# Wharfedale Diamond 220 Bookshelf Speakers



## NCSUZoSo

Does anyone else own a pair of these speakers or the surround setup that uses them?  I just got mine in a walnut finish yesterday and I have to say I am BLOWN away by these vs. my old Polk Audio 45's (see sig for setup).  I feel like I had something in my ears slightly altering the sound before with the Polks and now with these  Diamond 220's I can hear everything as it was meant to be heard.
  
 I haven't owned them long enough to give a long/thoughtful review, but I didn't see a single thread related to the highest rated bookshelf speakers for under $400 according to What Hi-Fi, so I thought I would create one.
  
 Led Zeppelin - Bring It On Home (24/96) through these gives me goosebumps.  However for full range music you are definitely going to want some type of subwoofer to pair with these, although the bass they put out is VERY impressive.  It is a tight/expressive punch that you rarely hear in speakers that are only 12" high.
  
 http://www.whathifi.com/wharfedale/diamond-220/review
  

  
  

  
  

  
  
 Here are some screens I grabbed from a YouTube video that showed internal cutaways and graphs.
  
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## NCSUZoSo

In the manual I picked up on a very curious sentence: "Caution: Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void the user's authority to operate this device."
  
 Are they going to request the speaker back if I upgrade the crossover?


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## cel4145

Yes. Wharfedale bookshelves are generally considered a step up over Polk Audio Monitor series bookshelves by most speakerphiles, very much budget entry level speakers. Used to be you could buy them on Newegg for well under $150 on sale. There are certainly other bookshelves at that <$400 price point that compete with the Wharfedales and out perform the Polks.


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## NCSUZoSo

No.  These have only been out for roughly 6 months and NewEgg has never carried this model (I have been watching sites for pricing for months).  NewEgg doesn't even have a single Wharfedale product in stock currently.  These are the successors to the DIamond 121s and the absolute cheapest they go for is $350.

 I would think What Hi-Fi knows something considered the reputation of the magazine.
  


> In any case, the talented Diamond 220s will likely be the jewel in the crown of any budget – or even mid-range – set-up. Would we go as far as saying they’re one of the best hi-fi products you can buy sub-£200?
> 
> Without a doubt.


 
  


> "A brilliant-sounding speaker with a neat design that also became an Award-winner, ending the two-year reign of the Q Acoustic 2020is."


 
  


> There’s scale here with a degree of authority and substance that no rival we’ve heard can better. Stereo imaging is good too


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## cel4145

ncsuzoso said:


> No.  These have only been out for roughly 6 months and NewEgg has never carried this model (I have been watching sites for pricing for months).  NewEgg doesn't even have a single Wharfedale product in stock currently.  These are the successors to the DIamond 121s and the absolute cheapest they go for is $350.




I was talking about the Polk Monitors. Newegg has been carrying them for years as Polk revised them into different versions which, from my understanding, never really sounded any different. Just a way for Polk to release a new model. For example, the Polk Monitor 40 and 45 are essentially the same speaker with very little sonic quality difference. The Polk TSi series is the same as the Monitors with different branding and aesthetics.


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## NCSUZoSo

Oh yea, I got my 45s on sale for like $129.99, but they are amazing speakers in their own right for that price point.  I will actually still be using the 45s and 30s in a 5.1 setup downstairs with a Pioneer VSX-919AH.  I prefer silk dome tweeters over titanium/horns though, so that may sway me slightly.


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