In this review, we will be comparing Diamond 12.1 and 3020i, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Wharfedale and Q Acoustics.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale 12.1 and Q Acoustics 3020i first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale 12.1 | Q Acoustics 3020i |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Q Acoustics
United Kingdom · founded 2006 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 0.9" decoupled |
|---|
| Woofer | 5" Mica-infused polypropylene | 5" Coated paper |
|---|
| Frequency response | 65-20k Hz | 64-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-100 watts | 25-75 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 6.80kg / 15lbs | 4.80kg / 10.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12.2" x 7.0" x 10.9"
312.0 x 180.0 x 278.0mm | 10.9" x 6.6" x 11.1"
278.0 x 170.0 x 282.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale 12.1 and Q Acoustics 3020i 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* |
Wharfedale 12.1 |
Q Acoustics 3020i |
| Near-field |
Average |
Good |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
No way |
(* 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Diamond 12.1 and 3020i are 2-way speakers.
Wharfedale 12.1Q Acoustics 3020i
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Wharfedale 12.1 |
Q Acoustics 3020i |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
0.9-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
Diamond 12.1 features a 1" Textile Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Mica-infused polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2600Hz. On the other hand, the 3020i features a 0.9" decoupled Tweeter and 1 x 5" Coated paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2400Hz.
Frequency Response
Diamond 12.1 has a frequency range of 65-20k Hz whereas 3020i has a frequency range of 64-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 64Hz, the 3020i can go slightly deeper then the Diamond 12.1's min frequency of 65Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Diamond 12.1 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the 3020i which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 88 dBdB.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Diamond 12.1 can handle a max power of 100 watts RMS, whereas 3020i has a max power handling value of 75 watts RMS, 25 watts less than the Diamond 12.1.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Diamond 12.1 features 5-way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. 3020i has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Diamond 12.1 and 3020i 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.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Wharfedale 12.1's and Q Acoustics 3020i's external dimensions. Wharfedale 12.1 has external dimensions of 312.0 x 180.0 x 278.0mm (12.2 x 7.0 x 10.9inch) whereas Q Acoustics 3020i has external dimensions of 278.0 x 170.0 x 282.0mm (10.9 x 6.6 x 11.1inch).
Q Acoustics 3020i is 10mm narrower and 34mm shorter than Wharfedale 12.1 but it is also 4mm deeper.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Near-identical footprints. Wharfedale 12.1 is 34mm taller.
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 Wharfedale 12.1 is approximately 500.4cm2 / 77.6inch2 and base area of the Q Acoustics 3020i is approximately 479.4cm2 / 74.3inch2. The Diamond 12.1 requires 4% more surface area than the 3020i which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Wharfedale 12.1 weighs 6.80kg / 15lbs and the Q Acoustics 3020i weighs 4.80kg / 10.6lbs. This makes the Diamond 12.1 42% heavier than the 3020i.
Here is a comparison of how Diamond 12.1 and 3020i's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Wharfedale 12.1?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Diamond 12.1:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Jumper-bars (pre-installed)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- User-feets Manual
What's in the Box of Q Acoustics 3020i?
Here are the items that come with the 3020i:
- 2 x 3020i bookshelf speakers
- 2 x Foam Bungs
- 2 x Speaker Grilles
- 1 x User Manual
- 1 x Handling Gloves
- 8 x Rubber Speaker Grips
 Max Input Power |
100 watts
vs
75 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Low Frequency Response |
64 Hz
vs
65 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
278mm
vs
312mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
479cm2
vs
500cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
399USD
vs
449USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 |
Q Acoustics 3020i |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Q Acoustics |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
20-100 watts |
25-75 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
65-20k Hz |
64-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Mica-infused polypropylene |
Coated paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
0.9" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
decoupled |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2600Hz |
2400Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
312.0mm (12.3") |
278.0mm (10.9") |
| Width |
180.0mm (7.1") |
170.0mm (6.7") |
| Depth |
278.0mm (10.9") |
282.0mm (11.1") |
| Weight |
6.80kg (15lbs) |
4.80kg (10.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Walnut,Black,Oak,White |
Walnut, Black, White, Grey |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24-28" |
n/a |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 years |
4 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 years |
4 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (65Hz vs 64Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | Wharfedale 12.1 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | A | Wharfedale 12.1 takes more power (100W vs 75W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | A | Wharfedale 12.1: bi-amping. Wharfedale 12.1 sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Q Acoustics 3020i is cheaper - $399 against $449, about 11% less. |
A Wharfedale 12.1 B Q Acoustics 3020i
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Wharfedale 12.1 leads across most of the measured areas for a fairly modest premium, which makes it the easier pick if the budget stretches. Q Acoustics 3020i is the one to take if it does not. Match it to your room: we rate Q Acoustics 3020i the better fit for near-field listening; elsewhere the two are rated the same.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.