Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 is a 2-way Passive Bass Reflex Floor-standing speaker by Wharfedale. It was released in 2020. It features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Mica-infused polypropylene Woofer. The speaker has a frequency range of 45-20k Hz and a sensitivity of 88 dB. Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 has an MSRP of 998$ per pair.
Room Size Suitability
The size of the room where you plan to use the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 is a crucial factor in your decision. We have assessed its suitability for various room sizes based on its dimensions and maximum power output:
| Listening Environment* |
Suitability |
| Near-field | Bad |
| Small Room | Poor |
| Mid-size Room | Good |
| Large Room | Good |
| Very Large Room | Poor |
(* 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.)
Wharfedale later replaced Diamond 12.3 with Diamond 12.3i. Follow the link to read our in-depth comparison of these speakers:
Compare Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 vs Wharfedale Diamond 12.3i
Wharfedale's Diamond 12 Series of Loudspeakers
Diamond 12.3 is a member of Wharfedale's Diamond 12 series of Passive speakers. Diamond 12 is the latest generation of Wharfedale's acclaimed budget Diamond range. Below you can see the main specs of these speakers.
See all 10 Wharfedale Diamond 12 models compared »
Wharfedale Diamond 12 Series Speakers
Wharfedale Diamond 12 Series Speakers
Frequency Response of the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 Speaker
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 has a Frequency response range of 45-20k Hz and Power Range of 30-150 watts. With a minimum frequency of 45 Hz, Diamond 12.3 delivers moderate bass depth so depending on your use case, you might want to consider adding a subwoofer to your system.
Here we have a comparison of how Diamond 12.3's Low frequency value compares with the average, max and min Low frequency values in its class.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Thinking about a subwoofer for the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3?
Among the speakers in our database priced under $1,000 a pair, these are the 5 Passive Floor-standing speakers that have deeper bass than the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3's 45Hz:
Crossover frequency of the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3?
The crossover frequency of the Diamond 12.3 is set to 2200Hz. This is the threshold frequency where the higher frequency signals over this level are sent to the tweeter and the lower-frequency signals are sent to the woofer by the crossover component.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3's nominal impedance level is
8 ohms but can go down to as low as
5 ohms, and has a sensitivity of
88 dB.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
8 Ohms is pretty much the standard nominal impedance amongst stereo speakers and amplifiers so Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 is not considered a difficult to drive speaker from nominal Impedance perspective.
Sensitivity
88dB of the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 is an average sensitivity for stereo speaker so it is neither easy nor difficult to drive Sensitivity wise. Work out how loud the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 plays in your room →
Minimum Impedance of the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3
Even though the nominal impedance of the Diamond 12.3 is 8 ohms, the minimum impedance level of this speaker according to Wharfedale is 5 ohms Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 so while choosing an amplifier, you should ideally check if the unit you are considering can provide this impedance level.
What amplifier does the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 need?
At normal listening levels in a medium room, about
12–150 W
per channel into 8 ohms.
Set your own conditions and we will rank every amplifier we cover.
Prefer to browse? Integrated amplifiers under $1,000, or every amplifier we cover.
Input Type
Diamond 12.3 has Binding post type connectors and lets bi-amping/bi-wiring. Bi-wiring can enhance the overall transparency of your loudspeakers by using separate speaker wires for the low and high-frequency drivers from a single amplifier. Bi-amping, on the other hand, involves using separate amplifiers for the high and low-frequency drivers, potentially resulting in a greater dynamic range and reduced distortion.
Work out what gauge speaker cable this run needs →
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 Back View
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 External Dimensions and Weight
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 has external dimensions of (Height x Width x Depth) 38-3/4 x 7-1/8 x 14-1/4inch (985.0 x 180.0 x 362.0mm ).
Base Surface Area
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base area of Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 is approximately 651.6cm2 / 101.0inch2.
To get a better perspective on the real life size of Wharfedale Diamond 12.3, let's compare it with a standard size Compact Disc which has a diameter of 4.7inch (120mm).
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 Speaker Size Compared to a Compact Disc
Here we place the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 virtually next to a standard width amplifier and turntable on a media center to get a better idea about the size.
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 Floor-standing Speaker next to a Media Stand
Find speakers that fit your shelf or alcove → · Work out where they should sit in the room →
WeightThe Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 weighs 19.50kg / 42.9lbs per piece. Here is a comparison of how Diamond 12.3's weight compares with the average, max and min weights in its class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
Weight
Floor-standing Speakers under $1,000
How does the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 compare to the Wharfedale Diamond 12.4?
One of the natural alternative to the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 is the Diamond 12.4 which is located one step higher in Wharfedale's Passive Floor-standing selection.
Here is a scaled size comparison of these two speakers to give you an idea how their external dimensions compare:
Comparison image of Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 and Wharfedale Diamond 12.4 Size and External Dimensions
Check the Detailed Comparison of Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 vs Diamond 12.4 for more details.
Cabinet type and Materials
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 has a
Bass Reflex type cabinet and a MDF/Wood-grain vinyl finish. Bass Reflex type loudspeakers (aka Ported, Vented or Reflex Port) have enclosures that uses a port, hole or vent cut into the cabinet. Ported designs are generally more efficient than the Sealed designs.
Speaker Feet
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 comes with 4 Spike feet (w/ locking collars) which you can use to secure your loudspeaker on the surface that you are putting on.
It is always recommended to use some kind of feet under all types of speakers. Besides limiting the movement of the speakers, it also compensates for non-flat surfaces and limits the contact surface area of the speaker. Rubber based feet also help isolating the vibrations within certain frequency ranges.
Port Position
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 is a rear-firing port speaker so you have to make sure you leave enough space between the back of the speaker and wall or bookshelf so that it has room to breathe.
Available colors
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 is available in Black, Oak and Walnut.
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 Colors
Does the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 come with a Grille?
Diamond 12.3 comes with magnetic grilles in Black color choices. The purpose of the grille is to protect the delicate driver elements from external impacts while still allowing the sound to pass as clearly as possible. Since the included grille of the Diamond 12.3 is magnetic type, it is very easy to put it on and off.
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 with Grille
What's in the Box of Wharfedale Diamond 12.3?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Diamond 12.3:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet (w/ locking collars)
- 2 Jumper-bars (pre-installed)
- 4 Isolation pucks
- Users Manual
Recommended Accessories
Here is a list of accessories that we think you may need for the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3.
User's Manual
For more information about how to setup, use and maintain the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3, use the direct link below to download the official manual document:
Download User Manual for Wharfedale Diamond 12.3
Official Brochure
Here is a link to download the official brochure for the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 speaker:
Official Brochure for Wharfedale Diamond 12.3
Official Product Page
Official manufacturer's product page for the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 speaker can be found below:
Official Product Page for Wharfedale Diamond 12.3
Warranty
5 Years of parts warranty and 5 Years of labor warranty is generally provided by the manufacturer.