SpeakerDecision
  • SPEAKERS
    • By Type
      Passive Bookshelf Speakers Passive Floor-standing Speakers Passive Center Channel Speakers Passive In-wall Speakers All Passive Speakers Powered Subwoofers Powered Stereo Speakers
      By Feature
      HDMI Input Room Correction Subwoofer Output Front Firing Port Handheld Remote Roon Ready
      By Brand
      Acoustic Energy Aperion ATC Audio-Technica Audioengine Bluesound Bowers Wilkins Buchardt Cambridge Audio Canton DALI Definitive Technology Dynaudio ELAC Emotiva Fluance Focal Fyne Audio Genelec GoldenEar Harbeth Jamo JBL Kanto KEF KLH Klipsch Leak Mackie Magnepan MartinLogan McIntosh Mission MoFi Monitor Audio Nuvo Onkyo OSD Paradigm Perlisten Polk Audio PS Audio PSB Q Acoustics REL Revel Russound Sennheiser Sonos Sonus faber Sony Spendor SVS Tannoy Technics Triangle Velodyne Victrola Wharfedale Wilson Audio Yamaha
  • AMPLIFIERS
    • By Type
      All Amplifiers Integrated Amplifiers Stereo Receivers Streaming Amplifiers Power Amplifiers Compact Amplifiers
      By Power
      Up to 60 watts 61 to 90 watts 91 to 120 watts 121 to 180 watts Over 180 watts
      By Feature
      HDMI Input Room Correction Subwoofer Output Handheld Remote Roon Ready
      Home Theater
      All Home Theater Receivers Anthem ARCAM Denon Integra JBL Marantz McIntosh NAD Onkyo Sony Yamaha
      Headphone Amps
      All Headphone Amplifiers Cambridge Audio iFi Audio McIntosh Naim Pro-Ject Rotel Schiit Audio Sennheiser Yamaha
      Multi-Zone
      All Multi-Zone Amplifiers JBL McIntosh OSD Rotel Russound Sonos
      By Brand
      Accuphase Advance Paris Anthem Arcam Audio Research AudioControl Audioengine Audiolab Bluesound Bose Buchardt Cambridge Audio Cayin Denon Devialet ELAC Emotiva Eversolo FiiO Fosi Audio Hegel HiFi Rose Integra JBL Layer Audio Design LEAK Luxman Marantz Mark Levinson McIntosh Michi MISSION MOON Musical Fidelity NAD Naim Onkyo OSD Parasound Pass Labs Peachtree PrimaLuna Primare PS Audio Rega Rogue Audio Roksan Rotel Schiit Audio Sonos Sony SVS T+A TEAC Technics Vincent WiiM Yamaha
  • SMART FIND
  • TOOLS
  • BLOG
  1. Home
  2. Powered Stereo Speakers
  3. Wharfedale Diamond Active A1 vs KEF Coda W

Wharfedale Diamond Active A1 vs KEF Coda W Comparison

x
Speaker to replace
Change

Wharfedale Diamond Active A1

Powered Bookshelf | 55-20k Hz

Wharfedale Diamond Active A1
Check price atAmazon›
Change
    
KEF Coda W

Powered Bookshelf | 41-20k Hz

KEF Coda W
Check price atAmazon›
Wharfedale Diamond Active A1 Wharfedale Diamond A...
Check price atAmazon›
KEF Coda W KEF Coda W
Check price atAmazon›
Wharfedale Diamond A...
See at AMAZON
KEF Coda W
See at AMAZON

Wharfedale Diamond Active A1 vs KEF Coda W Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing DIAMOND ACTIVE A1 and Coda W, two Powered Bookshelf speakers from Wharfedale and KEF. Being Powered speakers, they both have built-in amplifiers so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp to power them.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Wharfedale Diamond Active A1 and KEF Coda W first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key SpecsWharfedale Diamond Active A1KEF Coda W
BrandWharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932
KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961
Design2-way2-way
Built-in amplifier100-watt RMS100-watt RMS
Uni-Q driver—12th Generation Uni-Q
Tweeter1" Soft-Dome1" Hard-Dome
Woofer5.25" Woven Kevlar5.25"
Frequency response55-20k Hz41-20k Hz
Max depth / sample rate24-bit / 96 kHzNo / 96 kHz
BluetoothYesBuilt-in
App control—Yes
Weight—11.29kg / 24.8lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)12-5/8" x 7-5/16" x 9-1/16"
321.0 x 186.0 x 230.0mm
11.25" x 6.625" x 11.8125"
286.0 x 169.0 x 301.0mm

The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.


Drivers

Both DIAMOND ACTIVE A1 and Coda W are 2-way speakers.

Tweeter - 1 inchWoofer - 5.25 inch
Wharfedale Diamond Active A1
Tweeter - 1 inchWoofer - 5.25 inch
KEF Coda W

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 Active A1 KEF Coda W
Driver Setup 2-way 2-way
Tweeter 1-inch 1-inch
Midrange - -
Woofer 1 x 5.25-inch 1 x 5.25-inch

DIAMOND ACTIVE A1 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Woven Kevlar Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2300Hz. On the other hand, the Coda W features a 1" Aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Woofer.

