

This is the dimesion drawing of a typical 5 inch driver. The 5inch refers to the outer diameter of the mounting frame on this one.

 

[IndieSynth]

I have the Diamond 12.2 speakers. When i run room correction on my Wiim amp it shows a big spike up to 20db at 8khz. Different phones give the same results. Weird thing is i don't hear it, sounds great to me. If I allow the room correction to 'correct' that high it sounds terrible, extremely muffled.

 

[tw 2022]

I have the Diamond 12.2 speakers. When i run room correction on my Wiim amp it shows a big spike up to 20db at 8khz. Different phones give the same results. Weird thing is i don't hear it, sounds great to me. If I allow the room correction to 'correct' that high it sounds terrible, extremely muffled.

Do what your ears tell you to...

 

[thewas]

I have the Diamond 12.2 speakers. When i run room correction on my Wiim amp it shows a big spike up to 20db at 8khz. Different phones give the same results. Weird thing is i don't hear it, sounds great to me. If I allow the room correction to 'correct' that high it sounds terrible, extremely muffled.

No reasonable loudspeaker has a 20 dB spike so low, so its obviously a measurement problem/artefact and you did the right thing of listening and choosing to ignore it.