In this review, we will be comparing Diamond 225 and Diamond 220, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale 225 and Wharfedale 220 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale 225 | Wharfedale 220 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Woven Kevlar | 5" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-20k Hz | 56-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-120 watts | 25-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 6.55kg / 14.4lbs | 5.32kg / 11.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 13.9" x 7.7" x 11.4"
355.0 x 196.0 x 290.0mm | 12.4" x 6.8" x 10.0"
315.0 x 174.0 x 255.0mm |
|---|
Diamond 225 and Diamond 220 are members of Wharfedale's Diamond 200 series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Wharfedale Diamond 200 Series
History
|
Model |
Body |
Frequency |
Sensitivity | Impedance | Woofer |
 |
Wharfedale 225
|
Bookshelf |
45-20k Hz |
87 dB | 8Ω |
1 x 6.5"
|
 |
Wharfedale 220
|
Bookshelf |
56-20k Hz |
86 dB | 8Ω |
1 x 5"
|
What size room are the Wharfedale 225 and Wharfedale 220 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 225 |
Wharfedale 220 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Average |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Bad |
(* 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 225 and Diamond 220 are 2-way speakers.
Wharfedale 225Wharfedale 220
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 225 |
Wharfedale 220 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
Diamond 225 features a 1" Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2300Hz. On the other hand, the Diamond 220 features a 1" Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Woven Kevlar Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2200Hz.
Frequency Response
Diamond 225 has a frequency range of 45-20k Hz whereas Diamond 220 has a frequency range of 56-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the Diamond 225 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Diamond 220's min frequency of 56Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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 225 and Diamond 220 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Diamond 225 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Diamond 220's is at 86 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Wharfedale 225 a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale 220, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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 225 can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas Diamond 220 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the Diamond 225.
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 225 and Diamond 220 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Wharfedale 225's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Wharfedale 220's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Diamond 225 and Diamond 220 have bottom firing ports.
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 225's and Wharfedale 220's external dimensions. Wharfedale 225 has external dimensions of 355.0 x 196.0 x 290.0mm (13.9 x 7.7 x 11.4inch) whereas Wharfedale 220 has external dimensions of 315.0 x 174.0 x 255.0mm (12.4 x 6.8 x 10.0inch).
Wharfedale 225 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 22mm wider, 40mm taller and 35mm deeper than Wharfedale 220.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale 225 and Wharfedale 220 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale 225 and Wharfedale 220 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 225 is approximately 568.4cm2 / 88.1inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale 220 is approximately 443.7cm2 / 68.8inch2. The Diamond 225 requires 28% more surface area than the Diamond 220 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of Wharfedale 225 and Wharfedale 220 on a Media Console
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 225 weighs 6.55kg / 14.4lbs and the Wharfedale 220 weighs 5.32kg / 11.7lbs. This makes the Diamond 225 23% heavier than the Diamond 220.
Here is a comparison of how Diamond 225 and Diamond 220's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Wharfedale 225?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Diamond 225:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles (pre-installed)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- User's Manual
- Installation Guide
What's in the Box of Wharfedale 220?
Here are the items that come with the Diamond 220:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles (pre-installed)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- User's Manual
- Installation Guide
 Max Input Power |
120 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
87 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Minimum Impedance |
4.2 ohms
vs
4.1 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
45 Hz
vs
56 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
315mm
vs
355mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
443cm2
vs
568cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
249USD
vs
349USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Wharfedale Diamond 225 |
Wharfedale Diamond 220 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-120 watts |
25-100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4.2 ohms |
4.1 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
45-20k Hz |
56-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Woven Kevlar |
Woven Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2300Hz |
2200Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
355.0mm (14") |
315.0mm (12.4") |
| Width |
196.0mm (7.7") |
174.0mm (6.9") |
| Depth |
290.0mm (11.4") |
255.0mm (10") |
| Weight |
6.55kg (14.4lbs) |
5.32kg (11.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Black, White, Walnut |
Black, White, Walnut |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24" |
24" |
| 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 |
Siblings in Wharfedale's Diamond 200 series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Wharfedale 225 digs deeper - 45Hz against 56Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 86dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (120W vs 100W). |
| Size | depends | Wharfedale 220 is easier to place; Wharfedale 225 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Wharfedale 225: bi-amping; Wharfedale 220: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Wharfedale 220 is cheaper - $249 against $349, about 29% less. |
A Wharfedale 225 B Wharfedale 220
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?
Wharfedale 225 is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 40% more. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Wharfedale 220 looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Wharfedale 225 appeals to you. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 56Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Wharfedale 220 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Wharfedale 225 the better fit for a mid-size room and a large room, and Wharfedale 220 for near-field listening and a small room.
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.