About the Wharfedale Diamond 250 Floorstanding Speakers
The Wharfedale Diamond 200 series speakers are awesome and have found their way into homes all over the globe. This speaker package jumps out of the blocks with the massive 29.4kg each Diamond 250 tower loudspeakers - the biggest and baddest model in the series - and these are complicated by the 5-driver, Diamond 240C centre speaker and the Diamond 220 as the rears. We've matched this with the awesome SVS SB-1000 subwoofer and when you read up on it you'll understand why this brand is the leader of the pack. Apologies to Wharfedale, but your subs don't cut it at the price!
The Wharfedale Diamond 250 tower loudspeakers are clear, balanced, immediate, and dynamically involving, the three-way floorstander providing perpetual music enjoyment. Diamond 250 provides exquisite audiophile sound marked by tremendous energy, gorgeous tonality, deep bass, smooth mids, and extended highs. Built to play with non-fatiguing ease, two 200mm (8") bass drivers and a 130mm (5.1") midrange driver complement a soft-dome tweeter equipped with an advanced ferrite magnet system. This elegant speaker draws listeners into their music in emotionally compelling ways traditionally only associated from much costlier models.
The Wharfedale Diamond 250, touts significant enhancements compared to the very successful 100 series and these have impacted its final design, construction, performance and looks. Upgraded speaker materials, woven Kevlar woofers, fine-tuned crossovers, updated bass and treble units, and a slot-loaded port are just a few of the internal features that account for the speaker's stellar capability. Yet you'll likely be too busy preoccupied with what you experience outside to worry about particulars. That's the sign of a great speaker – and one that is 100% guaranteed to forever change the way you experience music.
Slot-Loaded Port Improves Efficiency, Fine-Tuned Crossovers Enhance Integration: Derived from the Jade Series' Aperiodic bass-loading system, a slot-loaded distributed port created by the plinth exits the base of the speaker cabinet. It allows for greater freedom of speaker positioning, meaning Diamond 250 can be placed as close as two feet from a wall and still operate at peak potential. Most speakers cannot achieve this feat. The port also equalises the air pressure to mimic the pressure inside the cabinet, permitting a smooth transition between the pressure variation in the cabinet and low-frequency sound developed in the room. Consequently, the energy transfer is increased, and overall system efficiency strengthened. Computer-assisted modelling and hundreds of hours of tests ensure each speaker is fine-tuned. The same process is employed to fine-tune the crossover, which betters the integration between the drive units and intensifies the musical realism. Music lovers will relish audiophile sound whether listening either on and off-axis.
Lacquered Front Baffle and Superb Veneer Finishes Boost Aesthetic Appeal: Destined to elegantly blend into any room, Diamond 250 stylistically benefits from a new lacquered front baffle and cosmetically enhanced veneers. The simple, one-piece baffle that tops the hybrid cabinet material is lacquered to a highly polished finish that cosmetically matches the diamond-cut drive unit surrounds. In addition, the inner and outer layers of MDF allow for a superior finish to the cabinet veneers, enhancing the prior look available on Diamond 100 Series.
Bi-amp or bi-wire for even better sound: On the back of the 250 you'll find two sets of speaker input terminals. These let you bi-amp or bi-wire your speaker to get the best sound out of it. See below for suggested speaker wire packs.
Wharfedale Diamond 240C Centre Speaker
The Diamond 240C centre speaker features a total of 4 x 130mm (5") Woven Kevlar Cone (designed and made by Wharfedale), which flank the Wharfedale textile 25mm (1") dome tweeter. Combined with the extra cabinet volume it performs with a claimed lower bass extension of 50Hz. This combined with the greater power handling make the Diamond 240C an excellent companion to the Diamond 200 series floor standing speakers as part of a Wharfedale home theatre speaker system or in fact other brands with similar charachteristics. The enclosure is sealed or in other words doesn't have a port which makes location in a cabinet or close to a wall easy. But it also means that the 240C only has average efficiency at 90dB. This is not a negative as the 240C is designed to go with premium outfits and simply means you need a "beefy" receiver, something with decent output and our recommendation is at least 80 Watts RMS per channel and preferably a little more. This (minimum) is higher than what Wharfedale recommend but we base this on (1) experience and (2) typical use of a speaker in this category. Over driving an amplifier leads to distortion and usually damage to the drivers and naturally misuse is not covered by warranty. This is a great speaker and an excellent complement to the 250 floor standers.
Wharfedale Diamond 220 Rear Speakers
The Diamond 220 are an upgrade/refinement on popular earlier models. There are a number of aesthetic and performance upgrades and it always amazes us how simple improvements can really make a difference. One of these is in the cabinet where improved construction techniques alone have helped reduce low levels of distortion even further. These upgrades include the integration of a stronger and more anti-resonant cabinet material, utilising particleboard sandwiched between MDF (as opposed to chipboard + MDF found with the older 121 cabinet).
Drivers: The bass driver is formed from woven Kevlar and has ribs for added rigidity and uses a revised magnet system for even tighter control of the sound. Vocals sound more realistic than you'd believe for a speaker of this price and the bass is upbeat and never lagging behind the rest of the mix. At the other end of the scale the treble unit is surrounded by a deeply dished waveguide. This helps to improve the imaging and 'width' of sound. There is also the slot-loaded port - again same as the 250s - that provides an even stronger level of sonic detail. The overall sound quality is still fantastically well-balanced and natural with a sense of realism that is difficult to beat at this price point.
