Wharfedale Diamond 12.2 Bookshelf Speakers Review!
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- Опубликовано: 31 июл 2024
- Trustworthy, detailed and in-depth evaluation of the newest Wharfedale Diamond 12.2. Indeed, this speaker is a game changer... at least in a few terms!
0:00-0:42 Intro & Packaging
0:42-1:40 Looks and build quality (don't skip!)
1:40-2:53 Sound signature & measurements
2:53-5:30 Let's talk about sound quality more!
5:30-6:51 Final Thoughts
Music from the intro and outro:
Chill Lo-Fi Electronic by Infraction [No Copyright Music] / Easier 
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Great review.
Thank you!
I have these. The more wider you position them the better they sound. You get the clear center once they are around 3m apart. It is weird, but it works. Lovely speaker, easy recommendation, but keep away from back walls.
What is the distance between the back wall and the back of your speakers?
If in some recording you hear a lot of bass and the next doesn't seems as satisfactory it is probably because there is a big bump in the response and some tracks excites those frequencies. This is a common problem in small speakers where the designer tried to boost the bass response and create an exagerate response at a particular frequency. Thanks for a great video!
I have them...paired with a Yamaha AS 701 amplifier
I like these speakers a lot and i don't find them harsh in the higher frequencies
They're sounding really sweet in my room
I also had the Elac Debut 6.2...very nice clean sounding speakers but i prefer the bass of the Diamonds 12.2 ✌️
How does your experience with these compare to the earlier Diamond 225's? I've heard none of these critiques about that one.
I've heard them i i though that they've got something in the highs that annoyed me. Seeing your review i can understand what it is. So keep up with these honest reviews. They are awesome.
Thank you! It also appears we are not alone in this belief 😁
Some say that they have lost the warm sound that the 200 series had.
Great honest review!I think that the new designer (who also designed Q acoustics 3030i) altered the warm/non fatiguing sound of 200 series to something else (more agressive highs).Elevated higher frequencies and restrained bass is the opposite of what i like....I'll stick to my diamond 225s (very deep bass,sweet mids and gentle highs).
Is it also possible that what we're hearing and seeing in this case is the room? This is the first review I've seen of these in which the potential for fatiguing highs is even in the conversation. Randy the Cheap Audio Man -- who admittedly is over the moon about just about every speaker he reviews -- described these with almost the opposite adjectives, describing them as supremely listenable but not necessarily as exciting as, say, the SVS Prime's. That suggests to me that what *might* he happening here is that the room has a corner issue and the Wharfedale's are tweaking that issue by being more even than most speakers through that part of the spectrum.
Not a throw-down; I'm genuinely just wondering that. I've been thinking about the 225s but I live in Cambodia and getting discontinued stuff second-hand is next to impossible here, so I'd like it if the 12.2's weren't potentially tizzy and fatiguing -- since that's the first thing I'm apt to notice negatively about a speaker anyway.
Hi, can you compare 12.2 with Q3030i, in your measurements, their FR craves are similar. How different they sound. Thanks
I wish but as of now it is kind of difficult. We need more subscribers over here! 😂 Personally I would love to make some bigger speaker comparison but can't afford to keep all of those speakers with me my friend. If you're interested in my short opinion from what I recall them - I would say sound characteristics are a bit more pleasing/musical from the Q Acoustics. That's said, it is slightly lacking in terms of soundstage and fidelity... and maybe bass quality too - Wharfedale does that better. Also consider Elac Debut B6.2 or older used Bowers&Wilkins 685 S1 (latest review video on my channel).
Did you listen them on a tube-(pre)amp? the sound of a speaker can be very dependend on wich brand/ type of amplifier you use, excapt for the room ofcourse , i've noticed that you used a NAD amp in some reviews, as good as these are, they have a certain audio character wich may orr not may colour the sound you here.
The dip in the midrange is a characteristik of many britisch and wharfedale speakers, not necesarely a bad thing ....
