In this review, we will be comparing Diamond 12.4 and RP-6000F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Wharfedale and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 and Klipsch RP-6000F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 | Klipsch RP-6000F |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Tractrix Horn |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Mica-infused polypropylene | 2 x 6.5" Cerametallic |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40-20k Hz | 34-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 97 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-200 watts | up to 125 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 22.40kg / 49.3lbs | 22.27kg / 49lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 45-1/2" x 8" x 15-1/4"
1156.0 x 200.0 x 388.0mm | 39-3/4" x 9-5/16" x 17"
1010.0 x 237.0 x 432.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 and Klipsch RP-6000F 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 12.4 |
Klipsch RP-6000F |
| 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Diamond 12.4 and RP-6000F are 2-way speakers.
Wharfedale Diamond 12.4Klipsch RP-6000F
TweeterWoofer
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 |
Klipsch RP-6000F |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
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 RP-6000F features a 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Cerametallic Woofer.
Frequency Response
Diamond 12.4 has a frequency range of 40-20k Hz whereas RP-6000F has a frequency range of 34-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 34Hz, the RP-6000F 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 RP-6000F 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 RP-6000F's is at 97 dB. This 8 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-6000F 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.
Diamond 12.4 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas RP-6000F has a max power handling value of 125 watts RMS, 75 watts less than the Diamond 12.4.
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 RP-6000F features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Klipsch RP-6000F's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Diamond 12.4 and RP-6000F 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
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 Klipsch RP-6000F'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 Klipsch RP-6000F has external dimensions of 1010.0 x 237.0 x 432.0mm (39-3/4 x 9-5/16 x 17inch).
Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 is 37mm narrower and 44mm less deeper than Klipsch RP-6000F but it is also 146mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 and Klipsch RP-6000F in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 and Klipsch RP-6000F 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 Klipsch RP-6000F is approximately 1023.8cm2 / 158.7inch2. The Diamond 12.4 requires 24% less surface area than the RP-6000F 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 Klipsch RP-6000F weighs 22.27kg / 49lbs. This makes the Diamond 12.4 1% heavier than the RP-6000F.
Here is a comparison of how Diamond 12.4 and RP-6000F'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 Klipsch RP-6000F?
Here are the items that come with the RP-6000F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Stabilizer feet (installed)
- Grille (installed)
- 2 Terminal jumpers (installed)
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
125 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Base Surface Area |
776cm2
vs
1023cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1298USD
vs
1378USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
97 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
34 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1010mm
vs
1156mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-6000F |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-200 watts |
up to 125 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
97 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
5 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
40-20k Hz |
34-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Mica-infused polypropylene |
Cerametallic |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Tractrix Horn |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2100Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1156.0mm (45.5") |
1010.0mm (39.8") |
| Width |
200.0mm (7.9") |
237.0mm (9.3") |
| Depth |
388.0mm (15.3") |
432.0mm (17") |
| Weight |
22.40kg (49.3lbs) |
22.27kg (49lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Walnut, 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 |
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 | Klipsch RP-6000F digs deeper - 34Hz against 40Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch RP-6000F is more sensitive (97dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 takes more power (200W vs 125W) - 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; Klipsch RP-6000F: bi-amping. Klipsch RP-6000F sits in a wider range (17 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($1,298 vs $1,378 a pair). |
A Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 B Klipsch RP-6000F
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?
Klipsch RP-6000F has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 40Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Klipsch RP-6000F 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.