In this review, we will be comparing Wharfedale 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.
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3i Key Specs
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 2 x 5" Mica-infused polypropylene Woofer
- 45-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:30-150watts
- Weight:19.55kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 985.0" x 9-3/4" x 13-3/4"( 985.0 x 248.0 x 350.0mm )
SVS Prime Tower Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" dome Tweeter
- 4.5" Midrange
- 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Woofer
- 4.5" Midrange
- 30-25k Hz Frequency Response
- 87 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:20-250watts
- Weight:18.23kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 931.0" x 8" x 11-11/16"( 931.0 x 204.0 x 297.0mm )
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3i and SVS Prime Tower 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 Wharfedale Diamond 12.3i is a -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.
| Driver |
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3i |
SVS Prime Tower |
|
Driver Setup
|
-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 4.5-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Wharfedale 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
Wharfedale 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 Wharfedale Diamond 12.3i'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
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3i and Prime Tower have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Wharfedale 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. 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.
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3i can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Wharfedale Diamond 12.3i has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS , 100 watts less than the Prime Tower.
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
Wharfedale 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
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 12.3i'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.
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 Wharfedale Diamond 12.3i requires 43% more surface area than the Prime Tower which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.