Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i

Wharfedale first introduced its ‘Diamond’ range of entry-level loudspeakers back in 1982 - and, with just one or two exceptions that everyone is happy to gloss over, every iteration since has been a notable success. The most recent incarnation, the ‘Diamond 12’ series, launched in 2020 and has been hoovering up awards and accolades ever since.

Possibly because people in some territories get twitchy about the number ‘13’, and possibly because the replacement for the Diamond 12 isn’t a root-and-branch overhaul, Wharfedale has decided to christen the latest version of its entry-level range ‘Diamond 12i’. Perhaps, though, it’s just taking the opportunity to draw attention to the fact that the new Diamond 12i models launch at exactly the same price as the outgoing Diamond 12 did almost six years ago - which, as anyone who’s has to pay a bill during the course of the last half-a-dozen years will know all too well, is a rarity that’s up there with hen’s teeth.

This is all well and good, of course - but an auspicious back-story and what looks, on paper at least, to be some very attractive pricing is only going to carry the Diamond 12i range so far. Nothing happens in isolation, and the entry-level for standmount loudspeakers has some compelling offers from some profoundly credible brands. 

So I’m testing the Diamond 12.1i model, the most-affordable-but-one of the five-strong range of Diamond 12i stereo speakers (a centre channel and an on-wall surround pair are also available) - because I want to find out what putting £249 Wharfedale’s way gets you.

It buys a couple of usefully compact cabinets, for starters. At 312 x 180 x 250mm (HxWxD), the Diamond 12.1i is nicely proportioned and not an outright non-starter where positioning on a shelf is concerned (although a dedicated speaker stand remains the best option, of course). The standard of build and finish is beyond what you might be expecting, given the asking price, and the semi-matt ‘stone’ grey finish of my review sample looks (and even feels) good - ‘classic’ walnut and ‘deep’ black (another semi-matt finish) are your alternatives. No matter the colour you choose, the Diamond 12.1 are supplied with magnetically attached grilles in black acoustic fabric. On the inside, the cabinets feature improved ‘spot’ bracing to keep resonance (and resonance transfer) to a minimum. 

It also gets you a two-way design, with a 25mm woven polyester dome tweeter behind a minimal waveguide positioned above a 130mm mid/bass driver made from mica-enhanced polypropylene. This mid/bass driver arrangement, which features a hefty magnet system with an aluminium compensation ring, is called ‘Klarity’ and is designed for minimal intermodulation and distortion. There’s a bass reflex port at the rear of the cabinet - it’s positioned above vertically arranged speaker binding posts, and has come in for quite a lot of attention. Port tuning and airflow control have been carefully assessed, in an effort to refine the low-end performance of the speaker - overall frequency response of 65Hz - 20kHz is decent for a speaker of this size, but that low-end number doesn’t count for much if bass reproduction is ill-controlled. Crossover between the drivers, meanwhile, is sensibly positioned at 2.6kHz, and facilitated by a Linkwitz-Riley network that features air-core inductors and is the sort of component that generally shows up in more expensive designs than this. 

sound quality

It makes perfect sense that Wharfedale should have voiced the Diamond 12.1i with the idea that they’ll be at the front end of a reasonably affordable system uppermost in mind. To this end there’s a suggestion of warmth to the overall tonality, and a hint of roll-off at the very top of the frequency range - but in all honesty that’s about it as far as concessions are concerned. And that’s a good thing, for sure - because these speakers are not easy to faze even if you put them at the end of a disproportionately expensive set of electronics.

No matter how they’re being driven, though, the Diamond 12.1i are a model of consistency. Frequency response is very smooth and even right until it reaches that slightly circumspect top end, and the amount of detail (both broad and fine) they’re capable of extracting from a recording is noteworthy too. They’re unfussy with it, though - finer details are given prominence and weighting, of course, but it’s always in the service of the recording as a whole rather than as some sort of party trick. ‘The recording’ always seems paramount to the Wharfedales - they present a unified account of even the complex, element-heavy stuff.  

It helps that they’re able to create a notably large and quite carefully organised soundstage. There’s space beyond the edges of the cabinets, both where ‘left/right’ and ‘front/back’ are concerned, and each participant on it gets just about enough space in which to do their thing. The midrange is nudged forward just a little, all the better for vocalists to communicate - but the Diamond 12.1i are never less than even-handed.

Low frequencies are respectively deep, winningly taut and care controlled to such an extent that momentum and rhythmic positivity are assured. Combine this with plenty of dynamic headroom for when the going gets especially intense or loud, and the overall character of the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i is direct, energetic and extremely listenable no matter the style of music you like to put on.

Or, at least, it is provided you don’t tend to listen at very low levels. At sort of ‘background’ volumes the Diamond 12.1i can sound just a little disengaged - but this is easily rectified. You don’t need to turn the wick up all that much to find they come bounding to life. So if it’s entertainment you’re after, the Wharfedales have what you need - as long as you are prepared to listen at reasonable volume.  

living with the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i

The temptation, of course, is to take Wharfedale at its word when it describes the Diamond 12.1i as a ‘bookshelf’ speaker. But in all honesty, the combination of the rear-facing bass reflex port and internal cabinet volume of over eight litres means it will need to be a considerable bookshelf if these speakers are going to behave properly on it. Your best bet, and by a distance, is to acquire a pair of half-decent speaker stands and allow the Diamond 12.1i just a little breathing space where rear- and side-walls are concerned.

After that, though, living with these Wharfedales is not in any way tricky. Unlike some of their most credible rivals, they’re not even remotely difficult to drive - an nominal impedance of 8ohms and sensitivity of 88dB means even a quite reticent amplifier should have no trouble. Their off-axis performance is a match for the very best alternatives - there’s a ‘sweet spot’, of course, which you as the owner should always keep for yourself, but those sitting even quite radically off-axis should still be able to enjoy the bulk of what the speakers are capable of.  

conclusion

It’s hardly a revelation to learn that Wharfedale knows precisely what’s what when it comes to turning out an affordable loudspeaker that punches considerably above its weight. The fact that it’s been able to do so while keeping prices frozen at ‘pandemic lockdown’ levels is a fair bit more remarkable. 

listening notes

Doechii Catfish
It’s a test of rhythmic expression and positivity, of course, just like most hip-hop - but that’s where the description ‘most hip-hop’ ends. Doechii paints from a vivid palette, and her remarkably assertive voice only adds to the strangeness

‍Zaho de Sagazan Modern Love
A David Bowie cover from 2024 that somehow manages to sound more 80s than the 1983 original, and featuring a remarkable vocal performance that’s a stretch for any loudspeaker’s midrange fidelity. Low-frequency control gets a good looking-at too 

‍Tom Waits Hang On St Christopher
A bass drum that sounds like it’s being played by a mallet rather than a beater, a voice that sounds like it’s coming via a megaphone with failing batteries, and a horn arrangement that just couldn’t be any more terse if it tried, are all a great test of the Wharfedales’ tonal dexterity

There are many reasons why the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i might be just the ticket. As a first step on the path signposted ‘proper hi-fi’ they are hard to argue with - add an equally talented entry-level amplifier and all you need is a source of music. Or you may have a half-decent mini- or micro-system that would benefit from a loudspeaker upgrade - add the Diamond 12.1i to something affordable that says (for instance) ‘Denon’ or ‘Marantz’ on the front and you'll soon learn what an affordable upgrade can do for you.

On the subject of ‘equally talented entry level amplifiers’, the WiiM Amp is an obvious choice, and none the worse for it. Add the Wharfedales to the front end and you’ve an extremely capable little music streaming system for what is, in relative terms, next-to-no money.