In this review, we will be comparing Debut 3.0 DF63 and Diamond 12.4, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from ELAC and Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ELAC Debut 3.0 DF63 and Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
ELAC Debut 3.0 DF63 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Midrange
- 2 x 6.5" Aramid fiber Woofer
- 31 to 38K Hz Frequency Response
- 87.5 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:30 - 180watts
- Weight:17.64kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1094.0" x 9-5/8" x 12-9/16"( 1094.0 x 245.0 x 320.0mm )
Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 2 x 6.5" Mica-infused polypropylene Woofer
- 40-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-200watts
- Weight:22.40kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1156.0" x 8" x 15-1/4"( 1156.0 x 200.0 x 388.0mm )
What size room are the ELAC Debut 3.0 DF63 and Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
ELAC Debut 3.0 DF63 |
Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the ELAC Debut 3.0 DF63 and Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Debut 3.0 DF63 is a 3-way design whereas the Diamond 12.4 is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
| Driver |
ELAC Debut 3.0 DF63 |
Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Debut 3.0 DF63 features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Aramid fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 550Hz and 2000Hz. On the other hand, the Diamond 12.4 features a 1" Textile Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Mica-infused polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2100Hz.
Frequency Response
Debut 3.0 DF63 has a frequency range of 31 to 38K Hz whereas Diamond 12.4 has a frequency range of 40-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 31Hz, the Debut 3.0 DF63 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Diamond 12.4's min frequency of 40Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Debut 3.0 DF63 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Diamond 12.4 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Debut 3.0 DF63 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Debut 3.0 DF63 sensitivity is rated at 87.5 dB and the Diamond 12.4's is rated at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC Debut 3.0 DF63, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Debut 3.0 DF63 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Debut 3.0 DF63 has a max power handling value of 180 watts RMS , 20 watts less than the Diamond 12.4.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Diamond 12.4 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Debut 3.0 DF63 has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
ELAC Debut 3.0 DF63's 5-Way post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Debut 3.0 DF63 and Diamond 12.4 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
ELAC Debut 3.0 DF63 Port
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare ELAC Debut 3.0 DF63's and Wharfedale Diamond 12.4's external dimensions. ELAC Debut 3.0 DF63 has external dimensions of 1094.0 x 245.0 x 320.0mm ( 43-1/16-inch x 9-5/8-inch x 12-9/16-inch) whereas Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 has external dimensions of 1156.0 x 200.0 x 388.0mm ( 45-1/2 x 8 x 15-1/4inch) .
ELAC Debut 3.0 DF63 is 62mm shorter and 68mm less deeper than Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 but it is also 45mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of ELAC Debut 3.0 DF63 and Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 in scale.
Comparison image of ELAC Debut 3.0 DF63 and Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 Size and External Dimensions
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the ELAC Debut 3.0 DF63 is approximately 784.0cm2 / 121.5inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 is approximately 776.0cm2 / 120.3inch2. The Debut 3.0 DF63 requires 1% more surface area than the Diamond 12.4 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.