Frequency Response

DIAMOND ACTIVE A1 has a frequency range of 55-20k Hz whereas Coda W has a frequency range of 41-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 41Hz, the Coda W can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the DIAMOND ACTIVE A1's min frequency of 55Hz.

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

DIAMOND ACTIVE A1
Coda W
Min
Average
Median

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.

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 Active A1's and KEF Coda W's external dimensions. Wharfedale Diamond Active A1 has external dimensions of 321.0 x 186.0 x 230.0mm (12-5/8 x 7-5/16 x 9-1/16inch) whereas KEF Coda W has external dimensions of 286.0 x 169.0 x 301.0mm (11.25inch x 6.625inch x 11.8125inch).

KEF Coda W is 17mm narrower and 35mm shorter than Wharfedale Diamond Active A1 but it is also 71mm deeper.

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 Active A1 is approximately 427.8cm2 / 66.3inch2 and base area of the KEF Coda W is approximately 508.7cm2 / 78.8inch2. The DIAMOND ACTIVE A1 requires 16% less surface area than the Coda W which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.

What's in the Box of KEF Coda W?

Here are the items that come with the Coda W:
  • Power speaker
  • Passive speaker
  • 6.5' AC power cord
  • 9.75' C-Link proprietary speaker cable
  • Remote control
  • 2 \"AAA\" batteries
  • Quick Start Guide
  • Important Safety Information
  • Warranty Information
  • Extended Warranty
  • Important Safety Information & Instructions


Reasons to choose Wharfedale Diamond Active A1 over KEF Coda W

Base Surface Area 427cm2 vs 508cm2 Takes less floor space
Price per pair* 600USD vs 999USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

Reasons to choose KEF Coda W over Wharfedale Diamond Active A1

Low Frequency Response 41 Hz vs 55 Hz Generates deeper bass
Handheld Remote Yes vs No Control the speaker by the included RC
App-Based Control Apple iOS, Android OS vs None Control the speaker via an app
Height 286mm vs 321mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
HDMI Input ARC vs No Connect HDMI sources directly

Wharfedale Diamond Active A1 vs KEF Coda W Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications
General Wharfedale Diamond Active A1 KEF Coda W
Brand Wharfedale KEF
Speaker Type Powered Stereo Speakers Powered Stereo Speakers
Frequency Response 55-20k Hz 41-20k Hz
Amplifier
Watts RMS (Continuous) 100-watt RMS 100-watt RMS
Max Bit Depth 24-bit No
Max Sample Rate 96 kHz 96 kHz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity 1 1
Woofer Size 5.25" 5.25"
Woofer Composition Woven Kevlar
Tweeter Size 1" 1"
Tweeter Type Soft-Dome Hard-Dome
Aimable Tweeter No No
Midrange Driver No No
Crossover Frequency 2300Hz n/a
Firing Direction rear n/a
Physical Specs
Height 321.0mm (12.6") 286.0mm (11.3")
Width 186.0mm (7.3") 169.0mm (6.7")
Depth 230.0mm (9.1") 301.0mm (11.9")
Weight n/a 11.29kg (24.8lbs)
Enclosure Bass Reflex
Mounting Bracket
Grille Yes n/a
Moisture Resistancy No No
Connections
Biamp Inputs No n/a
Phone Input n/a No
Subwoofer Output n/a mono-RCA
Digital Input n/a 1
HDMI Input No ARC
Headphone Jack n/a No
Ethernet Port n/a No
Other
Parts Warranty 5 Years 2 Yr (3 Yr registered)
Labor Warranty 5 Years 2 Yr/3 Yr registered)

Verdict

These sit in different price classes - KEF Coda W costs roughly 1.7x what Wharfedale Diamond Active A1 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.

AreaBetterWhy
BassBKEF Coda W digs deeper - 41Hz against 55Hz.
Built-in powerevenly matchedSimilar onboard amplification (100W vs 100W RMS).
ConnectionsBKEF Coda W adds HDMI and digital inputs.
SizedependsSimilar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit.
ExpandabilityBKEF Coda W: a sub output.
PriceAWharfedale Diamond Active A1 is cheaper - $600 against $999, about 40% less; arguably a different class.

A Wharfedale Diamond Active A1  B KEF Coda W
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?

The usual trade-off: KEF Coda W measures better, Wharfedale Diamond Active A1 costs about about 67% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 55Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Wharfedale Diamond Active A1 much easier to justify. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $399 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.

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.


Most Popular Speakers
Klipsch Reference R-51M
Klipsch R-51M
2-way | 93 dB | 8 ohms
ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
2-way | 87 dB | 6 ohms
Wharfedale Elysian 2
Wharfedale Elysian 2
3-way | 89 dB | 4 ohms
KEF Q150
KEF Q150
2-way | 86 dB | 8 ohms
Bowers & Wilkins 606 S2 Anniversary Edition
B&W 606 S2
2-way | 88 dB | 8 ohms
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-500M
Klipsch RP-500M
2-way | 93 dB | 8 ohms
Wharfedale EVO5.1
Wharfedale EVO5.1
2-way | 87 dB | 4 ohms
Wharfedale EVO4.1
Wharfedale EVO4.1
2-way | 87 dB | 8 ohms
This site contains affiliate links. We may be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through one of them. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Copyright © 2026 by SpeakerDecision
About Privacy Contact US Camera Decision

Report a Correction