In this review, we will be comparing Diamond 12.4 and C 97 II, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Wharfedale and Jamo. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 and Jamo C 97 II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 and Jamo C 97 II 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 and Jamo C 97 II 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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through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Diamond 12.4 is a 2-way design whereas the C 97 II 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 12.4 |
Jamo C 97 II |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
3 x 6-inch
|
Diamond 12.4 features a 1" Textile Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Mica-infused polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2100Hz. On the other hand, the C 97 II features a 1" Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 3 x 6" Composite Woofer .
Frequency Response
Diamond 12.4 has a frequency range of 40-20k Hz whereas C 97 II has a frequency range of 32-24k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the C 97 II can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Diamond 12.4's min frequency of 40Hz.
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 12.4 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the C 97 II which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 89 dBdB.
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 12.4 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas C 97 II has a max power handling value of 180 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the Diamond 12.4.
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
Both Diamond 12.4 and C 97 II features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Jamo C 97 II's Posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Diamond 12.4 and C 97 II 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 12.4's and Jamo C 97 II's external dimensions. Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 has external dimensions of 1156.0 x 200.0 x 388.0mm ( 45-1/2 x 8 x 15-1/4inch) whereas Jamo C 97 II has external dimensions of 1070.0 x 248.0 x 402.0mm ( 42-1/8 x 9-3/4 x 15-13/16inch) .
Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 is 48mm narrower and 14mm less deeper than Jamo C 97 II but it is also 86mm taller.
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 12.4 is approximately 776.0cm2 / 120.3inch2 and base area of the Jamo C 97 II is approximately 997.0cm2 / 154.5inch2. The Diamond 12.4 requires 22% less surface area than the C 97 II which gives it a small advantage 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 12.4 weighs 22.40kg / 49.3lbs and the Jamo C 97 II weighs 24.55kg / 54lbs. This makes the C 97 II 10% heavier than the Diamond 12.4.
Here is a comparison of how Diamond 12.4 and C 97 II'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 12.4?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Diamond 12.4:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille4 Spike feet (w/ locking collars)2 Jumper-bars (pre-installed)4 Isolation pucksUsers Manual
What's in the Box of Jamo C 97 II?
Here are the items that come with the C 97 II:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille4 Outrigger feet4 Spikes (pre-installed on outrigger feet)4 Rubber feet8 Machine screws2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)Hex-keyUser ManualImportant Safety InstructionsWarranty Information
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
180 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Base Surface Area |
776cm2 (200x388mm)
vs
997cm2 (248x402mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1298USD
vs
1378USD
|
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 |
| Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
24k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1070mm
vs
1156mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 |
Jamo Concert 9 Series C 97 II |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Jamo |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-200 watts |
50-180 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
5 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
40-20k Hz |
32-24k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
Mica-infused polypropylene |
Composite |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2100Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1156.0mm (45.5") |
1070.0mm (42.1") |
| Width |
200.0mm (7.9") |
248.0mm (9.8") |
| Depth |
388.0mm (15.3") |
402.0mm (15.8") |
| Weight |
22.40kg (49.3lbs) |
24.55kg (54lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |