In this review, we will be comparing Diamond 12.4 and S50, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Wharfedale and Polk Audio. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 and Polk S50 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 and Polk S50 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 Polk S50 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
Both Diamond 12.4 and S50 are 2-way speakers.
Driver |
Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 |
Polk S50 |
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 5.25-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 S50 features a 1" Terylene Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Mica-reinforced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Diamond 12.4 has a frequency range of 40-20k Hz whereas S50 has a frequency range of 33-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 33Hz, the S50 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 and S50 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 89 dB.
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 S50 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 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 S50 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Diamond 12.4 has a rear firing port whereas S50 has a bottom firing ports. Polk S50's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 with its rear-firing port.
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 Polk S50'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 Polk S50 has external dimensions of 951.0 x 262.0 x 281.0mm ( 37-7/16 x 10-5/16 x 11-1/16inch) .
Polk S50 is 205mm shorter and 107mm less deeper than Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 but it is also 62mm wider.
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 Polk S50 is approximately 736.2cm2 / 114.1inch2. The Diamond 12.4 requires 5% more surface area than the S50 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 12.4 weighs 22.40kg / 49.3lbs and the Polk S50 weighs 14.50kg / 31.9lbs. This makes the Diamond 12.4 54% heavier than the S50.
Here is a comparison of how Diamond 12.4 and S50'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 Polk S50?
Here are the items that come with the S50:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille (attached)4 Feet (pre-installed)Owners ManualOnline Product Registration
Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
Low Frequency Response |
33 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
Height |
951mm
vs
1156mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
Base Surface Area |
736cm2 (262x281mm)
vs
776cm2 (200x388mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
General |
Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 |
Polk Audio Signature S50 |
Brand |
Wharfedale |
Polk Audio |
Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
Power Range |
30-200 watts |
20-150 watts |
Sensitivity |
89 dB |
89 dB |
Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
Impedance |
5 ohms |
n/a |
Frequency Response |
40-20k Hz |
33-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.25" |
Woofer Composition |
Mica-infused polypropylene |
Mica-reinforced polypropylene |
Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Butyl rubber |
Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Dome |
Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
Crossover Frequency |
2100Hz |
2500Hz |
Firing Direction |
rear |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
Height |
1156.0mm (45.5") |
951.0mm (37.4") |
Width |
200.0mm (7.9") |
262.0mm (10.3") |
Depth |
388.0mm (15.3") |
281.0mm (11.1") |
Weight |
22.40kg (49.3lbs) |
14.50kg (31.9lbs) |
Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
Meddite MDF |
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 |