Wharfedale – Diamond 12.1 – 5″ 2-Way Bookshelf Speakers (Pair)

The true all-rounder, the Wharfedale DIAMOND 12.1 is a traditional standmount (or bookshelf) speaker that embodies the history and performance values of the Wharfedale DIAMOND series.

The perfect, affordable hi-fi speaker, the DIAMOND 12.1 offers the best of both worlds – compact size with power and detail.

Perfect for 2-channel hi-fi systems, thanks to its intricate performance but also compact and capable for immersive home theatre, the DIAMOND 12.1 is designed and certified to perform, regardless of room size and application.

The DIAMOND 12.1 features a high-performance 130mm (5”) KlarityTM driver for exceptional timing and refined bass. The superb 25mm (1”) woven polyester 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 color and expression

The Klarity™ cone is ﬁtted with a low-damping surround, thereby achieving both low coloration 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.