In this review, we will be comparing Diamond 12.3 and Borea BR07, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Wharfedale and Triangle.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 and Triangle Borea BR07 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 | Triangle Borea BR07 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Break_in |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5" Mica-infused polypropylene | 6" fiberglass |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-20k Hz | 44 - 22k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-150 watts | up to 120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 19.50kg / 42.9lbs | 16.92kg / 37.2lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 38.5" x 8.1" x 12.3"
980.0 x 206.0 x 314.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 and Triangle Borea BR07 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 |
Triangle Borea BR07 |
| 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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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Diamond 12.3 is a 2-way design whereas the Borea BR07 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 12.3Triangle Borea BR07
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 |
Triangle Borea BR07 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
1 x 6-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 Borea BR07 features a 1" silk Break_in Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 1 x 6" fiberglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350Hz and 3500Hz.
Frequency Response
Diamond 12.3 has a frequency range of 45-20k Hz whereas Borea BR07 has a frequency range of 44 - 22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the Borea BR07 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 and Borea BR07 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 Borea BR07's is at 91 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Triangle Borea BR07 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. 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 Borea BR07 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 30 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. Borea BR07 has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Triangle Borea BR07's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Diamond 12.3 has a rear firing port whereas Borea BR07 has a front firing ports. Triangle Borea BR07's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 with its rear-firing port.
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 Triangle Borea BR07'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 Triangle Borea BR07 has external dimensions of 980.0 x 206.0 x 314.0mm (38.5 x 8.1 x 12.3inch).
Triangle Borea BR07 is 5mm shorter and 48mm less deeper than Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 but it is also 26mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 and Triangle Borea BR07 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 and Triangle Borea BR07 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 Triangle Borea BR07 is approximately 646.8cm2 / 100.3inch2. The Diamond 12.3 requires 1% more surface area than the Borea BR07 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 Diamond 12.3 weighs 19.50kg / 42.9lbs and the Triangle Borea BR07 weighs 16.92kg / 37.2lbs. This makes the Diamond 12.3 15% heavier than the Borea BR07.
Here is a comparison of how Diamond 12.3 and Borea BR07'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 Triangle Borea BR07?
Here are the items that come with the Borea BR07:
- 2 x Borea speakers
- 2 x protections grids
- 2 x pedestals
- 8 x screws
- 8 x adhesive rubber plots
- 8 x decoupling spikes
- 1 x user manual
 Max Input Power |
150 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Price per pair* |
998USD
vs
1200USD
|
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 |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Woofer Size |
6 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
44 Hz
vs
45 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
22k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Height |
980mm
vs
985mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
646cm2
vs
651cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 |
Triangle Borea BR07 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Triangle |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-150 watts |
up to 120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
5 ohms |
5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
45-20k Hz |
44 - 22k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
Mica-infused polypropylene |
fiberglass |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Break_in |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2200Hz |
350Hz and 3500Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
985.0mm (38.8") |
980.0mm (38.6") |
| Width |
180.0mm (7.1") |
206.0mm (8.1") |
| Depth |
362.0mm (14.3") |
314.0mm (12.4") |
| Weight |
19.50kg (42.9lbs) |
16.92kg (37.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Black, Oak, Walnut |
Light Oak, Walnut, Black, White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 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 (45Hz vs 44Hz). |
| Amplifier needs |
B |
Triangle Borea BR07 is more sensitive (91dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom |
A |
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 takes more power (150W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability |
A |
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3: bi-amping. |
| Price |
A |
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 is cheaper - $998 against $1,200, about 17% less. |
A Wharfedale Diamond 12.3
B Triangle Borea BR07
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Triangle Borea BR07 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.