true love is the right loudspeaker
Does 25% OFF a brand new set of Wharfedale loudspeakers tickle your fancy? Keen to match a pair with our award-winning Audiolab 6000A? Well, we’ve lined up three incredible Bookshelf Bachelors for you to choose from. So sit back, grab a glass of bubbly, and let the high fidelity rose ceremony begin.
Diamond 220 – The Perfect Vintage
Bookshelf bachelor number one comes from an older generation of loudspeakers. But don’t let that fool you. It’s from very good stock. Because while the Diamond 200 series is almost a decade old, the fact that it’s still in production today is a testament to its award-winning talents. Maybe none more so than Diamond 220. This talented 2-way loudspeaker features a 130mm woven kevlar mid/bass driver, a 25mm soft dome tweeter, a 25 - 100W recommended amp power range with 86dB sensitivity, and a frequency response range between 56Hz and 20kHz. Great specs by any measure but also a perfect match for the Audiolab 6000A.
So how does Diamond 220 perform? Well, according to the critics, this multi-award winner is agile, delivers far-reaching dynamics, is overflowing with detail, and it thunders with deep, controlled bass. ‘By any standard,’ says Hi-Fi World, ‘Diamond 220s are musically worthwhile speakers. And by budget standards, they’re crackers.’ But Hi-Fi World weren’t the only ones to sing Diamond 220s praise. What Hi*Fi? made them bookshelf speaker of the year, suggesting that when it came to sound quality, ‘the Diamond 220s needn’t fear any rival.’ So, with such affordable talents on offer, could this incredible bookshelf loudspeaker be your perfect match?
Diamond 12.1 – All Class
Bookshelf bachelor number two is the latest and greatest from Wharfedale’s famed Diamond series, and it’s a killer. Diamond 12.1 features a 130mm advanced polypropylene-mica blend mid/bass driver with a 25mm textile dome tweeter. This talented 2-way speaker has a recommended amp power range between 20-100W with 88dB sensitivity and a frequency range between 65Hz and 20kHz. But its hidden talents are the computer aided cabinet bracings that substantially mitigate cabinet resonances to let the drivers shine. And as a Karl-Heinz Fink design, shine on the Diamond 12.1s do.
The reviews came thick and fast with the release of Diamond 12.1 in 2021, and they all sang virtually the same praise: ridiculously good for the money. Sonically, the 12.1 is tight, cohesive, and very good with complex material, says Darko Audio. ‘This is a very fast sounding speaker and that means we get just the right balance of couch-bound relaxation and excitement.’ But Darko wasn’t the only one. Pursuit Perfect System said ‘their realistic portrayal of each instrument’s timbre was excellent.’ So in love were they, PPS suggested that the Diamond 12.1 are a ‘must-hear loudspeaker for anyone looking for a classy two-way bookshelf design that doesn’t break the bank.’ Could this classy loudspeaker be your perfect match?
EVO4.2 Tall Dark & Handsome
Bookshelf bachelor number three is itself a three-way design. That’s right! EVO4.2 employs the use of a separate dome midrange and an AMT high-frequency driver to deliver mind boggling musicality. This exceptional 3-way loudspeaker features a 135mm woven Kevlar bass woofer, a 50mm soft dome midrange driver, and a 30 x 60mm AMT. With an amp power range between 20-120W (87dB sensitivity) and a frequency response range between 54Hz and 22kHz, Audiolab’s 6000A will easily ensure the EVOs sing.
Dome midranges are highly unusual design features for a bookshelf speaker at this price. Largely because they’re so hard to implement and get right. But a dome midrange will put more energy into the room, creating an open and detailed listening experience. Combined with an Air Motion Transformer (AMT) high-frequency driver, which is itself a highly unique offering for a speaker at this price, the net result is airy and spacious. ‘What you do not get is sharpness or edginess: highs are there but refined.’ Hi-Fi World.
Zero Fidelity put together an incredibly detailed review of the EVO4.2, suggesting that these bookshelf speakers set a ‘new standard in build quality with impressive performance to match.’ EVO4.2 delivers an intimate experience, he says. ‘This is giving you an insight into what high end is really about.’ It’s high praise for an eighteen-hundred dollar loudspeaker. And at 25% off, it’s practically insane. The implementation of EVOs driver configuration gives you that musician-in-the-room-with-you effect, rendering vocal recordings with haunting detail. Looking for that spine-tingling music experience? Bachelor three is probably your perfect match.