Wharfedale’s Diamond series have long been the choice for hi-fi enthusiasts looking to maintain a high quality sound, while not breaking the bank, and their latest iteration, the Diamond 230, is no exception…
Coming in at a rather short 92cm tall with a 32cm wide cabinet the 230s aren’t the largest speakers on the market, but they manage to hold their own against equivalents from the likes of Monitor Audio and Q Acoustics, offering a very impressive sound stage and more expansive sound than the small dimensions suggests.
Wharfedale claim to have improved the crossovers offering a buttery smooth transition between mid range and high end frequencies. They have also improved the low end frequencies by introducing their own ‘semi-elliptical break up areas’ that promise to smooth the response of each driver, which in practice is a very impressive system. It eliminates that awful “whomp” sound that many front and rear ported speakers can suffer from.
It’s a very impressive feat for speakers at this price point. Listening to James Blake’s “Limit To Your Love” (my personal go to for testing low frequencies) the incredible low ends were smooth and flowing, rather then the stop/start I’ve been used to with my own speakers at home, which – until I heard the 230s – I was very happy with. I’m actually quite annoyed as i cant un-hear this now, maybe its time for an upgrade…
Taking a step back to look at the 230s, its clear to see that some thought has been give towards aesthetics, because at the end of the day, they are a piece of a furniture, and its nice to see Wharfedale have taken this in to consideration. Even the new wave guide fabric domes look very nice. And they aren’t just there to look pretty; they are in charge optimising dispersion, which helps give the 230s that incredible sound stage.
All in all, I’d say they are a fantastic option at their price point, and I can’t fault them. If you’re after a little more oomph then I’d suggest maybe looking towards the mighty Dali Zensor 7, or maybe the KEF Q550.
If you would like to have a listen then please feel free to pop in to any one of our stores!
Click here to find out more about the Wharfedale Diamond 230 speakers.
Author: Garrett, Plymouth Store
