The Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 is a floorstanding model in the Diamond 12 series, sitting above the 12.2 and below the 12.4 in Wharfedale's most celebrated entry-level range. A 2.5-way design, it deploys twin 130mm Klarity cone drivers for bass and midrange duties alongside a 25mm textile dome tweeter, delivering a performance that has earned it the What Hi-Fi? Best Floorstanding Speaker under £500 award for consecutive years.
Klarity Cone Technology
The Diamond 12.3's twin 130mm woofers use Wharfedale's Klarity cone material — a mica-infused polypropylene compound with moulded radial ribs that add stiffness whilst reducing flexing. The result is a lightweight cone with high rigidity, low colouration, and a fast transient response. Voice coils are wound on high-power epoxy/glass fibre bobbins — more commonly found at higher price points — offering greater power handling than aluminium bobbins and more rigidity than the Kapton type typical at this price level.
The 2.5-way topology means both 130mm drivers contribute equally to the bass output, while only the upper driver operates in the midrange. This arrangement provides the surface area of a single large driver within a slim, room-friendly enclosure, whilst preserving ideal time alignment between the midrange driver and tweeter.
Tweeter
The 25mm dome is fabricated from coated woven polyester film — a high-loss damping material chosen to deliver open and smoothly extended high frequencies. The magnet system is optimised to minimise compression for lower distortion at high playback levels. A flat front plate with no exposed screw heads eliminates diffraction-inducing obstructions, contributing to low colouration and wide dispersion.
Cabinet Construction
Diamond 12 cabinet walls employ a multi-layer sandwich construction to suppress resonance. Internally, Intelligent Spot Bracing connects opposing walls with precisely positioned wood braces, modelled by computer simulation to improve on the conventional figure-of-eight brace, which can transfer rather than absorb resonance. The rear-facing bass reflex port is tuned to match the enclosure's internal volume — 26.6 litres — and the behaviour of the Klarity woofers.
Crossover Network
Diamond 12's crossover uses a Linkwitz-Riley 24dB/octave topology featuring air-core inductors — a type more commonly found in high-end loudspeaker designs. Air-core coils produce lower distortion than ferrite-core alternatives, a characteristic Wharfedale credits for the Diamond 12 range's reputation for freedom from listening fatigue.
Connectivity and Placement
Two sets of 5-way binding post terminals are fitted, angled for easier access and neater cable management, allowing bi-wiring or bi-amping. Adjustable spike feet are provided for stability on uneven floors. What Hi-Fi? recommend positioning the 12.3 at least 50cm from the rear wall and 70cm from the sidewalls, with a modest toe-in angle to firm the stereo image.
What the Press Says
- "Wharfedale's Diamond 12.3 floorstanders are refined, entertaining and well built. What's not to like?" — What Hi-Fi? ★★★★★ (October 2025)
- What Hi-Fi? Awards 2025 winner — Best Floorstanding Speaker under £500
| Type | 2.5-way floorstanding speaker |
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| Bass Driver | 2 × 130mm (5") Klarity PP cone |
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| Tweeter | 25mm (1") coated woven polyester dome |
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| Sensitivity | 89 dB (2.83V @ 1m) |
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| Nominal Impedance | 8 ohms |
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| Minimum Impedance | 5 ohms |
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| Frequency Response | 45Hz–20kHz (±3dB) |
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| Bass Extension | 40Hz (−6dB) |
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| Crossover Frequency | 2.2kHz |
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| Recommended Amplifier Power | 30–150W |
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| Peak SPL | 102 dB |
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| Cabinet Volume | 26.6 litres |
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| Dimensions (H × W × D) | 975 × 180 × 348mm (inc. spikes and grille) |
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| Weight | 19.5kg (each) |
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| Also Available As | Light Oak |
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