Short answer: the Wharfedale Diamond 220 for better sound quality, the Boston Acoustics A25 for the lower price. The Wharfedale Diamond 220 ranks #19 of 56 bookshelf speakers at $350. The Boston Acoustics A25 ranks #22 at $299.98, $50.02 cheaper.
What the Wharfedale Diamond 220 offers: 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. Watch for: Response rolls off below 200Hz, so a subwoofer is recommended for full-range use.
What the Boston Acoustics A25 gets right: CEA2034 spinorama is decent once you ignore a peak around 900Hz and a dip around 3kHz - directivity is good enough that the response can be EQed and won’t be too room-dependent. The catch: A crazy port resonance and a tweeter with a steeper rolloff than the woofer both show up in the near-field driver measurements, creating the 900Hz peak and the crossover-region dip.
Buy the Wharfedale Diamond 220 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Boston Acoustics A25 if the price matters more than sound quality.
Specifications Side By Side
| Wharfedale Diamond 220 | Boston Acoustics A25 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $350 | $299.98 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #19 of 56 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #22 of 56 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Drivers | 5" (130mm) woven Kevlar woofer, 1" (25mm) tweeter | 1" Kortec soft dome tweeter, 5.25" ceramic/glass-fiber polymer mid/woofer |
| Dimensions | 12.4"H x 6.9"W x 8.9"D (315 x 174 x 227 mm) | 10.7H x 7.25W x 8.9D in |
| Weight | 11.7 lbs / 5.3 kg each | 10.1 lbs / 4.58 kg each |
| Sensitivity | 86.9dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review; 86dB manufacturer specified) | 85dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms nominal |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, bottom-firing into secondary enclosure | ported, rear |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | - | 90Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 55Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
| Frequency Response | - | 55Hz - 25kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Handling | - | 10-150W recommended |
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- JBL Studio 530 vs Sony SS-CS5 M2
- Klipsch RP-500M II vs Neumi Silk 4
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The Two Speakers In Full
Wharfedale Diamond 220: $350 Amazon
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.
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.
Full Wharfedale Diamond 220 review and specifications →
| 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) |
| Weight | 11.7 lbs / 5.3 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, bottom-firing into secondary enclosure |
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- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs KEF Q150
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs JBL Studio 530
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs ELAC Debut 2.0 B5.2
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs Sony SS-CS5 M2
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs Wharfedale Diamond 12.1
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs Paradigm Monitor SE Atom
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs Wharfedale Super Denton
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs Klipsch RP-500M II
- See all 14 comparisons
Boston Acoustics A25: $299.98 Discontinued
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama is decent once you ignore a peak around 900Hz and a dip around 3kHz - directivity is good enough that the response can be EQed and won’t be too room-dependent. Cabinet fit and finish is well above its price class, and dynamics were strong with no distortion audible even at high volume on well-recorded material. Discontinued, but the reviewer suggests hunting for clearance pricing on remaining stock.
Cons: A crazy port resonance and a tweeter with a steeper rolloff than the woofer both show up in the near-field driver measurements, creating the 900Hz peak and the crossover-region dip. The rear port itself measured audibly distorted up close, though it wasn’t noticeable from normal listening distance in the reviewer’s room. Discontinued.
Full Boston Acoustics A25 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 55Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 90Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 10.7H x 7.25W x 8.9D in |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 1" Kortec soft dome tweeter, 5.25" ceramic/glass-fiber polymer mid/woofer |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 25kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal |
| Power Handling | 10-150W recommended |
| Sensitivity | 85dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Weight | 10.1 lbs / 4.58 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Boston Acoustics A25 vs JBL Studio 530
- Boston Acoustics A25 vs ELAC Debut 2.0 B5.2
- Boston Acoustics A25 vs Sony SS-CS5 M2
- Boston Acoustics A25 vs Paradigm Monitor SE Atom
- Boston Acoustics A25 vs KEF Q150
- Boston Acoustics A25 vs Dynaudio Emit M10
- Boston Acoustics A25 vs ELAC BS U5
- Boston Acoustics A25 vs JBL Stage 2 250B
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