In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Wharfedale. Wharfedale Diamond Active A2 is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the DIAMOND ACTIVE A1 is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Diamond Active A2 and Wharfedale Diamond Active A1 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Wharfedale Diamond Active A2 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 100-watt RMS Integrated Amplifier
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar Woofer
- 40-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 24-bit Max Depth / 96 kHz Max Sample Rate
- Yes Bluetooth
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 36-7/8" x 8-1/4" x 12-3/16" ( 937.0 x 210.0 x 310.0mm )
Wharfedale Diamond Active A1 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 100-watt RMS Integrated Amplifier
- 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 5.25" Woven Kevlar Woofer
- 55-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 24-bit Max Depth / 96 kHz Max Sample Rate
- Yes Bluetooth
- 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 )
DIAMOND ACTIVE A2 and DIAMOND ACTIVE A1 are members of Wharfedale's Diamond Active series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Wharfedale Diamond Active Series
History
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Wharfedale Diamond Active A2 and Wharfedale Diamond Active A1 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 ACTIVE A2 and DIAMOND ACTIVE A1 are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Wharfedale Diamond Active A2 |
Wharfedale Diamond Active A1 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
DIAMOND ACTIVE A2 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800Hz. On the other hand, the DIAMOND ACTIVE A1 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Woven Kevlar Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2300Hz.
Frequency Response
DIAMOND ACTIVE A2 has a frequency range of 40-20k Hz whereas DIAMOND ACTIVE A1 has a frequency range of 55-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 40Hz, the DIAMOND ACTIVE A2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the DIAMOND ACTIVE A1's min frequency of 55Hz.
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
Wharfedale Diamond Active A2
Wharfedale Diamond Active A1
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.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
DIAMOND ACTIVE A2 features Binding post type posts and DIAMOND ACTIVE A1 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both DIAMOND ACTIVE A2 and DIAMOND ACTIVE A1 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
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 Active A2's and Wharfedale Diamond Active A1's external dimensions. Wharfedale Diamond Active A2 has external dimensions of 937.0 x 210.0 x 310.0mm ( 36-7/8 x 8-1/4 x 12-3/16inch) whereas 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) .
Wharfedale Diamond Active A2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 24mm wider, 616mm taller and 80mm deeper than Wharfedale Diamond Active A1.
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 A2 is approximately 651.0cm2 / 100.9inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale Diamond Active A1 is approximately 427.8cm2 / 66.3inch2. The DIAMOND ACTIVE A2 requires 52% more surface area than the DIAMOND ACTIVE A1 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.