============================================Wiim Mini (On Sale) amzn.to/3vKHKAp =Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 bit.ly/3BGDAxi ==========================================Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 (Crutchfield) howl.me/chOflpZRkhv www.patreon.com/cheapaudioman Tidal Deal bit.ly/3siuqSF Crutchfield shop-links.co/cguPK8XEGmt Best Buy Deals shop-links.co/cf9yDZeYtUH amzn.to/3GkNaop CAM Store (New Products!) bit.ly/30Lgu4K apos.audio?sca_ref=552340.TY98BPcZ6P massdrop.7eer.net/qnOye5 Amazon Unlimited Music and Disney Plus Free Trial amzn.to/3DRAVj9
I've owned these for about 6 months and love them. I use them solely for 2 channel listening; vinyl and streaming. They are connected to my Pioneer SX980. Bass is perfect for me without a subwoofer; precise with punch without boominess. I have them placed close to the rear wall of my listening space which is a large room with high ceiling and plaster walls. I listen to all kinds of music and these handle everything well. Cheers!
The best budget towers under $1000 I personally owned and absolutely loved it was Q Acoustics 3050i. Definitely bang for the buck. Loved it so much that I sold it and bought the Concept 500s.
The issue with many bookshelf speakers is that - to me at least - they don’t fill the room with enough sound. The soundstage sounds too small. I like a big sense of scale.
Book shelf or 2 way? Agree tiny speakers sound limited. But some larger (20 lbs) 2 ways sound huge. Better than cheap towers. Yet they are still called bookshelf. Stupid name. Confusing I think.
@@peterbaugh51 Don’t feel bad. Your confusion about that is understandable. They referred to those heavy and big speakers as “bookshelf”, because back in the early days of stereo hifi, many people put those speakers on bookshelves IF the bookshelf was big and sturdy enough. Acoustic Research’s old AR3a and the Large Advents we’re prime examples of the (so called) bookshelf speakers.
Wharfedale have been designing and making loudspeaker for a long, long time, they seldom get it wrong. I have owned loads of floorstanders over the years, only a floorstander can offer the full musical experience, yes, they have their compromises, even weaknesses inherent in all floorstanders, but overall, the big picture, nothing can touch them. I have had Q Acoustics 3050i, Klipsch, Monitor Audio, Kef, TDL, Rogers, B&W, some were okay, some were returned with a week, I happened upon the 12.3 bigger brother, the 12.4 and listened to them alongside similar priced speakers, some several hundreds of pounds more, the only speaker that I heard that bettered the 12.4 were the same companys EVO 4.4 and that was essentially in the high frequency only, just my opinion but if you are in the market for a pair of real speakers, give the 12.4 a listen and if they are too physically imposing, have a listen to the 12.3. Added bonus, they are finished beautifully, understated and emanate a quiet confidence. I wish I had got the black ones is my only regret.
I really appreciate that Warfedale offers a smaller tower speaker options, even on their evo series. Something I wish other manufactures would do that as well.
I bought a pair of Castle Knight 4's, 2nd hand, and new T+A Cala amp. This is the best hifi i have ever owned, and i have owned quite a lot of stuff over the years.
I have the Diamond 12.1 love them so much, bass texture is incredible but I agree even though the treble measures flat and smooth there is occasions where it seems to ring with specific recordings.
Most probably the 4khz region which has a very small peak. Just a guess. I hear some harshness and ringing too on the 12.2 and 12.4, just on some recordings, especially with female vocals. Maybe 1/100 female vocals, but its there. Like some kind of break up or resonance.
Love my Wharfedale EVO 4.2's! Wharfedale has it going on for bang for the buck. I would probably recommend the EVO 4.2's over these for the price, but these look very nice too. I would suggest showing these floorstanders full view, for size comparison.
One of the reasons I still have a vintage set of 50 year old L/R fronts on my home theater is because it gives me a 10in long throw woofer and I don't need a sub. My other sets are bookshelves so I feel you Randy. New towers are not older towers.
So I went and played Korn - Evolution through my bookshelves which roll off rather quick after 125 Hz and was think where is this said base you mentioned. Turned on my subs and found it. MAN that song has some deep base that you can feel. Videos are great and thanks for mentioning on how to start up. I'm getting back into audio and finding amp/receivers second hand is a great place to get going. A lot of old hardware is still great just lacking some of the new Dolby coding and HDMI connections. I watch most of my content through my XBOX so I'm not concerned about video switching and for just starting out I'm ok with RCA's and using my TV to switch video when I need to. Currently running Onkyo TX-DS474(picked up for $50), just wish it has the "A+B" my Yamaha RX-V590 ($25) has. My bookshelves are a kit from Electro Mavin, the tweeter and (2) 5 1/4 Klipsch drivers
When I think cheap towers, I think Bic, Dayton, Jamo, and Polk. All less than wharfdales but probably don't perform as well. So when are you gonna do a cheap tower shootout?
@@final3119 I like the zeros but couldn't get passed the recessed mids. The highs and lows were fantastic. I actually directly compared them to almost a dozen other speakers to include jamo c series towers, Wharfedale 230, jbl s570, and polk lsim towers. When a / b comparing, the recessed mids stuck out like a sore thumb. I probably would have liked them much more had I not had other options to compare.
