In this review, we will be comparing Diamond 12.3 and DFR52, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Wharfedale and ELAC.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 and ELAC Debut Ref DFR52 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 | ELAC Debut Ref DFR52 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | ELAC
Germany · founded 1926 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5" Mica-infused polypropylene | 2 x 5.25" Aramid fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-20k Hz | 42-35k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-150 watts | up to 140 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 19.50kg / 42.9lbs | 16.77kg / 36.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 38-3/4" x 7-1/8" x 14-1/4"
985.0 x 180.0 x 362.0mm | 40-9/16" x 9-1/8" x 11-1/8"
1031.0 x 232.0 x 283.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 and ELAC Debut Ref DFR52 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 Diamond 12.3 |
ELAC Debut Ref DFR52 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Diamond 12.3 is a 2-way design whereas the DFR52 is a 3-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.
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3ELAC Debut Ref DFR52
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 |
ELAC Debut Ref DFR52 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
Diamond 12.3 features a 1" Textile Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Mica-infused polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2200Hz. On the other hand, the DFR52 features a 1" cloth dome Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 5.25" Aramid fiber Woofer.
Frequency Response
Diamond 12.3 has a frequency range of 45-20k Hz whereas DFR52 has a frequency range of 42-35k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the DFR52 can go slightly deeper then the Diamond 12.3's min frequency of 45Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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 12.3 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the DFR52 which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Diamond 12.3 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the DFR52's is rated at 87 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 a more sensitive speaker compared to ELAC Debut Ref DFR52, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Diamond 12.3 can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas DFR52 has a max power handling value of 140 watts RMS, 10 watts less than the Diamond 12.3.
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 12.3 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. DFR52 has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
ELAC Debut Ref DFR52's 5-Way post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Diamond 12.3 and DFR52 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 Diamond 12.3's and ELAC Debut Ref DFR52's external dimensions. Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 has external dimensions of 985.0 x 180.0 x 362.0mm (38-3/4 x 7-1/8 x 14-1/4inch) whereas ELAC Debut Ref DFR52 has external dimensions of 1031.0 x 232.0 x 283.0mm (40-9/16 x 9-1/8 x 11-1/8inch).
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 is 52mm narrower and 46mm shorter than ELAC Debut Ref DFR52 but it is also 79mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 and ELAC Debut Ref DFR52 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 and ELAC Debut Ref DFR52 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 Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 is approximately 651.6cm2 / 101.0inch2 and base area of the ELAC Debut Ref DFR52 is approximately 656.6cm2 / 101.8inch2. The Diamond 12.3 requires 1% less surface area than the DFR52 which gives it a small advantage 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 Diamond 12.3 weighs 19.50kg / 42.9lbs and the ELAC Debut Ref DFR52 weighs 16.77kg / 36.9lbs. This makes the Diamond 12.3 16% heavier than the DFR52.
Here is a comparison of how Diamond 12.3 and DFR52's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Wharfedale Diamond 12.3?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Diamond 12.3:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet (w/ locking collars)
- 2 Jumper-bars (pre-installed)
- 4 Isolation pucks
- Users Manual
What's in the Box of ELAC Debut Ref DFR52?
Here are the items that come with the DFR52:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Outrigger feet (spikes installed)
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Dials
- 8 Screws
- Hex-key
 Max Input Power |
150 watts
vs
140 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 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 |
 Height |
985mm
vs
1031mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
651cm2
vs
656cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
998USD
vs
1400USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
5.25 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
42 Hz
vs
45 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
35k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 |
ELAC Debut Reference DFR52 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-150 watts |
up to 140 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
5 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
45-20k Hz |
42-35k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Mica-infused polypropylene |
Aramid fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2200Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
985.0mm (38.8") |
1031.0mm (40.6") |
| Width |
180.0mm (7.1") |
232.0mm (9.1") |
| Depth |
362.0mm (14.3") |
283.0mm (11.1") |
| Weight |
19.50kg (42.9lbs) |
16.77kg (36.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black, Oak, Walnut |
White Baffle / Oak Cabinet or Black Baffle / Walnut Cabinet |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
3 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 | B | ELAC Debut Ref DFR52 digs deeper - 42Hz against 45Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 87dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (150W vs 140W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | A | Wharfedale Diamond 12.3: bi-amping. Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 is cheaper - $998 against $1,400, about 29% less. |
A Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 B ELAC Debut Ref DFR52
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 Diamond 12.3 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $402 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.