Diamond 12.3

The more compact of the Wharfedale DIAMOND 12 series floorstanding options, the DIAMOND 12.3 loses none of the accuracy and musicality of the standmount (bookshelf) options. With enhanced presence and power, the DIAMOND 12.3 is refined and the perfect, affordable floorstanding speaker for 2-channel hi-fi systems, or as the front pair of a seriously impressive home theatre system.

Configured in a 2.5 way system with exception crossover technology, the DIAMOND 12.3 utilises dual 130mm (5”) Klarity^TM drivers for impactful yet refined mid-range and bass frequencies, while the 25mm (1”) dome tweeter delivers open and smoothly extended high frequencies.

Klarity affords focus

NEW Klarity™ cone material, formulated from a blend of Polypropylene and mica adds stiffness to reduce flexing, enabling a lightweight cone with high rigidity, low colouration and lightning-fast response.

Low colour and expression

The Klarity™ cone is fitted with a low-damping surround, thereby achieving both low colouration and expressive dynamics. By simulating many different cone shapes and adding ribs to provide further stiffening, a flat response curve was achieved without resorting to a high-damping surround, thereby striking the ideal balance.

A magnet of forces

A precision-made magnet system with an aluminium compensation ring to minimise the effect of variations in inductance as the voice coil travels. This contributes to an absence of distortion and intermodulation generated by the ‘motor system’.

A voice coil beyond this class

The voice coil is wound on a high-power epoxy/glass fibre bobbin highly unusual in speakers at this price level. This has the advantage of not adding eddy currents and delivering greater power handling than an aluminium bobbin, whilst also being much stiffer than the Kapton type associated with this price-class.

DIAMOND highs

The 25mm dome is made from a woven polyester film with a high-loss coating to deliver open and smoothly extended high frequencies. The magnet system and the front plate have been optimised for wide dispersion and uncompressed behaviour. The front plate is flat and exposes the dome as much as possible; only a very short duct on the front plate balances the acoustic load and improves the SPL (sound pressure level) measurement.

A crossover of style

The crossover network uses an acoustic LKR 24dB topology. This includes air-core inductors of the type more commonly found in high-end speakers, selected because they produce the lowest distortion of all inductor types. As the resistance of the coil is higher than a standard laminated steel or ferrite core inductor, the magnetic structure of the mid/bass driver has been modified to compensate, resulting in fast, clean bass with no distortion from the inductor.

Firm and fair

The DIAMOND 12.1 ’s rear-ported enclosure is precisely sized so that the internal volume works in harmony with the drive unit system to deliver the desired sonic result. A multi-layered sandwich design subdues the identifiable characteristics of the cabinet’s ‘sound’. Even the resonant properties of the glue between the layers was measured to determine the optimum combination.

Brace yourself

Inside the cabinet, Intelligent Spot Bracing connects opposite walls with a specific form of the wood brace to achieve an optimal reduction of cabinet resonance. These braces are precisely modelled by computer simulation to improve upon the commonplace ‘figure of eight’ brace, which may simply transfer resonance from one wall to another.

General description    2.5-way floorstanding speaker
Enclosure type    bass reflex
Bass driver    5"(130mm) advanced PP Cone
Midrange driver    5"(130mm) advanced PP Cone
Treble driver    1"(25mm) Textile Dome
AV shield    No
Sensitivity(2.83V @ 1m)    89dB
Recommended amplifier power    30-150W
Peak SPL    102dB
Nominal impedance    8Ω Compatible
Minimum impedance    5Ω
Frequency response(+/-3dB)    45Hz ~ 20kHz
Bass extension(-6dB)    40Hz
Crossover frequency    2.2kHz
Cabinet Volume (in litres)    26.6L
Dimensions ( H x W x D )    (925+50) x 180 x (320+28) mm
Net weight    19.5kg/pcs

Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 review

Refined, entertaining and affordable floorstanders 

By What Hi-Fi? 

OUR VERDICT

Wharfedale’s Diamond 12.3 floorstanders are refined, entertaining and well built. What’s not to like?

FOR

• Superbly balanced presentation
• Expressive and revealing midrange
• Pleasing build and finish

AGAINST

• Nothing at this price

Mention the words ‘Wharfedale Diamond’, and the image that comes to mind is that of a small talented budget standmounters. That description applies to the originals from 1982, as well as the star performers from subsequent generations.

What of the various Diamond floorstanders? As a breed, they have proven to be solid over the years but relatively unremarkable on the whole. Wharfedale, like pretty much every other speaker brand out there, has struggled to make a properly musical budget tower. Until now that is. 