Bought them,and Diamond 12.2 for surround. ( I know, Klipsch rp - 500mII would be more for the surround bcs of the highs.) Center is old Magnat Monitor 210 . But they are tone matching this way 🤪 . Wanted to say that aesthetically ,neither SVS nor Emotiva can match them. Othervise , love the work, and sponsors like always 🙃
Randy, I own these speakers, paired with the IOTA amp and preamp, bi-amped sending 90W per channel, plus a subwoofer to catch up to 75Hz. They knock me out! As you said, tone, clarity, accuracy, and gops of personality. Drummers? try Jack DeJohnette, Bernie Purdie, or Harvey Mason. Seriously with my setup, the tones of the drum stand out, and as you said, the bass has excellent sonic clarity, cheers.
This is the problem with the Diamond 12s, they dont wow you at first listen but after spending time with it, you will start noticing that it does everything SO well. There is nothing to complain about the 12s, even after listen critically. The mids... the mids... yes, the sweet 3 dimensional mids that is not found on the the R200 and R700... Ex owner of the 12.2, 12.4, R200 and R700 here. Balanced is the one word I would use to describe the 12.2 and 12.4, and balance is what the 12s do best. Balance dont come cheap but its the trait that makes you fall in love with the 12s after some time.
My personal experience is that all else being equal (good design, construction and parts) a larger speaker cabinet and speaker sounds better than a bookshelf/sub combo. My friend used to make Lantana/Qysonic speakers (tower design) from tiny to large that sounded amazing. I owned the biggest towers with 8" drivers. Even John Iverson was a fan of those speakers. I had a pair of Iverson's Electro Research 320 speakers too and Spica TC-50s.
My personal theory has always been that larger speakers with more surface area have an easier time reproducing low end (like you said all other things being equal). I think you might be able to replicate it with bookshelves and a sub but I think you would likely need bass management for the bookshelves and dsp for the sub to really get them to blend as seamlessly.
If a tower has only one 6,5" bass driver, it's not much more than a bookshelf speaker. The benefit of towers start when you use multiple drivers in larger cabinets (alowing for lower tuning) or larger drivers of 8"+. Then towers offer more dynamic headroom if you like to listen at higher volumes. Deep bass usually requires dedicated subwoofers. There aren't many affordable speakers that really hit into the 30s with authority.
Agreed - not much has changed in the Klipsch RF-7, making it to MkIII without any major form factor changes. I have a ton of experience with RF-5's too, and you're not wrong. If you want tower speakers, look for larger drivers in a large form factor. It's exactly why you would buy a Floorstanding speaker.
Long time ago, with ur review, you made me go with 11.2, now i am gonna go with 12.3 or 12.4... i will see, but still thank you for an amazing review 😄😄
Did you get them new or used? I have an opportunity to get them for the same price, except that it needs a drive to another city. So not sure if it's worth it.
I picked up a new pair of the Andrew Jones designed Pioneer 22 towers for $120/pair. Does that make me a bona fide CheapAudioMan too? The speakers sound good with all my amps but especially the cheap ($185) Yamaha RX-V375.(That's my home theater system) The Yamaha sounds even better than the Emotiva BasX-A100 amp or Denon AVR-X2300W for some reason, and I love the Emotiva amp. Just sold the Denon. The Emotiva amp stays on my turntable system.
I really like some of Yamaha's really older AVR's. The top of the line models from as far back as 25 years. If they have been taken care of half way decent anyway
Love your content! I have a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 230 speakers. They are older but sound great. I have run them with a sub but find I don't like the sound any better. Maybe it's because of the type of music I listen to or maybe my old ears just can't hear the difference!
Randy, thanks for the review. You say these are 33 inches tall, the manufacturer website says 38 inches. This is really important to me. Do the floor spikes add the additional 5 inches of height? Love your videos.
@@NosEL34 I already own them, I just wanted Randy's opinion. I love them there solid and power them with a Parasound 2125 .v2. They really deliver for small towers. They look good too because they're not huge.
@@arndtbc I own these too and am mostly very happy with them. In terms of tone, I think they're right on and sweet. In terms of treble, I am of a mixed mind: the R500s lack air around solo voice and instruments; however, with a bit of toe in, they sound clean and articulate and offer a musically satisfying presentation. I'm powering them with 350W monoblocks. I also have dual 8" subs to fill out the bass. For my room and music, they are a great value.
Hey Randy, Great reviews! Just wondering if you would recommend these speakers for near field listening. Hoping some recommendations from KEF and Wharfedale for near field listening
And you kinda miss on the midbase,in my opinion I take a tower evertime ,even with small rooms,but that's me, that the beauty of this hobby, there is no wrong way everyone is different
Do you ever listen to unamplified music like Folk/Americana/Bluegrass, Jazz or Symphonic/Opera to test equipment? Were Korn songs really well recorded? I have yet to hear a Korn, Metallica (they do have some well recorded music), AC/DC (my favorite band to turn up the volume to) I'd want to use to test anything. I just think that music doesn't really test a speaker other than how loud it can get or how well it handles distortion. I'd rather know how well a system can handle the multitude of instruments of a large orchestra and choir singing Beethoven's 9th (very few decent performances/recordings of that symphony)
@@Trollberg I have the Klipsch Synergy KSB 3.1 system and they’re pretty dang impressive for being 20+ years old and considering I only paid about $100 for all 3 speakers. Although I learned first hand how important your source is. And when I say source I mean your amp/receiver. I went from a Pioneer VSX 834 7.2ch receiver to a Pioneer Elite SC-37 7.1ch receiver and the difference is absolutely insane….
