Wharfedale Diamond 12.3

Refined, entertainin and affordable floorstanders

Sitting at the more affordable end of the market, these Wharfedales have a musical performance that impresses us even more than that delivered by the lauded Diamond 12.1s.

The carefully crafted cabinet is strategically braced to provide a solid and low-resonance platform for the drive units to work from, all wrapped in a classy finish that belies the modest price. The drive units are just as admirable, being a 2.5-way design where the upper 13cm driver covers everything from midrange downwards, leaving the second one to reinforce the lows. Both use a cone material called Klarity, a mix of polypropylene and mica, claimed to be light, rigid and well damped.