Полочная акустика — Wharfedale DIAMOND 12.1i

The DIAMOND 12.1i is the middle of three standmount models in the Diamond 12i series, which Wharfedale made available from December 2025 as an update of the Diamond 12 range first launched in 2020. The i generation keeps the outgoing prices, so the 12.1i costs GBP 249 per pair, between the 12.0i at GBP 199 and the 12.2i at GBP 299. The series also includes the 12.3i and 12.4i floorstanders. Four earlier wood-effect finishes were dropped in favour of Deep Black, Stone Grey and Classic Walnut, the last paired with a semi-matt black front baffle.

Key specs that matter

This two-way reflex speaker combines a 130 mm Klarity cone of polypropylene and mica with a 25 mm woven polyester dome tweeter, crossing at 2.6 kHz. Frequency response runs from 65 Hz to 20 kHz within 3 dB, and the 6 dB point is 60 Hz. Sensitivity reaches 88 dB at 2.83 V and 1 m, with a 96 dB peak SPL rating. Wharfedale lists 8 ohm nominal and 4.0 ohm minimum impedance. The 8.2 litre cabinet measures 312 mm tall, 180 mm wide and 250 mm deep, with 28 mm more for the terminals, and each speaker weighs 6.8 kg.

Engineering and use context

Changes for the i version centre on the bass port. A team led by Director of Acoustic Design Peter Comeau reshaped the port and its airflow after laser interferometry and computational fluid dynamics studies, revised the internal damping, and moved drive unit production to finer tolerances. Behind the woofer cone sit a precision magnet fitted with an aluminium compensation ring and a coil former made of glass fibre and epoxy, while the tweeter dome carries a high-loss damping coating. The Linkwitz-Riley crossover network is built around air-core inductors. Cabinet panels of wood fibre board vary in thickness and are layered in a sandwich, and internal spot braces tie opposing walls together to limit panel resonance. The port exits at the rear. The standard warranty is three years, and registering the product within 90 days adds a further three.

Pairing

A recommended power band of 20 to 100 W and a load that stays at or above 4 ohm mean an everyday stereo integrated amplifier or AV receiver can drive it. For surround use the 12.C centre costs GBP 229, and the Diamond 12 3D effects speaker can be placed atop the 12.1i or wall-mounted to supply height channels for Dolby Atmos.

Alternatives

The Wharfedale DIAMOND 12.2i is the larger standmount of the same generation, with a 150 mm Klarity bass driver and an 11.8 litre cabinet.