@@boomerspeed0124 the ones I ordered were on backorder. I finally got them in but they had some defects in the finish. Maybe B Stock? I have 90 days to return. Sound is maybe too neutral for me. I liked the Evo much better.
Wondering which would provide an overall better music listening experience - the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3s, or SVS Ultra Bookshelves? Would use with a sub in either case.
thanks...but this isn't making my decision any easier. I have 20+yo Infinity Primus 250 (2-way, 3 driver, 92dB) and I want to bump up in performance, but not go over the moon. Powered by a Marantz NR1610 slim (I think 50/ch). I have a 10" pwrd sub. I don't think there is any thing wrong w/the Primus 250s, but I just want something different that isn't Klipsh and is fairly efficient (90+dB). I'd most likely get a matching center too. Bookshelves are cheaper, but what about (pricey) stands? Maybe get 3 Diamond 12.2s? What about the 12.4s, the bigger brother? So many choices in the $1k/pr range (+/- $150)...
Just curious, how sensitive are these speakers? Would they pair okay with a low power Tube amp, or would these really be better teamed with a solid state amp?
For the same price, you should check out the Magnat Transpuls 1500. They're BIG, and despite the 15" woofer they don't play down to the manufacturer claimed 16Hz, but to my ear, they play down to ~30Hz. They look like huge old-school monkey-coffin party speakers but they're astonishingly musical, and because the 15" woofer isn't a long-throw woofer (also why they don't play that low IMO), the bass is fast and accurate. Combined with an SVS SB2000, the Telarc recording of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture sounds sublime.
It’s funny you say that I have 15 inch woofers in my 3 ways had them for a long time and sounds amazing. Go big or go home. 15 inchers are in the Cornwalls and La Scalas also.
@@bennetbayer3103 I have not heard the Wharfdales, so I couldn't give an honest opinion in that regard, but for the price, the Magnats blew my mind with how good they do both music and home theater.
Good looking speakers. To be honest the glossy black on some of these speakers is starting to grow on me. I know, I know, damn the fingerprints to hell!! Lolol
How do these compare with the Polk Reserve R700 floorstanding system? I'm guessing the Polks are better bang for buck, especially when they're so close to price.
But they are not even close to price. The r700 are double the price (usd 2000)... Even the smallest tower in the Reserve series, the r500, costs 30% more than the Wharfedale. You are comparing apples and oranges here (Polk's mid-high tier vs Wharfedale entry tier)
Hey Randy, I am considering on buying a pair of Monitor Audio Bronze 500 with a Cambridge Audio Axr100. Can you please guide me on some options around the 1000$ mark? Thank you, Alex
I had the 12.3s and sent them back. The didn't hit as low as other towers and there was an enormous bump at ~50 Hz in my room, which was completely untenable. I think I will try the 12.1s for my desktop setup, because I really enjoyed the sound other than the problems with bass.
I think audiophiles get it so wrong when it comes to floor-standing speakers. And I think their obsession with bookshelf speakers is often more nostalgia then actual sound. Their Dad had bookshelf speakers and its a childhood memory, almost certainly a fond memory. Floor-standers produce a fuller room filling sound than a bookshelf can. Its just basic physics! Any decent floor-stander negates the need for a subwoofer! So yes I say again for the majority of people floor-standers are a better option over bookshelf. There I said it! ;)
I would imagine the Jamo C95 II Towers would give these a good run for the $$ (Well Yeah, considering their now HALF the price on Crutchfield now! Holy cow. Less than 500$ for the pair!!!)
I want them but I don't need them lol ..wish you would do paradigm monitor 6000 got a crazy good deal from a actual audio dealer lovecto hear your view on there sound
I dont know about the 12.3 but the 12.4 is anything but lean in male vocals. The 12.2 is also not lean in male vocals, so I suspect it has something to do with the 5 1/4 inch drivers on the 12.3 and 12.1. Never liked smaller driver anyway... lol!
@@AbsoluteFidelity It probably means they didn't bump the midbass, which can be percepted as 'lean'. The good part is that Randy appreciated the 12.3 better after listening to it for a while. Usually a sign of a good and well balanced speaker. Like you said, the 12.2 and 12.4 are anything but lean in that region, just honest.
@Zen surfer Emotiva has a close out on T zero + at $399, very similar to this speaker. I have the T1+ and couldn’t be happier. The new B2+ stand mount looks like a killer too. That’s $449. I have been listening to hi fi for 50 years, and there is better value for “cheap” gear now than ever before.
I just bought some T0+s from the Texas Audio roundup show Emotiva had. I'm blown away by how good they sound and I'm surprised at the bass output the T0+s had. Might not be deep deep, but the output has been great. I've been listening to them in a 2.0 set up for movies and some music off the Aiyima A07 and again I'm shocked how good they are for the price.
@@mikeortiz2139 Do the T Zero have a balanced sound? Seems like a steal at $399. A 2 way tower seems odd sort of, like a tall bookshelf without a separate stand.
@@paulgolub6823 I think they do. And for the price it's not bad. You can return at your own expense if you don't like them. I imagine the T1+ would be more impressive for 2 channel, digging deeper and just overall louder. Although that's double the cost.
@@paulgolub6823 Big recommendation for the T1+, unfortunately just had another price increase, but still hard to beat. Very clean and deep bass, don’t really need a sub fir music unless your a total bass head. Clarity on the top end is great, and not in your face like some metal dome tweeters.
Between the Wharfdale 12.3 and Q Acoustic 3030i, which one will be a better performar irrespective of one is Tower and the other one is a bookshelf? Considering overall tonality, bass, imaging and soundstaging
I'd save myself $400 and get the JBL Stage A190 towers. Crazy performance for the money at $600 for the pair. Will go down to 35 hertz or so. They will beat out the Wharfedales in all aspects. For $400 less!
proper towers will ALWAYS have better efficiency and lower distortion when compared to bookshelves! so quit the nonsense, LOWER base is NOT THE REASON why towers are better than silly bookshelves that take the same floor space (stands and all), bookshelves are only for book shelves or tables. no to mention the stupidity of buying $500 bookshelves plus $500 stands.
@@peterbaugh51 In that case B&W towers would still be lower distortion higher efficiency and incidentally reach lower than the bookshelves, I have DSPed time aligned fully horn loaded system which blows away any direct radiator speakers towers or not….it’s physics
![Best Floorstanding Speakers 2024 [don’t buy one before watching this]](/img/1.gif)
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They're way worse than Diamond 230. They sound too bright and have uneven dispersion in the mid-treble.
I've owned these for about 6 months and love them. I use them solely for 2 channel listening; vinyl and streaming. They are connected to my Pioneer SX980. Bass is perfect for me without a subwoofer; precise with punch without boominess. I have them placed close to the rear wall of my listening space which is a large room with high ceiling and plaster walls. I listen to all kinds of music and these handle everything well. Cheers!
Sounds like a great listening space......I use Cantons in my large space , filling to say the least with 100W tube power.
The best budget towers under $1000 I personally owned and absolutely loved it was Q Acoustics 3050i. Definitely bang for the buck. Loved it so much that I sold it and bought the Concept 500s.
lucky you! hope to one day buy a pair of concept 500 ! own the concept 40 and love them!! addictive!
Got my pair of 12.3s a few weeks ago, I love them.
The issue with many bookshelf speakers is that - to me at least - they don’t fill the room with enough sound. The soundstage sounds too small. I like a big sense of scale.
Book shelf or 2 way? Agree tiny speakers sound limited. But some larger (20 lbs) 2 ways sound huge. Better than cheap towers. Yet they are still called bookshelf. Stupid name. Confusing I think.
@@peterbaugh51 Don’t feel bad. Your confusion about that is understandable. They referred to those heavy and big speakers as “bookshelf”, because back in the early days of stereo hifi, many people put those speakers on bookshelves IF the bookshelf was big and sturdy enough. Acoustic Research’s old AR3a and the Large Advents we’re prime examples of the (so called) bookshelf speakers.
I can agree, can’t compare Chora 806 to a Chora 826
Wharfedale have been designing and making loudspeaker for a long, long time, they seldom get it wrong. I have owned loads of floorstanders over the years, only a floorstander can offer the full musical experience, yes, they have their compromises, even weaknesses inherent in all floorstanders, but overall, the big picture, nothing can touch them.
I have had Q Acoustics 3050i, Klipsch, Monitor Audio, Kef, TDL, Rogers, B&W, some were okay, some were returned with a week, I happened upon the 12.3 bigger brother, the 12.4 and listened to them alongside similar priced speakers, some several hundreds of pounds more, the only speaker that I heard that bettered the 12.4 were the same companys EVO 4.4 and that was essentially in the high frequency only, just my opinion but if you are in the market for a pair of real speakers, give the 12.4 a listen and if they are too physically imposing, have a listen to the 12.3.
Added bonus, they are finished beautifully, understated and emanate a quiet confidence. I wish I had got the black ones is my only regret.
I won the 12.2s from Andrew Robinson and i love them, did get a Starke sub for hz in the 20s.
I really appreciate that Warfedale offers a smaller tower speaker options, even on their evo series.
Something I wish other manufactures would do that as well.
Q Acoustics 3050
I bought a pair of Castle Knight 4's, 2nd hand, and new T+A Cala amp. This is the best hifi i have ever owned, and i have owned quite a lot of stuff over the years.
Why go for bookshelf when the footprint with stands are the same as for floorstand?
Bass almost always better with floorstand.
I have the Diamond 12.1 love them so much, bass texture is incredible but I agree even though the treble measures flat and smooth there is occasions where it seems to ring with specific recordings.
Most probably the 4khz region which has a very small peak. Just a guess. I hear some harshness and ringing too on the 12.2 and 12.4, just on some recordings, especially with female vocals. Maybe 1/100 female vocals, but its there. Like some kind of break up or resonance.
