Wharfedale Diamond 12 Series boast new Klarity drivers

Loudspeaker specialist Wharfedale has launched an all-new Diamond 12 Series. The name is familiar but there’s some fresh technology in these new budget loudspeakers.

Developed in collaboration with speaker designer Karl-Heinz Fink, the 12 Series starts at £199 and comprises three bookshelf/standmount speakers, two floorstanding models and a centre speaker for home cinema use.

This time around the Diamond drivers are coated in a newly developed composite called Klarity, a polypropylene material noted for characteristically low distortion, combined with mica, which enhances rigidity and response. This replaces the Kelvar we’ve seen on previous Diamonds. They should sound significantly different.

Common to all Diamond 12 Series is a treble unit with 25mm dome made from a woven polyester film, with a high loss coating for smoothly extended high frequencies.

The cabinets are rear-ported, with walls made from sections of wood fibre board of varying thickness. Inside, Intelligent Spot Bracing connects opposing walls to achieve optimal reduction of cabinet resonance.

A bestseller in every Wharfedale Diamond line-up from the last two decades has been the ‘.1’ model, a classically sized bookshelf speaker. The Diamond 12.1 continues this design tradition, and is available from October. ‘This is a ‘budget’ loudspeaker that captures the spirit of the music, whatever you play, from rock to classical, jazz to electronica,’ says the company.

The other Diamond 12 models are set to join in November, All models are offered in a choice of black, white, walnut or light oak.

The full line up comprises the two-way Diamond 12.0 (£199), with 25mm tweeter and 10cm Klarity mid/bass driver; the Diamond 12.1 (£249), with slightly larger 13cm Klarity mid/bass driver; the standmount Diamond 12.2 (£299) with with a 15cm Klarity mid-bass driver; Diamond 12.3 floorstander (£499), that combines the tweeter with a 13cm Klarity mid/bass driver and a dedicated 13cm Klarity bass driver; Diamond 12.4 (£699), with 15cm Klarity drivers; and the Diamond 12.C (£229) centre speaker, which combines a 25mm tweeter midway between a pair of 13cm Klarity mid/bass drivers.