In this review, we will be comparing Diamond 12.4 and Kendall, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Wharfedale and KLH.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 and KLH Kendall first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 | KLH Kendall |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | KLH
United States · founded 1957 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Mica-infused polypropylene | 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40-20k Hz | 25-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 96 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-200 watts | up to 250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 22.40kg / 49.3lbs | 22.14kg / 48.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 45-1/2" x 8" x 15-1/4"
1156.0 x 200.0 x 388.0mm | 40-3/16" x 8-5/16" x 14-15/16"
1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm |
|---|
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 12.4 is a 2-way design whereas the Kendall 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 12.4KLH Kendall
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 12.4 |
KLH Kendall |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-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 Kendall features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
Diamond 12.4 has a frequency range of 40-20k Hz whereas Kendall has a frequency range of 25-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the Kendall can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Diamond 12.4's min frequency of 40Hz.
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 12.4 and Kendall have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Diamond 12.4 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Kendall's is at 96 dB. This 7 dB difference makes the KLH Kendall a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale Diamond 12.4, 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.
Kendall can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas Diamond 12.4 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Kendall.
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
Both Diamond 12.4 and Kendall features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
KLH Kendall's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 12.4's and KLH Kendall'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 KLH Kendall has external dimensions of 1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm (40-3/16 x 8-5/16 x 14-15/16inch).
KLH Kendall is 135mm shorter and 8mm less deeper than Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 but it is also 12mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 and KLH Kendall in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 and KLH Kendall 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 12.4 is approximately 776.0cm2 / 120.3inch2 and base area of the KLH Kendall is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2. The Diamond 12.4 requires 4% less surface area than the Kendall 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 KLH Kendall weighs 22.14kg / 48.7lbs. This makes the Diamond 12.4 1% heavier than the Kendall.
Here is a comparison of how Diamond 12.4 and Kendall'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 loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet (w/ locking collars)
- 2 Jumper-bars (pre-installed)
- 4 Isolation pucks
- Users Manual
What's in the Box of KLH Kendall?
Here are the items that come with the Kendall:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Foam port
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet (with nuts)
- 4 Protective discs
- Manual
 Base Surface Area |
776cm2
vs
805cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1298USD
vs
1500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
96 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
23k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1021mm
vs
1156mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 |
KLH Kendall |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
KLH |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-200 watts |
up to 250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
96 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
5 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
40-20k Hz |
25-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Mica-infused polypropylene |
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2100Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1156.0mm (45.5") |
1021.0mm (40.2") |
| Width |
200.0mm (7.9") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
388.0mm (15.3") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Weight |
22.40kg (49.3lbs) |
22.14kg (48.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
10 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
10 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 | B | KLH Kendall digs deeper - 25Hz against 40Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | KLH Kendall is more sensitive (96dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | B | KLH Kendall takes more power (250W vs 200W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Wharfedale Diamond 12.4: bi-amping; KLH Kendall: bi-amping. Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 is cheaper - $1,298 against $1,500, about 13% less. |
A Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 B KLH Kendall
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?
KLH Kendall leads across most of the measured areas for a fairly modest premium, which makes it the easier pick if the budget stretches. Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 is the one to take if it does not. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 40Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 much easier to justify. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, KLH Kendall 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.