Love my Wharfedale EVO 4.2's! Wharfedale has it going on for bang for the buck. I would probably recommend the EVO 4.2's over these for the price, but these look very nice too. I would suggest showing these floorstanders full view, for size comparison.
Picked up a pair of Evo 4.3 recently. As long as they don’t break, they’re the last speakers I’ll ever need to buy
Sounds like you guys like the EVO series
@@NosEL34 I have a pair of 4.4s for sale! lol
@@scottyo64 hey Papa, are you selling them just cause you are done with them or was there something you didn't like about them in Your system?
@@scottyo64 How much and where?
Another consideration is shipping towers vs bookshelf if you want to resell them.
Most definitely an issue I am running into
One of the reasons I still have a vintage set of 50 year old L/R fronts on my home theater is because it gives me a 10in long throw woofer and I don't need a sub. My other sets are bookshelves so I feel you Randy. New towers are not older towers.
So I went and played Korn - Evolution through my bookshelves which roll off rather quick after 125 Hz and was think where is this said base you mentioned. Turned on my subs and found it. MAN that song has some deep base that you can feel. Videos are great and thanks for mentioning on how to start up. I'm getting back into audio and finding amp/receivers second hand is a great place to get going. A lot of old hardware is still great just lacking some of the new Dolby coding and HDMI connections. I watch most of my content through my XBOX so I'm not concerned about video switching and for just starting out I'm ok with RCA's and using my TV to switch video when I need to. Currently running Onkyo TX-DS474(picked up for $50), just wish it has the "A+B" my Yamaha RX-V590 ($25) has. My bookshelves are a kit from Electro Mavin, the tweeter and (2) 5 1/4 Klipsch drivers
When I think cheap towers, I think Bic, Dayton, Jamo, and Polk. All less than wharfdales but probably don't perform as well. So when are you gonna do a cheap tower shootout?
True.
Just get Emotiva T-Zeros and be done with it.
@@final3119 I like the zeros but couldn't get passed the recessed mids. The highs and lows were fantastic. I actually directly compared them to almost a dozen other speakers to include jamo c series towers, Wharfedale 230, jbl s570, and polk lsim towers. When a / b comparing, the recessed mids stuck out like a sore thumb. I probably would have liked them much more had I not had other options to compare.
@@ufarkingicehole all of those cost more than Tzeros except the jamo c95s
Love my Diamond 225, may upgrade to 12.4 when I get a bigger place to live
I have a pair of these and have them paired up with a set of diamond 9.1s as satellites, sounds unbelievable.
Bought them,and Diamond 12.2 for surround. ( I know, Klipsch rp - 500mII would be more for the surround bcs of the highs.)
Center is old Magnat Monitor 210 . But they are tone matching this way 🤪 . Wanted to say that aesthetically ,neither SVS nor Emotiva can match them. Othervise , love the work, and sponsors like always 🙃
Randy, I own these speakers, paired with the IOTA amp and preamp, bi-amped sending 90W per channel, plus a subwoofer to catch up to 75Hz. They knock me out! As you said, tone, clarity, accuracy, and gops of personality. Drummers? try Jack DeJohnette, Bernie Purdie, or Harvey Mason. Seriously with my setup, the tones of the drum stand out, and as you said, the bass has excellent sonic clarity, cheers.
Try Dave Weckl: Montreal Drumfest 2012.
Ordered the mini through your link! I appreciate your recommendation on this one!
This is the problem with the Diamond 12s, they dont wow you at first listen but after spending time with it, you will start noticing that it does everything SO well. There is nothing to complain about the 12s, even after listen critically. The mids... the mids... yes, the sweet 3 dimensional mids that is not found on the the R200 and R700... Ex owner of the 12.2, 12.4, R200 and R700 here. Balanced is the one word I would use to describe the 12.2 and 12.4, and balance is what the 12s do best. Balance dont come cheap but its the trait that makes you fall in love with the 12s after some time.
What speakers did you end up with?
@@jasonpaoletti263 Focal Chora 806, 826 and Aria 906. Mind blowing difference in transparency, clarity and detail retrieval.
Awesome review! I'm in the market looking for my first set of speakers for my PC and your review helped me learn alot!
Loving the conclusion, exactly why i got disappointed by so many times by purchases. Expecting them tomorrow for 550 bucks(Netherlands, Europe)
Wow that's expensive! Less than£500 for a pair in the UK.
You guys always get the best deals on Wharfedale and Rega stuff
How do the Emotiva towers (T1+/T2+) compare to these?
I love Wharfedale, but I'd go with the T2 and C2 center channel speakers for home audio/video stereo system.
I just order a pair of white 12.3 from crutchfield for $600 new. The only worry is made in China.. hope I won't regret it.
My personal experience is that all else being equal (good design, construction and parts) a larger speaker cabinet and speaker sounds better than a bookshelf/sub combo.
My friend used to make Lantana/Qysonic speakers (tower design) from tiny to large that sounded amazing. I owned the biggest towers with 8" drivers. Even John Iverson was a fan of those speakers. I had a pair of Iverson's Electro Research 320 speakers too and Spica TC-50s.
