In this review, we will be comparing two different types 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.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale Diamond Active A2 | Wharfedale Diamond Active A1 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Built-in amplifier | 100-watt RMS | 100-watt RMS |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar | 5.25" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 40-20k Hz | 55-20k Hz |
|---|
| Max depth / sample rate | 24-bit / 96 kHz | 24-bit / 96 kHz |
|---|
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
|---|
| 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 | 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
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both DIAMOND ACTIVE A2 and DIAMOND ACTIVE A1 are 2-way speakers.
Wharfedale Diamond Active A2Wharfedale Diamond Active A1
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 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.
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.
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
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 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.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Wharfedale Diamond Active A2 needs about 52% more floor or shelf area. Wharfedale Diamond Active A2 is 80mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Wharfedale Diamond Active A2 is 616mm taller.
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.