While the new 12.3 can’t truly be called budget, they do sit at the more affordable end of the market. Most importantly, they have a musical performance that, if anything, impresses us even more than that delivered by the lauded Diamond 12.1 standmounters.

Build

(Image credit: Wharfedale)

Wharfedale tends to start with a clean sheet every few generations of the Diamond, and so it is with the 12 series. The cabinet is a carefully crafted, straight-edged design that's strategically braced to provide a solid and low resonance platform for the drive units to work from. It’s all wrapped in a neat, classy finish that belies the 12.3’s modest price. We even like the tidy feet arrangement and smart design of the spikes.

These speakers are available in four finishes: black, walnut, white and a rather classy light oak. And the drive units are just as admirable. The 12.3 are a 2.5-way design where the upper 13cm driver covers everything from midrange downwards, leaving the second one to reinforce the lows. Both drivers use a cone material called Klarity, a mix of polypropylene and mica, claimed to be light, rigid and well damped.

Wharfedale follows standard industry practice by using the same tweeter throughout the Diamond 12 range. It’s a 25mm coated woven polyester soft dome, and a good one it is too. A carefully shaped faceplate leaves as much of the dome exposed as possible, and the contouring closest to the dome is there to provide a small degree of horn loading.

Combined with a carefully calibrated, relatively sophisticated crossover, the result is a speaker with a sensitivity of 89dB/W/m and a nominal impedance that’s quoted as being 8ohm compatible.

Perhaps it’s more useful to know that the minimum impedance is 5ohms, which means these floorstanders are unlikely to give any decent price-compatible amplifier a problem.

At just short of 98cm tall, the 12.3 aren’t massive speakers, but they still perform best if given a little room to breathe. We find they work well if positioned at least 50cm from the rear wall; we settle on 90cm in our test room. Similarly, keep them at least 70cm away from the sidewalls if you want to maximise stereo imaging, sonic balance and clarity. A bit of angle towards the listening position helps to firm the stereo imaging, too, but the 12.3’s broad dispersion characteristics mean that you don’t have to be millimetre-perfect to get good results.

Speakers at this level have a difficult job to do: they have to be forgiving enough to sound acceptable with budget all-in-one electronics but still have the transparency to make the most of the best price-compatible separate components around.

Compatibility

The Diamond 12.3 are masters at juggling these almost contradictory demands. They're smooth, even-handed and wonderfully refined for the money. Feed them a poor signal and they are skilled at revealing the shortcomings without shouting about them. They’ll round off rough edges and downplay unwanted aggression without sounding like they’re smothering the life out of the music.

But given a good source and suitably capable amplification, they perform superbly. While we use our usual reference Naim ND555/555 PS DR music streamer and Burmester 088/911 Mk3 amplifier for part of the test, the bulk of our listening is done with more price compatible electronics in the form of the Marantz PM6007 amplifier and Cambridge CXN streamer. Regardless of the combination, these Wharfedales work a treat.

Sound

(Image credit: Wharfedale)

Feed them Trance Frendz by Ólafur Arnalds and they deliver a lovely layered sound that’s brimming with detail and dynamic nuance. These speakers capture the album’s laid-back rhythms in a pleasingly sure-footed manner and don’t get tripped up when things get complex.

They resolve a large amount of information but also present it in an organised and controlled way. The Wharfedale’s chief rival is the multiple Award-winning Fyne Audio F302, which sound more enthusiastic but are notably less refined at high frequencies and lack the Diamond’s innate sophistication.

As we move from Jay Z’s Blueprint 3 to Kate Bush’s Hounds Of Love, we appreciate the 12.3’s articulate and expressive midrange and the seamless integration between the drive units. We like how Wharfedale has avoided excess; there’s enough bass weight to satisfy but not so much that it spoils the balance of the presentation. The lows are agile, satisfyingly rich and textured with it.

These Diamonds also sound good at lower volume levels. Too often we come across speakers that only come alive when pushed hard, but the 12.3 can be enjoyed at levels that won’t wake the kids or upset the neighbours late at night. That counts for a lot in our books.

Play them louder and these speakers don’t complain. They deliver Hans Zimmer’s raucous The Battle from the Gladiator OST with verve, tracking the brutal dynamics well. There’s punch and power when required, but also a level of subtlety that’s rare to find in a floorstander at this price. You can add an even tonal balance and stable stereo imaging to the list of plus points, too.

Verdict

Advertisement

It’s tough to make a truly talented affordable floorstander, but Wharfedale has cracked it with the 12.3. They are terrifically accomplished for the money and good enough to claim a space in the Diamond’s hall of fame. Don’t buy another tower at this level without hearing this one first.

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Compatibility 5
• Build 5