My personal theory has always been that larger speakers with more surface area have an easier time reproducing low end (like you said all other things being equal). I think you might be able to replicate it with bookshelves and a sub but I think you would likely need bass management for the bookshelves and dsp for the sub to really get them to blend as seamlessly.
Yeah, I think having a couple drivers and one closer to the floor helps.
Hey Randy Great job. Did you know that with the Pioneer LX and the Diamonds you can bi wire and bi amp for even more fun.
Currently on sale for $798 on Wharfdale's website
If a tower has only one 6,5" bass driver, it's not much more than a bookshelf speaker. The benefit of towers start when you use multiple drivers in larger cabinets (alowing for lower tuning) or larger drivers of 8"+.
Then towers offer more dynamic headroom if you like to listen at higher volumes.
Deep bass usually requires dedicated subwoofers. There aren't many affordable speakers that really hit into the 30s with authority.
Agreed - not much has changed in the Klipsch RF-7, making it to MkIII without any major form factor changes. I have a ton of experience with RF-5's too, and you're not wrong. If you want tower speakers, look for larger drivers in a large form factor. It's exactly why you would buy a Floorstanding speaker.
You are killing it with the T-shirts fella!!!!
Toto - Africa But In Finnish Accent
Is my favorite version of that song ;)
Aren’t these the same price as the “best ever, end game” Emotiva towers you just reviewed? T2+?
Long time ago, with ur review, you made me go with 11.2, now i am gonna go with 12.3 or 12.4... i will see, but still thank you for an amazing review 😄😄
In this price range...anything else that compares favorably? I love my Maggie's and I want to experiment without spending a fortune.
Did you get them new or used? I have an opportunity to get them for the same price, except that it needs a drive to another city. So not sure if it's worth it.
I picked up a new pair of the Andrew Jones designed Pioneer 22 towers for $120/pair. Does that make me a bona fide CheapAudioMan too? The speakers sound good with all my amps but especially the cheap ($185) Yamaha RX-V375.(That's my home theater system) The Yamaha sounds even better than the Emotiva BasX-A100 amp or Denon AVR-X2300W for some reason, and I love the Emotiva amp. Just sold the Denon. The Emotiva amp stays on my turntable system.
I really like some of Yamaha's really older AVR's. The top of the line models from as far back as 25 years. If they have been taken care of half way decent anyway
Good to hear that! I have a RX-V377 and wonder if I should get something better. It was free to me.
Cuz Yamaha is very underrated good stuff.
Love your content! I have a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 230 speakers. They are older but sound great. I have run them with a sub but find I don't like the sound any better. Maybe it's because of the type of music I listen to or maybe my old ears just can't hear the difference!
I still want the Lintons!
Glad to see more tower reviews amigo. Im a 3 way kind of guy. Lol
These cost about the same as the CSS Criton. How do they compare.... I know memory may be fading. But I'll take the fading comparison
Randy, thanks for the review. You say these are 33 inches tall, the manufacturer website says 38 inches. This is really important to me. Do the floor spikes add the additional 5 inches of height? Love your videos.
what hifi gives these 5 stars with absolutely no cons at the price. i believe them
How would this compare to the Polk R500? Maybe you could do a review of the R500's. 🙂
I saw the R500's are on sale...all of them up to the R600. I haven't heard either though
@@NosEL34 I already own them, I just wanted Randy's opinion. I love them there solid and power them with a Parasound 2125 .v2. They really deliver for small towers. They look good too because they're not huge.
@@arndtbc I own these too and am mostly very happy with them. In terms of tone, I think they're right on and sweet. In terms of treble, I am of a mixed mind: the R500s lack air around solo voice and instruments; however, with a bit of toe in, they sound clean and articulate and offer a musically satisfying presentation. I'm powering them with 350W monoblocks. I also have dual 8" subs to fill out the bass. For my room and music, they are a great value.
Would these speakers play well with the marantz nr1711 that you also reviewed? I’ve been enjoying your reviews, funny and informative!
Hey Randy,
Great reviews!
Just wondering if you would recommend these speakers for near field listening.
Hoping some recommendations from KEF and Wharfedale for near field listening
£500 a pair here in the UK. Sold!
And you kinda miss on the midbase,in my opinion I take a tower evertime ,even with small rooms,but that's me, that the beauty of this hobby, there is no wrong way everyone is different
Have you listened to the Lores yet? Does it make sense to compare?
Do you ever listen to unamplified music like Folk/Americana/Bluegrass, Jazz or Symphonic/Opera to test equipment? Were Korn songs really well recorded? I have yet to hear a Korn, Metallica (they do have some well recorded music), AC/DC (my favorite band to turn up the volume to) I'd want to use to test anything. I just think that music doesn't really test a speaker other than how loud it can get or how well it handles distortion. I'd rather know how well a system can handle the multitude of instruments of a large orchestra and choir singing Beethoven's 9th (very few decent performances/recordings of that symphony)
Can you review the RSL CG5?
I like that you listen to rock a lot for your testing. What’s the best entry level speakers for someone that listens to a lot of rock and metal?
I listen to a lot metal myself. I just ordered these 12.3. hope they do justice.
