Wharfedale
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3
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Best Floorstanding Speakers · head-to-head
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 vs Polk Reserve R700
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Polk Reserve R700 is cheaper at $1199. Every spec and price links to its source.
Polk Audio
Polk Reserve R700
$1199
Which is better: the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 or Polk Reserve R700?
The Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 wins 1 of the 1 specs we compare head to head; the other wins 0.
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Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 | Polk Reserve R700 |
|---|---|---|
| US price | — | $1199 |
| Brand | Wharfedale | Polk Audio |
| Released | — | — |
| Way configuration | 2.5-way | 3-way |
| Woofer size (in) | 2 x 5 | 2 x 8 |
| Tweeter type | soft-dome | — |
| Frequency response (Hz) | 45-20000 | 38-38000 |
| Sensitivity (dB) | 89 | 88 |
| Nominal impedance ohms | 8 | — |
| Crossover frequency (Hz) | — | 350/2700 |
| Recommended power watts | 30-150 | 50-300 |
| Enclosure type | bass-reflex | bass-reflex |
| Height (in) | — | 45 |
| Weight (lb) | 42.9 | 79.1 |
Sources — Wharfedale Diamond 12.3: wharfedale.co.uk (verified 2026-07-11). Polk Reserve R700: polkaudio.com (verified 2026-07-11).
What's the difference between the Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 and Polk Reserve R700?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (6 of 11). Matching specs are omitted.
- Way configuration: Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 2.5-way vs Polk Reserve R700 3-way
- Woofer size (in): Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 2 x 5 vs Polk Reserve R700 2 x 8
- Frequency response (Hz): Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 45-20000 vs Polk Reserve R700 38-38000
- Sensitivity (dB): Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 89 vs Polk Reserve R700 88
- Recommended power watts: Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 30-150 vs Polk Reserve R700 50-300
- Weight (lb): Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 42.9 vs Polk Reserve R700 79.1
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
Wharfedale Diamond 12.3
Only one whitelisted tester, What Hi-Fi, published a hands-on review of this exact model; it is a qualitative listening test with no lab measurements. It rates the Diamond 12.3 a five-star Award winner: refined, balanced and entertaining for the price, with the only real caveat being they need space from walls to sound their best. (1 sourced review, 1 lab-tested.)
Praised: Superbly balanced, refined presentation for the price; Expressive, articulate midrange with seamless driver integration; Pleasing build and finish.
Flagged: Fussy positioning: sound best ~90cm from the rear wall and at least 70cm from side walls.
Polk Reserve R700
No sourced tester review yet.