Short answer: the Wharfedale Diamond 220 for a smoother on-axis response, the Boston Acoustics A25 for EQ-friendly directivity. The Diamond 220 measures smooth on axis once its grille is removed, a huge improvement over the stock grille’s comb filtering near 5kHz, but it rolls off below 200Hz and needs a subwoofer. The A25’s spinorama is decent once you ignore a 900Hz peak and a 3kHz dip caused by a port resonance and a fast-rolling tweeter.
Buy the Wharfedale Diamond 220 only if you find one used in good condition; both are discontinued, and it is the better rated of the two. For a new speaker, start with the Ascend Acoustics HTM-200SE2 instead.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Wharfedale Diamond 220 | Boston Acoustics A25 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $299 per pair Discontinued | $299.98 per pair Discontinued |
| Ranked | #28 of 90 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #34 of 90 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) | 117.2Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 90Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 58.0Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 55Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.40 | 3.53 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.64 | 6.19 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Frequency Response | - | 55Hz - 25kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Power Handling | - | 10-150W recommended |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Wharfedale Diamond 220:
- Ascend Sierra 1 v2 vs Wharfedale Diamond 220
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Wharfedale Diamond 220
- Arendal 1961 Monitor vs Wharfedale Diamond 220
- Revel M105 vs Wharfedale Diamond 220
- Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G vs Wharfedale Diamond 220
Prices on this page were last checked October 2, 2026 at 10:18 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Speakers In Full
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 Wharfedale Diamond 12.1
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs Wharfedale Super Denton
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs Klipsch RP-500M II
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs Monitor Audio Silver 50 7G
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs Revel M105
- Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs JBL Studio 530
- See all 33 comparisons
Boston Acoustics A25: $299.98 per pair Discontinued eBay
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. Measured bass extension of 90Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 85dB.
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) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 10.7H x 7.25W x 8.9D in |
| 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) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.53 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.19 |
| Weight | 10.1 lbs (4.58 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Boston Acoustics A25 vs Polk Audio XT15
- Boston Acoustics A25 vs KEF Q150
- Boston Acoustics A25 vs JBL Studio 530
- Boston Acoustics A25 vs Wharfedale Diamond 12.1
- Boston Acoustics A25 vs ELAC Debut 2.0 B5.2
- Boston Acoustics A25 vs Sony SS-CS5 M2
- Boston Acoustics A25 vs Wharfedale Super Denton
- Boston Acoustics A25 vs Paradigm Monitor SE Atom
- See all 30 comparisons