In this review, we will be comparing Diamond 12.3 and Borea BR08, 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 BR08 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 )
Triangle Borea BR08 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Break_in Tweeter
- 6" Midrange
- 2 x 6" fiberglass Woofer
- 6" Midrange
- 40 - 22k Hz Frequency Response
- 92 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 150watts
- Weight:18.85kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1020.0" x 8.1" x 12.3"( 1020.0 x 206.0 x 314.0mm )
What size room are the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 and Triangle Borea BR08 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 BR08 |
| 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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 and Triangle Borea BR08 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 Borea BR08 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 |
Triangle Borea BR08 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
2 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 BR08 features a 1" silk Break_in Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6" fiberglass Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 215Hz and 3500Hz.
Frequency Response
Diamond 12.3 has a frequency range of 45-20k Hz whereas Borea BR08 has a frequency range of 40 - 22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the Borea BR08 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Diamond 12.3's min frequency of 45Hz.
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 Borea BR08 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 BR08's is at 92 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Triangle Borea BR08 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.
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. Borea BR08 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 BR08's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Diamond 12.3 has a rear firing port whereas Borea BR08 has a front firing ports. Triangle Borea BR08'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
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 Triangle Borea BR08'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 BR08 has external dimensions of 1020.0 x 206.0 x 314.0mm ( 40.1 x 8.1 x 12.3inch) .
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 is 26mm narrower and 35mm shorter than Triangle Borea BR08 but it is also 48mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 and Triangle Borea BR08 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 and Triangle Borea BR08 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 BR08 is approximately 646.8cm2 / 100.3inch2. The Diamond 12.3 requires 1% more surface area than the Borea BR08 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.