In this review, we will be comparing Reva 1 and Diamond 220, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Wharfedale.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Reva 1 and Wharfedale 220 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale Reva 1 | Wharfedale 220 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 4.5" Woven Glass Fiber | 5" Woven Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 52-20k Hz | 56-20k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-60 watts | 25-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.64kg / 12.4lbs | 5.32kg / 11.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12-1/2" x 6-13/16" x 11-3/16"
318.0 x 174.0 x 285.0mm | 12.4" x 6.8" x 10.0"
315.0 x 174.0 x 255.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale Reva 1 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 Reva 1 |
Wharfedale 220 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Average |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
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 Reva 1 and Diamond 220 are 2-way speakers.
Wharfedale Reva 1Wharfedale 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 Reva 1 |
Wharfedale 220 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 4.5-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
Reva 1 features a 1" woven textile Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4.5" Woven Glass Fiber Woofer. 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
Reva 1 has a frequency range of 52-20k Hz whereas Diamond 220 has a frequency range of 56-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 52Hz, the Reva 1 can go slightly deeper then 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
Reva 1 and Diamond 220 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 86 dB.
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 220 can handle a max power of 100 watts RMS, whereas Reva 1 has a max power handling value of 60 watts RMS, 40 watts less than the Diamond 220.
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 Reva 1 and Diamond 220 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Wharfedale Reva 1'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 Reva 1 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 Reva 1's and Wharfedale 220's external dimensions. Wharfedale Reva 1 has external dimensions of 318.0 x 174.0 x 285.0mm (12-1/2 x 6-13/16 x 11-3/16inch) whereas Wharfedale 220 has external dimensions of 315.0 x 174.0 x 255.0mm (12.4 x 6.8 x 10.0inch).
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Wharfedale Reva 1 and Wharfedale 220 in scale.
Comparison image of Wharfedale Reva 1 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 Reva 1 is approximately 495.9cm2 / 76.9inch2 and base area of the Wharfedale 220 is approximately 443.7cm2 / 68.8inch2. The Reva 1 requires 12% 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 Reva 1 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 Reva 1 weighs 5.64kg / 12.4lbs and the Wharfedale 220 weighs 5.32kg / 11.7lbs. This makes the Reva 1 6% heavier than the Diamond 220.
Here is a comparison of how Reva 1 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 Reva 1?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Reva 1:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles (pre-installed)
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- 4 Jumper bars (pre-installed)
- Pair of white gloves
- User-feets Manual
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
 Low Frequency Response |
52 Hz
vs
56 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Max Input Power |
100 watts
vs
60 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
|
Woofer Size |
5 inches
vs
4.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
315mm
vs
318mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
443cm2
vs
495cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
249USD
vs
799USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Wharfedale Reva 1 |
Wharfedale Diamond 220 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
Wharfedale |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
20-60 watts |
25-100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
4.1 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
52-20k Hz |
56-20k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
4.5" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Woven Glass Fiber |
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 |
n/a |
2200Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
318.0mm (12.5") |
315.0mm (12.4") |
| Width |
174.0mm (6.9") |
174.0mm (6.9") |
| Depth |
285.0mm (11.2") |
255.0mm (10") |
| Weight |
5.64kg (12.4lbs) |
5.32kg (11.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
Wood composite laminate |
MDF/Wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Walnut |
Black, White, Walnut |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
28-30" |
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 |
These sit in different price classes - Wharfedale Reva 1 costs roughly 3.2x what Wharfedale 220 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Wharfedale Reva 1 digs deeper - 52Hz against 56Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (86dB vs 86dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | B | Wharfedale 220 takes more power (100W vs 60W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | Wharfedale Reva 1: bi-amping; Wharfedale 220: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Wharfedale 220 is cheaper - $249 against $799, about 69% less; arguably a different class. |
A Wharfedale Reva 1 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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. Match it to your room: we rate Wharfedale Reva 1 the better fit for near-field listening; elsewhere the two are rated the same. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $550 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.