@@Trollberg I have the Klipsch Synergy KSB 3.1 system and they’re pretty dang impressive for being 20+ years old and considering I only paid about $100 for all 3 speakers. Although I learned first hand how important your source is. And when I say source I mean your amp/receiver. I went from a Pioneer VSX 834 7.2ch receiver to a Pioneer Elite SC-37 7.1ch receiver and the difference is absolutely insane….
@@Trollberg Get them in yet?
@@boomerspeed0124 the ones I ordered were on backorder. I finally got them in but they had some defects in the finish. Maybe B Stock? I have 90 days to return. Sound is maybe too neutral for me. I liked the Evo much better.
@@boomerspeed0124 or more muffled laid back. It wasnt punchy like I'd like it to be.
Hello Randy, Question, which speakers are more listening to Classical and Jazz? Diamond 12 series or Linton? Thank you, sir!
Wondering which would provide an overall better music listening experience - the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3s, or SVS Ultra Bookshelves? Would use with a sub in either case.
Great Randy. I have a pair of Dali oberon 7. Would like to know if you have any impresions of them or Dali brand. Thanks!!!!!
thanks...but this isn't making my decision any easier. I have 20+yo Infinity Primus 250 (2-way, 3 driver, 92dB) and I want to bump up in performance, but not go over the moon. Powered by a Marantz NR1610 slim (I think 50/ch). I have a 10" pwrd sub. I don't think there is any thing wrong w/the Primus 250s, but I just want something different that isn't Klipsh and is fairly efficient (90+dB). I'd most likely get a matching center too. Bookshelves are cheaper, but what about (pricey) stands? Maybe get 3 Diamond 12.2s? What about the 12.4s, the bigger brother? So many choices in the $1k/pr range (+/- $150)...
Just curious, how sensitive are these speakers? Would they pair okay with a low power Tube amp, or would these really be better teamed with a solid state amp?
For the same price, you should check out the Magnat Transpuls 1500. They're BIG, and despite the 15" woofer they don't play down to the manufacturer claimed 16Hz, but to my ear, they play down to ~30Hz. They look like huge old-school monkey-coffin party speakers but they're astonishingly musical, and because the 15" woofer isn't a long-throw woofer (also why they don't play that low IMO), the bass is fast and accurate.
Combined with an SVS SB2000, the Telarc recording of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture sounds sublime.
It’s funny you say that I have 15 inch woofers in my 3 ways had them for a long time and sounds amazing. Go big or go home. 15 inchers are in the Cornwalls and La Scalas also.
Agreed, same price, better sound with the Magnat's.
@@bennetbayer3103 I have not heard the Wharfdales, so I couldn't give an honest opinion in that regard, but for the price, the Magnats blew my mind with how good they do both music and home theater.
I'm more of a Marche Slav man myself. Telarc of course.
Looks like they're out of stock. @f3y3f3
I’d do backflips over floostanders but my back hurts
I got a pair of MartinLogan 40i for $500 a piece, but they were a really good deal. Normally you can’t find them for $900 each. I love my 40i’s.
How is this comment relevant to the video at all?
Good looking speakers. To be honest the glossy black on some of these speakers is starting to grow on me. I know, I know, damn the fingerprints to hell!! Lolol
Thanks
I prefer towers. Stands look like after thoughts and truly don’t couple the speaker to the floor.
How do these compare with the Polk Reserve R700 floorstanding system? I'm guessing the Polks are better bang for buck, especially when they're so close to price.
But they are not even close to price. The r700 are double the price (usd 2000)...
Even the smallest tower in the Reserve series, the r500, costs 30% more than the Wharfedale. You are comparing apples and oranges here (Polk's mid-high tier vs Wharfedale entry tier)
Try entry level fyne audio towers
. They’re lovely
Hey Randy,
I am considering on buying a pair of Monitor Audio Bronze 500 with a Cambridge Audio Axr100. Can you please guide me on some options around the 1000$ mark?
Thank you,
Alex
I had the 12.3s and sent them back. The didn't hit as low as other towers and there was an enormous bump at ~50 Hz in my room, which was completely untenable. I think I will try the 12.1s for my desktop setup, because I really enjoyed the sound other than the problems with bass.
Amazing review
I’m telling ya, my man… get some Heco Auroras. Just contact Audio Advice. I’m sure they’ll send some right out. Talk about Goldilocks!
Q acoustics 3050 towers (older model) only £350 English quid's.
im happy.
They sound like the 12.1 Whafedale Diamond series speakers. But on steroids.
What you say about vocals, dont you think a ladder dac or a tune Sigma dac can make a difference?????
Sure. Almost every component can add some flavor to a system
I need some for my tv
Thanks!
There's caramel at the bottom?
Velodyne -12 600W....deadly on the mono blok.
How $1000 speakers sound compared to $1000 headphones like audeze lcd x??
You dont always need a sub ...
Great sponsor. SETH Audio second best.
I'm thinking about getting the Klipsch RF 7 ll tower speakers or maybe the Tekton double impacts.
I vote for KLIPSCH since there are dealers (at least in my area) where you can audition them.
Emotiva T1 + $899 pair.