Hi, which are better for you elac b6.2 or diamond 12.2? B6.2 in my country cost 172 euros and diamonts 390 euros. which one would you choose considering the price and in the second option without considering the price?
I think I would lean towards Elac Debut B6.2 due to mentioned fatiguing treble in the Diamond 12.2s. Maybe you could find Quadral Platinum+ Two? Those are the best all around speakers I've listened to and you can find them pretty cheap often. Those meant to compete with MA Silver 100 or Focal Aria 906, yet you could find them for 500-600 euro sometimes (!) Definitely look into that, check out my review on them if you want.
@@MAudiophile I guess at the price of 170 euros for b6.2 it will be difficult to find something better? Something else can come sonically closer at a similar price? You've had contact with the elac b5.2 because I have heard some opinions that they are better than the b6.2 because they are more balanced and have a faster audible bass at low volume. What do you think about it? looking for the best for 250 euros. Thank a lot.
This is an interesting video. I know this was 2 years ago, but your measurements on paper do not match what 90% of other measurements and reviews have found, both on paper and in the real world.
A dip in the midrange would actually reduce the warmth of the sound, but this dip is not measured with most other reviews I have viewed. Also this speaker has been noted for being very balanced and even. The fact you later in the video say it is not boosted in any form kind of goes against what your measurements reflected also. I have never heard fatigue mentioned any other review on this speaker at all.
What audio source were you using when you were testing? What style of music did you play?
I am curious given that your review is so different to most other reviews of the 12.2's
I doubt youre going to get a reply
Perfect Review!
I was thinking about getting a Wharfedale Diamond 12.1, they say it's similar to 12.2, are the two a bit ''harsh'' in high frequency ou 12.1 is better?
Thanks. I haven't listened to the 12.1s so I cannot really tell but I'd imagine they share similar characteristics.
@@MAudiophile
With EQ were you able to make these speakers sound better at high frequencies?
The 12.2s are basically the flattest and most neutral measuring speaker bar the intentional BBC Dip in its price range and dare I say under 1000 dollars. The closest measurement to the 12.2 Ive seen is the Polk Reserve R200.
I find it very weird that your mids are dipping so low, the only reason I can think off is your listening position/mic is above the tweeter, causing such a dip or you might be too low. The sweetspot for vertical axis is between the tweeter and the woofer. Another thing that wil cause the mids to dip is if you have the grills on. Or maybe its just your room. How much did you toe in the speaker?
The bass of the 12.2 is deep and neutral, it only produces bass when there are actual deep bass notes in the track, it doesnt enhance anything.
Another issue that you have is being bright, I can say that this is the first time anyone said the 12s are too bright. Weird.
Hmm. Personally I haven't seen the Wharfedale Diamond 12.2s being reviewed on the AudioScienceReview nor on any other credible sites where they would use such or similarly accurate forms of measurements so I am not sure if that statement "The 12.2s are basically the flattest and most neutral measuring speaker" is entirely correct as for now. Remember, in this price range there is also the Elac Debut Reference B6, well-known for its neutrality (the most flat frequency response is not necessarily what I am always looking for though).
The measurements I do are not the last word and I make them as best as I can. It is an average of six measurements using the microphone (UMIK-1) placed at my listening position and moving it even so slightly. The comparison with my reference speakers (Quadral Platinum+ Two) is always done at the same time to counteract any potential/expected external factor influence.
Also, I don't use grills and the speakers were toed-in slightly where I would found the sweet spot.
I 100% agree with your take on bass. I hope I expressed myself clearly in the review.
As for the brightness, well, there are not so many reviews on the Diamond 12s (especially 12.2) yet and most of them (which focus on the 12.1) were sponsored so I am not trusting in their informative aspect much to be honest.
P.S. Yes, I would love to have anechoic chamber for better testing but currently being just a small hobb(y)i(s)t 😄
Also, please don't get this review wrong. As I said it was one of the most difficult reviews to this day for me. Those speakers are still exceptional when it comes to for example the soundstage or build quality. Mostly, those highs influence my decision to take that one star off but still...
