Short answer: the Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G for better sound quality, the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 for the lower price. The Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G ranks #12 of 63 bookshelf speakers at $799. The Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 ranks #19 at $599, $200 cheaper.
The case for the Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G: The 7th generation C-CAM Gold Dome tweeter with UD Waveguide II and RST II mid bass driver produce a listening window smoothness score of 0.50 at an accessible price, earning a Hi-Fi News Outstanding Product Award. The catch: The on axis response trends noticeably upward toward the treble (measured slope +0.50 per octave, the steepest of any speaker in this batch), which can read as bright on already bright recordings.
What the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 offers: A budget two-way bookshelf speaker (5” polypropylene woofer, 1” textile dome tweeter) that measures well for its price: harmonic distortion at 86dB stays under 1% THD down to about 60Hz, genuinely good for a 5” mid-woofer. The tradeoff: A dip of about 3dB in the 1-3kHz crossover region (on-axis, in the predicted in-room response, and even off-axis) gives the speaker a soft, “laid-back” character that noticeably saps attack and transient bite from drums, guitar and other percussive material - possibly an intentional BBC-style dip, but one the reviewer would still prefer tuned flat.
Buy the Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 if the price matters more than sound quality.
Specifications Side By Side
| Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G | Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $799 | $599 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #12 of 63 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #19 of 63 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Enclosure | ported | - |
| Drivers | 1" C-CAM Gold Dome tweeter, 5.25" C-CAM RST II mid bass driver | 5" advanced polypropylene cone woofer, 1" textile dome tweeter |
| Dimensions | 11.1"H x 6.5"W x 10.7"D (282 x 165 x 272 mm) (11.125 x 6.5 x 10.375 in) | 12.2"H x 7"W x 10.9"D (310 x 178 x 277 mm) |
| Weight | 12.3 lbs / 5.6 kg (12 lbs 6 oz) each | 15 lbs / 6.8 kg each |
| Sensitivity | 86dB @ 2.83V/1m | 84dB (measured by Erin’s Audio Corner; 87dB manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal, 3.9 ohms minimum | 8 ohms nominal (3.9 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 87.9Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 61Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50.7Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 46Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Max SPL | 104dB | - |
| Crossover Points | 2.6kHz | - |
| Port Tuning | 58Hz | - |
| Power Output (Watts) | 100W RMS handling, 40-100W recommended amplifier power | - |
| Warranty | Lifetime, parts and labor | - |
| Country | China | - |
| Crossover Frequency | - | 2.6kHz |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
| Woofer Cabinet | - | ported |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Revel M105 vs Polk Audio XT15
- Revel M105 vs Sony SS-CS5 M2
- Revel M105 vs Boston Acoustics A25
- Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 vs Dynaudio Emit M10
- Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 vs ELAC BS U5
The Two Speakers In Full
Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G: $799 Crutchfield
Pros: The 7th generation C-CAM Gold Dome tweeter with UD Waveguide II and RST II mid bass driver produce a listening window smoothness score of 0.50 at an accessible price, earning a Hi-Fi News Outstanding Product Award. A HiVe II reflex port system is tuned to 58Hz for real bass weight from a compact 5.25 inch two way.
Cons: The on axis response trends noticeably upward toward the treble (measured slope +0.50 per octave, the steepest of any speaker in this batch), which can read as bright on already bright recordings. The sound power directivity index also has the widest standard deviation in this batch, 3.95, meaning off axis energy tracks the on axis response less consistently than the rest of this group. Bass extension is limited to a measured 87.9Hz at -3dB, so a subwoofer is recommended for full range use, and minimum impedance dips to 3.9 ohms at 250Hz.
Full Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50.7Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 87.9Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Country | China |
| Crossover Points | 2.6kHz |
| Dimensions | 11.1"H x 6.5"W x 10.7"D (282 x 165 x 272 mm) (11.125 x 6.5 x 10.375 in) |
| Drivers | 1" C-CAM Gold Dome tweeter, 5.25" C-CAM RST II mid bass driver |
| Enclosure | ported |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal, 3.9 ohms minimum |
| Max SPL | 104dB |
| Port Tuning | 58Hz |
| Power Output (Watts) | 100W RMS handling, 40-100W recommended amplifier power |
| Sensitivity | 86dB @ 2.83V/1m |
| Warranty | Lifetime, parts and labor |
| Weight | 12.3 lbs / 5.6 kg (12 lbs 6 oz) each |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G vs Revel M105
- Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G vs Elac Carina BS243.4
- Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G vs Klipsch RP-500M II
- Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G vs Wharfedale Super Denton
- Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G vs KEF LS50 Meta
- Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G vs KEF Q150
- Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G vs Wharfedale Diamond 220
- Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G vs Polk Audio XT15
Wharfedale Diamond 12.1: $599 Discontinued
Pros: A budget two-way bookshelf speaker (5” polypropylene woofer, 1” textile dome tweeter) that measures well for its price: harmonic distortion at 86dB stays under 1% THD down to about 60Hz, genuinely good for a 5” mid-woofer. Wide horizontal radiation of about ±60° up to roughly 5kHz before the tweeter starts to beam. Tonally smooth and easy to listen to at moderate volumes, with a pleasant, non-fatiguing character the reviewer said he’d happily recommend to someone who wants noticeably better fit, finish and looks than typical speakers in the $300-400 range. A high-pass crossover around 80Hz meaningfully cleans up midrange multitone distortion, so pairing it with a subwoofer helps more than usual for a speaker this size.
Cons: A dip of about 3dB in the 1-3kHz crossover region (on-axis, in the predicted in-room response, and even off-axis) gives the speaker a soft, “laid-back” character that noticeably saps attack and transient bite from drums, guitar and other percussive material - possibly an intentional BBC-style dip, but one the reviewer would still prefer tuned flat. Vertical directivity is unusually tight for this class of speaker, holding together only within about ±5° of the tweeter axis before a real hole opens up in the response, so seating height matters a lot more than on most bookshelf designs. Diffraction artifacts around 3kHz and 5kHz show up as differences between the listening-window and on-axis curves. Distortion climbs well past acceptable levels at higher output - harmonic distortion exceeds 3% around 150Hz at 96dB (versus under 1% at 86dB), multitone distortion tops 10% at 96dB/1m, and real compression sets in between 96-102dB (about 1.5dB of lost dynamic range around 300Hz at 102dB/1m, roughly equivalent to 92dB for a pair at 4m in a room) - a genuine limitation on how loud or how far away this speaker can be pushed. Measured average sensitivity (84dB) runs a few dB below the 87dB spec. Only a 5” woofer, so a subwoofer is required for real bass. Discontinued.
Full Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 46Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 61Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 2.6kHz |
| Dimensions | 12.2"H x 7"W x 10.9"D (310 x 178 x 277 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 5" advanced polypropylene cone woofer, 1" textile dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.9 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 84dB (measured by Erin's Audio Corner; 87dB manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 15 lbs / 6.8 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Erin’s Audio Corner: Wharfedale 12.1 Budget Bookshelf Speaker with “Laid Back” sound but output limited.
- Audio Science Review Wharfedale Diamond 12.1
- Erin’s Audio Corner Website: Wharfedale Diamond 12.1
- Audio Science Review Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Reddit Search for Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 vs Carmody S2000
- Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 vs Radiant Acoustics Clarity 4.2
- Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 vs Wharfedale Super Denton
- Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 vs Klipsch RP-500M II
- Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 vs KEF Q150
- Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 vs Wharfedale Diamond 220
- Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 vs Polk Audio XT15
- Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 vs Revel M105
- See all 21 comparisons