Short answer: the Wharfedale Diamond 220 only if you remove the grille, the KEF LS50 Meta otherwise. Amir found its on-axis response smooth once the grille is removed, because the stock grille caused unusually strong comb filtering around 5kHz, and it rolls off below 200Hz, so a subwoofer is recommended. The LS50 Meta’s Uni-Q pairs a 1-inch vented aluminum dome tweeter with a 5.25-inch aluminum cone woofer, with F3 of 67Hz and F10 of 42Hz.
Buy the KEF LS50 Meta. It is rated higher for sound quality; the Wharfedale Diamond 220 is no longer sold new.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| KEF LS50 Meta | Wharfedale Diamond 220 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,599.00 per pair | $299 per pair Discontinued |
| Ranked | #4 of 90 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #28 of 90 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 58.0Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 68Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 117.2Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 11.9”H x 7.9”W x 11”D (302 x 200 x 280.5 mm) | 12.4”H x 6.9”W x 8.9”D (315 x 174 x 227 mm) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.7 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) | 8 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 83dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner; 85dB manufacturer specified) | 86.9dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review; 86dB manufacturer specified) |
| Drivers | 130 mm (5.25 in.) aluminium cone woofer, 25 mm (1 in.) vented aluminium dome with Metamaterial Absorption tweeter | 5” (130mm) woven Kevlar woofer, 1” (25mm) tweeter |
| Weight | 17.2 lbs (7.8 kg) each | 11.7 lbs (5.3 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported, bottom-firing into secondary enclosure |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.74 | 3.40 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.88 | 6.64 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
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How KEF LS50 Meta compares with other leading options:
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Audio First Fidelia
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Philharmonic Ceramic Mini
- Ascend Sierra 1 v2 vs KEF LS50 Meta
- Ascend Acoustics Luna V2 Mini-Monitor Ribbon vs KEF LS50 Meta
- KEF LS50 Meta vs XMechanik Mechano23 DIY
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The Two Speakers In Full
KEF LS50 Meta: $1,599.00 per pair Amazon Crutchfield eBay
Pros: Uni-Q concentric driver mounts a 1” vented aluminum dome tweeter at the center of a 5.25” aluminum cone woofer, rated 79Hz-20kHz+. Speaker-to-speaker matching measured tight at roughly 0.5dB deviation between the pair tested, versus 2-3dB seen on some other speakers: likely why imaging stayed so precise. Imaging stays tight and focused even toed out, unlike most coincident designs where toe-out typically diffuses the image, giving more of an oval-shaped soundstage than a hard rectangular boundary. Horizontal and vertical directivity both hold to about ±50° at the -6dB point, so tonality stays consistent across roughly a 100° listening cone. The extended bass shelf is deliberately tuned for near-wall/boundary placement rather than the usual “pull it 3 feet into the room” advice, playing lower without excess boominess when placed close to a wall. At its frequent sale price, well below list, called a no-brainer for a compact stand-mount speaker. Independent ASR Klippel measurements corroborate this: very good directivity with the on- and off-axis curves tracking closely, and a predicted in-room response the reviewer called “very close to ideal.”. Measured bass extension of 68Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 83dB.
Cons: F3 of 67Hz and F10 of 42Hz mean it doesn’t get much below 50Hz in-room; a subwoofer is recommended for real bass. A 2-3dB scoop around 2-4kHz shows up in both the listening window and sound power measurements, matching a subjectively noticed lack of attack and vocal clarity that the reviewer wanted to correct with about 2dB of EQ. An on-axis diffraction dip around 8kHz smooths out with about 15° of toe-out (typical for concentric designs, but still present at 0°). Distortion is elevated at low frequencies since the single 5.25” cone shares surface area with the tweeter housing, reducing effective radiating area; multitone distortion crosses the 3% threshold at 96dB/1m, making roughly 88dB or below the safer output ceiling. Moderate sensitivity (~83dB average) needed 2-3dB more amplifier gain than typical in testing. Adding a subwoofer at an 80Hz crossover only helps lower-midrange distortion, not the elevated distortion in the 1-2kHz and above-5kHz regions. ASR’s own Klippel testing found the same pattern in starker terms: THD is very good at 86dB SPL/1m but climbs past 100% in the bass at 96dB SPL/1m, confirming this is not a near-field speaker for high-output bass-heavy material. Cumulative spectral decay (waterfall) also shows a couple of resonances lingering in the 1-2kHz region.
Full KEF LS50 Meta review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 68Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 11.9”H x 7.9”W x 11”D (302 x 200 x 280.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 130 mm (5.25 in.) aluminium cone woofer, 25 mm (1 in.) vented aluminium dome with Metamaterial Absorption tweeter |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.7 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 83dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner; 85dB manufacturer specified) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.74 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.88 |
| Weight | 17.2 lbs (7.8 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Erin’s Audio Corner: Unveiling the KEF LS50 Meta: The Truth Behind the Hype More from Erin’s Audio Corner →
- Erin’s Audio Corner Website KEF LS50 Meta
- Audio Science Review KEF LS50 Meta More from Audio Science Review →
- GR-Research: KEF LS50 Meta! Worthy of HYPE? More from GR-Research →
- Erin’s Audio Corner: My Top Picks of 2023: Must-Haves Under $3000
- Erin’s Audio Corner Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Ascend Sierra 1 v2
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Ascend Acoustics Luna V2 Mini-Monitor Ribbon
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Philharmonic Ceramic Mini
- KEF LS50 Meta vs XMechanik Mechano23 DIY
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Audio First Fidelia
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Ascend Acoustics HTM-200SE2
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Arendal 1961 Monitor
- KEF LS50 Meta vs SunAudio Purified 4
- See all 84 comparisons
Wharfedale Diamond 220: $299 per pair Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i. It’s likely to perform similarly, though we don’t have measurements to confirm that yet.
Pros: Amir found the on-axis response smooth once the grille is removed, calling grille removal “a huge improvement” since the stock grille caused unusually strong comb filtering around 5kHz. Good horizontal dispersion from the waveguide-loaded tweeter and controlled distortion. After some EQ (a room mode filter and treble shelf), the reviewer called it “a truly hifi speaker” where “every audiophile track..sounded very good,” and said he was “happy to recommend” it for the budget class. Measured bass extension of 117.2Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 86.9dB.
Cons: Response rolls off below 200Hz, so a subwoofer is recommended for full-range use. Some port rattling was noted at high volumes, traced to vibration rather than the woofer itself. Best performance requires removing the grille and applying the reviewer’s EQ filters. Discontinued, with only limited remaining stock available direct from Wharfedale.
Full Wharfedale Diamond 220 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 58.0Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 117.2Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 12.4”H x 6.9”W x 8.9”D (315 x 174 x 227 mm) |
| Drivers | 5” (130mm) woven Kevlar woofer, 1” (25mm) tweeter |
| Impedance | 8 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 86.9dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review; 86dB manufacturer specified) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.40 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.64 |
| Weight | 11.7 lbs (5.3 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, bottom-firing into secondary enclosure |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs Polk Audio XT15
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs KEF Q150
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs Boston Acoustics A25
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs Wharfedale Diamond 12.1
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs Wharfedale Super Denton
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