In this review, we will be comparing Diamond 12.3i and Prime Tower, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Wharfedale and SVS.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Diamond 12.3i and SVS Prime Tower first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale Diamond 12.3i | SVS Prime Tower |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | SVS
United States · founded 1998 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" dome |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 4.5" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5" Mica-infused polypropylene | 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-20k Hz | 30-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-150 watts | 20-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 19.55kg / 43lbs | 18.23kg / 40.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 38-3/4" x 9-3/4" x 13-3/4"
985.0 x 248.0 x 350.0mm | 36-5/8" x 8" x 11-11/16"
931.0 x 204.0 x 297.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Diamond 12.3i is a 2-way design whereas the Prime Tower 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 12.3iSVS Prime Tower
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 12.3i |
SVS Prime Tower |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Diamond 12.3i features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Mica-infused polypropylene Woofer. On the other hand, the Prime Tower features a 1" aluminum dome Tweeter, a 4.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350Hz and 2100Hz.
Frequency Response
Diamond 12.3i has a frequency range of 45-20k Hz whereas Prime Tower has a frequency range of 30-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the Prime Tower can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Diamond 12.3i'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 12.3i and Prime Tower have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Diamond 12.3i sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Prime Tower's is at 87 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3i a more sensitive speaker compared to SVS Prime Tower, 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.
Prime Tower can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas Diamond 12.3i has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Prime Tower.
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 12.3i features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Prime Tower has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
SVS Prime Tower's 5-Way post terminals
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 12.3i's and SVS Prime Tower's external dimensions. Wharfedale Diamond 12.3i has external dimensions of 985.0 x 248.0 x 350.0mm (38-3/4inch x 9-3/4inch x 13-3/4inch) whereas SVS Prime Tower has external dimensions of 931.0 x 204.0 x 297.0mm (36-5/8 x 8 x 11-11/16inch).
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3i is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 44mm wider, 54mm taller and 53mm deeper than SVS Prime Tower.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale Diamond 12.3i and SVS Prime Tower in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale Diamond 12.3i and SVS Prime Tower 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 12.3i is approximately 868.0cm2 / 134.5inch2 and base area of the SVS Prime Tower is approximately 605.9cm2 / 93.9inch2. The Diamond 12.3i requires 43% more surface area than the Prime Tower 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 12.3i weighs 19.55kg / 43lbs and the SVS Prime Tower weighs 18.23kg / 40.1lbs. This makes the Diamond 12.3i 7% heavier than the Prime Tower.
Here is a comparison of how Diamond 12.3i and Prime Tower'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 12.3i?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Diamond 12.3i:
- 2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Outrigger feet
- 8 Spikes (pre-installed on outrigger feet)
- 8 Isolation pucks
- Eight M6x25mm phillips-head screws
- User's Manual
What's in the Box of SVS Prime Tower?
Here are the items that come with the Prime Tower:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille (pre-installed)
- 4 Elastomer isolation feet (pre-installed)
- 4 Spike feet
- 4 Nuts
- 4 Protective discs
- Owners Manual
- SVS brochure
- Online Product Registration Card
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Price per pair* |
1198USD
vs
1400USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
45 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
931mm
vs
985mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
605cm2
vs
868cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3i |
SVS Prime Tower |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
SVS |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-150 watts |
20-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
45-20k Hz |
30-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Mica-infused polypropylene |
Polypropylene |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
4.5" |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
350Hz and 2100Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
985.0mm (38.8") |
931.0mm (36.7") |
| Width |
248.0mm (9.8") |
204.0mm (8") |
| Depth |
350.0mm (13.8") |
297.0mm (11.7") |
| Weight |
19.55kg (43lbs) |
18.23kg (40.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Grey |
Black |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: Wharfedale Diamond 12.3i is the newer design, against a 2015 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | SVS Prime Tower digs deeper - 30Hz against 45Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Wharfedale Diamond 12.3i is more sensitive (89dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | SVS Prime Tower takes more power (250W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | SVS Prime Tower is easier to place; Wharfedale Diamond 12.3i is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Wharfedale Diamond 12.3i: bi-amping. Wharfedale Diamond 12.3i sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Wharfedale Diamond 12.3i is cheaper - $1,198 against $1,400, about 14% less. |
A Wharfedale Diamond 12.3i B SVS Prime Tower
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 45Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Wharfedale Diamond 12.3i much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Wharfedale Diamond 12.3i has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, SVS Prime Tower is the easier speaker to get right.
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.