Wharfedale Diamond 12.0 Bookshelf Speaker

The ultra-compact speaker in the DIAMOND 12 series, the DIAMOND 12.0 features all of the same technology as its larger siblings but is designed for small-footprint hi-fi systems, or even as a high-performance, compact satellite speaker in home theatre systems.

The DIAMOND 12.0 features a high-performance 100mm (4”) KlarityTM driver with a bass performance that exceeds its diminutive footprint, while the superb 25mm (1”) woven polyester dome tweeter brings open and smoothly extended high frequencies.

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.

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 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’.

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.

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.

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.