I think audiophiles get it so wrong when it comes to floor-standing speakers. And I think their obsession with bookshelf speakers is often more nostalgia then actual sound. Their Dad had bookshelf speakers and its a childhood memory, almost certainly a fond memory. Floor-standers produce a fuller room filling sound than a bookshelf can. Its just basic physics! Any decent floor-stander negates the need for a subwoofer! So yes I say again for the majority of people floor-standers are a better option over bookshelf. There I said it! ;)
I don't I saw a picture of the entire speaker in the video.
I would imagine the Jamo C95 II Towers would give these a good run for the $$ (Well Yeah, considering their now HALF the price on Crutchfield now! Holy cow. Less than 500$ for the pair!!!)
Can you review the Cerwin Vega SL 15 ?
I regret not buying the xls-215's back when they were cheap.
lol I'm liking your vids before iv'e Even watched them🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Comment section full Wharfedale deniers.
I love Wharfys. The 9.1 bookshelves, sw150 sub 👌
Oh, you don't "do backflips over" them? Then how'd you "get behind" them, huh Randy?
Test Canton for the price...
OMG Randy doin towers!!!! :) :) :) :)
I want them but I don't need them lol ..wish you would do paradigm monitor 6000 got a crazy good deal from a actual audio dealer lovecto hear your view on there sound
And there's also a 12.4 tower.
I dont know about the 12.3 but the 12.4 is anything but lean in male vocals. The 12.2 is also not lean in male vocals, so I suspect it has something to do with the 5 1/4 inch drivers on the 12.3 and 12.1. Never liked smaller driver anyway... lol!
@@AbsoluteFidelity
It probably means they didn't bump the midbass, which can be percepted as 'lean'. The good part is that Randy appreciated the 12.3 better after listening to it for a while. Usually a sign of a good and well balanced speaker.
Like you said, the 12.2 and 12.4 are anything but lean in that region, just honest.
My Emotiva b1+ are for sale they simply don't sound like my vintage accousound AS -61020A thumpers
For me $1000 a pair is NOT affordable, $500 -$600 is more AFFORDABLE, maybe $700 but that's pushing it
@Zen surfer Emotiva has a close out on T zero + at $399, very similar to this speaker. I have the T1+ and couldn’t be happier. The new B2+ stand mount looks like a killer too. That’s $449. I have been listening to hi fi for 50 years, and there is better value for “cheap” gear now than ever before.
I just bought some T0+s from the Texas Audio roundup show Emotiva had. I'm blown away by how good they sound and I'm surprised at the bass output the T0+s had. Might not be deep deep, but the output has been great. I've been listening to them in a 2.0 set up for movies and some music off the Aiyima A07 and again I'm shocked how good they are for the price.
@@mikeortiz2139 Do the T Zero have a balanced sound? Seems like a steal at $399. A 2 way tower seems odd sort of, like a tall bookshelf without a separate stand.
@@paulgolub6823 I think they do. And for the price it's not bad. You can return at your own expense if you don't like them. I imagine the T1+ would be more impressive for 2 channel, digging deeper and just overall louder. Although that's double the cost.
@@paulgolub6823 Big recommendation for the T1+, unfortunately just had another price increase, but still hard to beat. Very clean and deep bass, don’t really need a sub fir music unless your a total bass head. Clarity on the top end is great, and not in your face like some metal dome tweeters.
12.3.... 12 channels and 3 subs?? 😁
Will my Audiolab 6000a amp be able to drive it?
Between the Wharfdale 12.3 and Q Acoustic 3030i, which one will be a better performar irrespective of one is Tower and the other one is a bookshelf? Considering overall tonality, bass, imaging and soundstaging
I'd save myself $400 and get the JBL Stage A190 towers. Crazy performance for the money at $600 for the pair. Will go down to 35 hertz or so. They will beat out the Wharfedales in all aspects. For $400 less!
Here in the UK the Wharfedale 12.3 is £495 for the pair. Whereas the JBL A190 is £549. Crazy how prices differ from one country to another.
@@Cousins08 but for the jbls...is that for a pair?
@@ryanschipp8513 Yep, for the pair. They aren't sold separately here.
@@Cousins08 interesting. Thanks for sharing. Crazy how much lower the Wharfedales are there. I'd expect them to be less but not almost half the price
proper towers will ALWAYS have better efficiency and lower distortion when compared to bookshelves! so quit the nonsense,
LOWER base is NOT THE REASON why towers are better than silly bookshelves that take the same floor space (stands and all),
bookshelves are only for book shelves or tables. no to mention the stupidity of buying $500 bookshelves plus $500 stands.
Depends how big your room is. Towers tend to overpower my little room, bass as well as visually.
Try $3,000.00 B&W's on stands. 2 way. Blows away most towers. It is about quality of sound, not size. How do I know this.
Try $3,000.00 B&W's on stands. 2 way. Blows away most towers. It is about quality of sound, not size. How do I know this.
@@peterbaugh51 In that case B&W towers would still be lower distortion higher efficiency and incidentally reach lower than the bookshelves, I have DSPed time aligned fully horn loaded system which blows away any direct radiator speakers towers or not….it’s physics
I had a pair of Diamond 8.4s which were pure garbage and not worth the $75 I paid for them. Sold them and got my money back.