Short answer: the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1. It ranks #10 of 21 bookshelf speakers at $599; the Philharmonic Affordable Accuracy Monitor ranks #11 and costs $995, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The case for the Philharmonic Affordable Accuracy Monitor: This is a DIY crossover/driver mod of the budget Pioneer SP-BS22-LR bookshelf speaker, designed by Dennis Murphy. The tradeoff: Some directivity error appears near the crossover frequency.
What the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 gets right: CEA2034 spinorama shows an almost flat on-axis response for a budget bookshelf speaker. The catch: A directivity error appears between 2-3kHz, showing up as a dip in both the on-axis and predicted in-room curves.
One note: the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 is discontinued, but it still ranks #10 of 21 bookshelf speakers, ahead of most of what is still sold new, so it is worth considering used.
Buy the Philharmonic Affordable Accuracy Monitor if the price matters more than the ranking. Buy the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 if the ranking matters more than the price.
Specifications Side By Side
| Philharmonic Affordable Accuracy Monitor | Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $995 | $599 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #11 of 21 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #10 of 21 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Drivers | 1x 6.5" treated paper cone woofer, 1x 1-1/8" silk dome tweeter | 5" advanced polypropylene cone woofer, 1" textile dome tweeter |
| Weight | 41.2 lbs / 18.7 kg | 15 lbs / 6.8 kg each |
| Crossover Frequency | - | 2.6kHz |
| Dimensions | - | 12.2"H x 7"W x 10.9"D (310 x 178 x 277 mm) |
| Impedance | - | 8 ohms |
| Sensitivity | - | 87dB |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
| Woofer Cabinet | - | Ported |
The Two Speakers In Full
Philharmonic Affordable Accuracy Monitor: $995 Audiokarma
Pros: This is a DIY crossover/driver mod of the budget Pioneer SP-BS22-LR bookshelf speaker, designed by Dennis Murphy. CEA2034 spinorama shows only small variations from a flat on-axis response with some directivity error near the crossover, a marked improvement over the unmodified Pioneer, which the reviewer notes shows much more variation from flat. Distortion at 86dB SPL/1m is reasonably controlled above 200Hz, and tweeter distortion barely rises even at 96dB SPL/1m.
Cons: Some directivity error appears near the crossover frequency. Distortion climbs in the woofer’s range (below 200Hz) at both 86dB and 96dB SPL/1m. Minimum impedance dips to about 5 ohms with a couple of resonance peaks. As a DIY project, it requires building the crossover and modifying a donor speaker rather than buying a finished product.
| Drivers | 1x 6.5" treated paper cone woofer, 1x 1-1/8" silk dome tweeter |
|---|---|
| Weight | 41.2 lbs / 18.7 kg |
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Wharfedale Diamond 12.1: $599 Discontinued
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama shows an almost flat on-axis response for a budget bookshelf speaker. Predicted in-room response is very nice aside from a dip around 2kHz. Horizontal beamwidth of about ±70 degrees is wide, though a bit uneven.
Cons: A directivity error appears between 2-3kHz, showing up as a dip in both the on-axis and predicted in-room curves. Vertical directivity requires staying within about 30 degrees of the tweeter axis for accurate tonal balance. Distortion rises substantially at 96dB SPL/1m below 50Hz, where the woofer runs out of headroom without a high-pass filter - a real limitation for a compact 5” driver at higher output. Discontinued.
| 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 |
| Sensitivity | 87dB |
| Weight | 15 lbs / 6.8 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | Ported |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Buy Used
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Links
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Product prices and availability were last checked August 9, 2026 at 6:57 AM UTC and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.