@@MAudiophile dont get me wrong though, its always good to have different opinions of a product but that huge dip in the midrange is rather worrying with all the charts Ive seen on the 12.1 and 12.2. That kind of dip can only be attributed to a few things, room, vertical horizontal axis (especially vertical) and grills. A slight gradual dip, 2 - 3db max, is normal because it is intentional but 10db is just shocking.
@@MAudiophile ive posted a link twice regarding the 12.2 with measurements but youtube seem to be deleting it even after taking away the dots. Crazy.
One thing I learned watching Amir from AudioScienceReview is to not look at the decibels much, especially with such homemade in-room response graphs. It is pointless. The measurements I do are just an addition to better understand key characteristics of the speaker both for viewers and myself. I am only interested where there is a dip and where is the peak.
Glad you understand my point of view. Too many of the reviewers are giving 5 stars to every Hi-Fi product, not saying anything negative 😀
then its new the treble sounds terrible but after some weeks its sweet and nice, its like 2 differet speakers
How do these compare to the 11.2's?
I don’t know because I haven’t listened 11.2s.
I think that would be nice to test whrfs diamond 11.2s in comparison with 12.2s. I believe that 11.2 is better, in terms of bass (deeper), mids (better).Also 11.2s are still on sales!!
I have the 11.3s and never heard the 11.2s. My 11.3s sent Jbl 570s and Elac DFR 52s packing in a direct a b comparison. I cannot find the 11.2 anywhere for a fair price. I would agree here. I also tried the 12.4s and kept my 11.3s near perfect match for my room.
More vids please
Great review. I just bought die 12.2 and have been puzzled by the harsh trebble, too. But... I've just kept them playing for about five or six days now und even though the hights stay very present, that harshness goes away. I also think the 12.2s are very sensitives when it comes to choose the right amp, but I haven't figured out this topic yet. Any ideas anyone?
Thanks Christoph. I hope someone will suggest something 😄 From new amps I would test Rega Brio - good one with delicate treble as far as I recall.
@@MAudiophile Yes, the Rega-range of amps seems to be interesting ... at this price point I'm thinking of the Rega IO, the smaller brother of the Brio. For the time being and after a few more experiments I suggest to bi-wire or bi-amp these speakers. I'm not a great fan of doing that and I can't explain the effect, but bi-amping it with my old Yamaha Amp which can run two sets of speakers really helped to tame them down quite a bit.🤔
@@ChristophBerdi I'd be careful with the IO. I've listened to both and felt they are quite different. Sound from IO was a bit V-shaped in comparison with more mature and mellow Brio but in the end, I encourage you to listen both. Alternatively you could buy something used, I got my NAD 320BEE for 150$ and I think it is a steal. Better than most new amps up to 1000$ tag imo.
Does it come with port foam bungs?
They are indeed sensitive to amps, my conclusion too.
I owned them and Audiolab 6000a was a nice match (also for top-end). My NAD c326 also didn't match well.
There's a demo review, where the 12.2's are paired to an Arcam SA10. This emphasizes it's top-end even more.
In the end I bought the Polk R200's.
I based my findings also on recorded material from a friend singer, where the 12.2 beautified her voice and the Polk was more true to the source. Still, the 12.2 is a fantastic speaker, just needs some care in matching gear.
hello, do you think diamond 12.2 is good for near field listening, placed on the desktop with desktop stand?
not at all.
No, I´d strongly advise not to do that, these babies are not made for such (listening) circumstances, place them wide apart from another and give them some needed space between them and yourself.
How does it compare with Castle Knight 2 in terms of sound quality?
In this comparison Diamond 12.2 wins in my opinion. Better bass and bigger soundstage. Sadly, I wasn't really impressed by Castle Knight 2s in terms of sound quality.
@@MAudiophile thank you.
Harshness should go away with the time, after a good break in period, midrange is not the best, true, nice speaker
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