Why Bookshelf Speakers For Rears?
It is true, many customers choose to put rear speakers in the ceiling and that is certainly an option here. However, this system is designed to hammer out the sound in a big room and quite simply you will have to spend more to get in-ceiling speakers to match the performance of the 220's. But it can be done. It is good to remember that the 220's were the What Hi-Fi? bookshelf speaker of the year back in 2015...and we still sell heaps of them! That has got to tell you something! If this still doesn't work for you, consider a pair of on-wall speakers.
SVS SB-1000 Subwoofer
Look at the Audio Trends range of subwoofers and you'll see we love bass - especially deep, accurate bass that rocks the house and adds intense realism to our movies, music, and video games. But that kind of low-end performance can cost heaps unless you have deep pockets. So we're always on the lookout for subs that deliver the kind of performance we crave at a price we can afford and the SVS SB-1000 answers the call.
300mm High Output Woofer: The front-firing 300mm (12") high output woofer pumps out deep and powerful bass with low distortion, for smooth and accurate performance on music and movies soundtracks. The woofer features a lightweight cone for enhanced sensitivity and transient response, a long-throw suspension for high output at low frequencies, plus a rubber surround for durability and long-life. It also incorporates FEA-optimised motor technology for low distortion, high-power voice coil for excellent thermal management, and vented pole piece for greater cooling.
The SVS SB-1000 delivers fast, tight, and accurate bass. It will dramatically improve your system's sound stage to the point where a blindfolded listener could be excused for thinking that you're running a system of hundreds of Watts (RMS) through huge floor-standing speakers. Sonic performance is superb and very linear. It proportionally delivers strong bass, saving one from the hassle of having to fiddle with gain at low or high volumes. The form factor of the SB-1000 is still compact despite the fact it has a huge 300mm driver and we would highly recommend it for apartments and medium sized rooms. It definitely delivers 'bang for the buck' making it a wise choice and has all the variable controls you expect or need on a decent sub.
Main Features & Specifications
- What's In The Package: 2 x Wharfedale Diamond 250 Front Speakers; 1 x Wharfedale Diamond 240C Centre Speaker; 2 x Wharfedale Diamond 220 Speakers; 1 x SVS SB-1000 Subwoofer
- Front Speakers: 4-driver, 3-way's with 2 x 200mm bass drivers; 1 x 130mm mid-range and 1 x 25mm soft-dome tweeter
- Enclosure Type: Bass reflex with rear port
- Nominal Impedance: 6 Ohms
- Frequency Response (+/-3dB): 35Hz - 20kHz
- Bass Extension (-6dB): 32Hz
- Speaker Wire Terminals: Will accept bare wire or banana plugs
- Bi-Wire Option: Two sets of input terminals allow bi-amping or bi-wiring
- Finish: Black Ash. Maybe available in Walnut; Rosewood and White - please enquire on availability
- Dimensions (HxWxD): 1128 x 250 x 396 mm
- Front Speakers Net Weight: 29.4kg each
- Centre Speaker: 5-driver, 3-way with 4 x 130mm bass drivers and 1 x 25mm tweeter
- Frequency Response: 50 Hz - 20 KHz
- Nominal Impedance: 8 Ohms
- Speaker Terminals: Heavy duty and accept bare wire or banana plugs
- Bi-Wire Capable: Yes
- Finish: Black Ash. Maybe available in Walnut; Rosewood and White - please enquire on availability
- Dimensions (WxHxD): 800 x 190 x 236mm
- Nett Weight: 14.5kg
- Rear Speakers: 2-driver, 2-way with a 130mm woofer and a 25mm soft-dome tweeter
- Enclosure Type: Bass reflex
- Nominal Impedance: 8 Ohms
- Frequency Response: 56Hz - 20kHz (+/-3dB)
- Speaker Terminals: Heavy duty and accept bare wire or banana plugs.
- Bi-Wire Capable: Yes
- Dimensions (WxHxD): 174 x 315 x 227mm
- Rear Speakers Net Weight: 5.3kg each
- Subwoofer: Lightweight, long-throw 300mm (12") woofer in acoustic-suspension (sealed) cabinet
- Frequency Response: 24-260 Hz (±3 dB)
- Amplifier: Built-in Class D amplifier delivers 300 Watts RMS of continuous power (720 Watts peak dynamic power)
- DSP: Advanced DSP processor maintains control over the subwoofer at all drive levels for refined, low-distortion sound
- Design: Lightweight, long-throw 300mm (12") woofer for enhanced sensitivity and high-output levels
- Controls: Rear-mounted volume, crossover, phase, and power controls
- Digital actuator control knobs for precise and noise-free adjustment
- Crossover: Continuously variable low-pass 50-160Hz crossover with a disable (LFE) setting for connecting an A/V receiver
- Phase Control: Continuously variable phase control (0-180°)
- Power Cord: Detachable Type allows for easy upgrade. Click here to see your options
- Finish: Imitation black ash woodgrain vinyl
- Dimensions (WxHxD): 330 x 345 x 355mm
- Subwoofer Net Weight: 12.2kg
- Cables: See below for cable options or call us to discuss your individual needs
- Manufacturer's Warranty: 5 Years - does not include misuse or abuse
Note: Features & Specifications Subject To Change Without Notice. E&OE