In this review, we will be comparing Diamond 12.3 and SE 3000F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Wharfedale and Paradigm.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 and Paradigm SE 3000F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 2 x 5" Mica-infused polypropylene Woofer
- 45-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 88 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-150watts
- Weight:19.50kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 985.0" x 7-1/8" x 14-1/4"( 985.0 x 180.0 x 362.0mm )
Paradigm SE 3000F Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Tweeter
- 5.5" Midrange
- 2 x 5.5" Mineral-filled polypropylene Woofer
- 5.5" Midrange
- 55-21k Hz Frequency Response
- 91 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:15-100watts
- Weight:15.91kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1007.0" x 8-15/16" x 10-15/16"( 1007.0 x 228.0 x 278.0mm )
What size room are the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 and Paradigm SE 3000F 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 |
Paradigm SE 3000F |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Bad |
(* 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 Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 and Paradigm SE 3000F 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 Diamond 12.3 is a 2-way design whereas the SE 3000F 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.
| Driver |
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 |
Paradigm SE 3000F |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
2 x 5.5-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 SE 3000F features a 1" Tweeter , a 5.5" Midrange and 2 x 5.5" Mineral-filled polypropylene Woofer .
Frequency Response
Diamond 12.3 has a frequency range of 45-20k Hz whereas SE 3000F has a frequency range of 55-21k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the Diamond 12.3 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the SE 3000F's min frequency of 55Hz.
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
Diamond 12.3 and SE 3000F have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Diamond 12.3 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the SE 3000F's is at 91 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Paradigm SE 3000F a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale Diamond 12.3, 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.
Diamond 12.3 can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS from the amp the whereas SE 3000F has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Diamond 12.3.
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 12.3 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. SE 3000F has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Paradigm SE 3000F's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Diamond 12.3 and SE 3000F 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
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 Wharfedale Diamond 12.3's and Paradigm SE 3000F'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 Paradigm SE 3000F has external dimensions of 1007.0 x 228.0 x 278.0mm ( 39-5/8 x 8-15/16 x 10-15/16inch) .
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 is 48mm narrower and 22mm shorter than Paradigm SE 3000F but it is also 84mm deeper.
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 Paradigm SE 3000F is approximately 633.8cm2 / 98.2inch2. The Diamond 12.3 requires 3% more surface area than the SE 3000F which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.