About The Wharfedale Diamond 220C Centre Speaker
Wharfedale's Diamond 220C centre speaker is the speakers to have where budget or space are at a premium but good sound quality is demanded.
Simply put, Wharfedale Diamond is one of Wharfedale's and the world's most successful speaker series ever. The latest series of loudspeakers from Wharfedale that aspires to this tradition is the Diamond 200 with 220 being the 'gun' model in the smaller bookshelf/stand mount category. The 220C is the matching centre speaker and it is of course a 2-way, 3-driver configuration with the bass drivers employing a very stiff and woven kevlar cone with more powerful magnets - a trickle down feature from top-of-the range Wharfedale Jade series.
The Diamond 220C is an upgrade on the previous Diamond 100 series. They are not a totally new design, but rather a refinement. This newly developed version of what was already a highly capable loudspeaker sees a number of aesthetic and performance upgrades. It always amazes us how simple improvements can really make a difference.
Cabinet: 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 cabiner mateiral, utilising particleboard sandwiched between MDF (as opposed to chipboard + MDF found with the older 121's cabinet). This means that the vinyl wrap of the speaker unit can be applied to the speaker more easily, resulting in an improved finish.
Drivers: The bass drivers are formed from woven Kevlar and have ribs for added rigidity. The speakers use a revised magnet system for even tighter control of the sound. Vocals and on-screen effects 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 25mm soft dome tweeter is surrounded by a deeply dished waveguide. This helps to improve the imaging and 'width' of sound, making it easier to pick out individual instruments.
The sonic integrity and capability of the speaker has also been improved, thanks to an upgraded crossover network and bass motor system, while the new slot-loaded port 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.
Diamond 220's In The News
What Hi-Fi (UK) has consistently rated Diamond Series very highly and it doesn't get any better than 5 Stars! The Wharfedale 220's were the Stereo Speakers Supertest Winner 2015. This is what they said: "Now for the test victor. The Wharfedales keep the title they battled so hard for in last year's Awards season. The Diamond 220's are budget hi-fi at its very best-the speakers have a wonderfully informative, measured, yet musical sound that will make them enjoyable additions for your microsystem or hi-fi separates for years to come".
In another isssue they stated: "These are the speakers we wanted Wharfedale to make all along – quite simply they are one of the best budget speakers around."
Our Take
From 1982 Wharfedale Diamond has meant one thing – impeccable performance at an affordable price. Bass, vocals and treble on the 220's all throw out a sound quality which surprisingly you wouldn't expect to hear from a speaker in this price range. The 220's definitely set the benchmark. Small in size but certainly not small in sound. Aesthetics can only be described as "classy" with an all new lacquered front baffle and cosmetically enhanced veneers. Although recommended maximum input power is up to 100 Watts, we would suggest that typically a 50 Watt to 80 Watt would be the norm. However, the 220's will deliver the best results with a really high-quality, high-current amplifier so as is our usual tip...don't assume that because these speakers are "bargain-priced" that they only deserve to be hooked up to a similarly priced amplifier. Any system is only as good as its weakest link!
Main Features & Specifications
- Design: 2-way Centre Channel Speaker
- Enclosure type: Bass reflex
- Bass Drivers: 2 x 130mm Woven Kevlar Cone
- HF Driver: 25mm Soft Dome
- Sensitivity(2.83V @ 1m): 89dB
- Recommended amplifier power: 25-150 Watts (Clean, undistorted power)
- Nominal Impedance: 8 Ohms
- Minimum impedance: 4 Ohms
- Frequency Response: 60Hz - 20kHz (+/-3dB)
- Crossover Frequency: 2.3kHz
- Cabinet Volume (in litres): 11.8
- Height (on plinth & spikes): 190mm
- Dimensions (WxHxD): 470 x 174 x 236mm
- Depth (with terminals): (236+28)mm
- Net Weight: 8.5 kg
- Colours Available: Black, Rosewood, Walnut, White
- Manufacturer's Warranty: 5 Years
Note: Features & Specifications Subject To Change Without Notice. E&OE