I've been reviewing hi-fi for over a decade, and these are the budget bookshelf speakers I'd recommend to anyone

Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 stereo speakers in walnut veneer finish on a wooden rack

(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)

Wharfedale's Diamond series is one of the most successful and celebrated speaker ranges in hi-fi history, with these small and affordable bookshelf speakers offering far more weight, musicality and finesse than their petite dimensions or lowly price tags would indicate.

They're one of our favourite budget speakers to recommend, with our newest hi-fi staff writer, James Cook, even owning a pair of the 2014-era Diamond 220s, which he highly recommends to anyone on a tight budget looking for good speakers.

The very first Wharefale Diamond speakers launched in 1982, and it speaks volumes about their continued success that there are four pairs of Diamond speakers from three generations and spanning two decades that I'll be recommending here, including the Diamond 9.1 (from 2004), the Diamond 220 (from 2014) and the most recent Diamond 12.1 (from 2020) speakers. Not only did these models get five-star ratings when we reviewed them, but they're all recipients of our prestigious What Hi-Fi? Award, too.

More pertinently, I spotted that all these speakers are enjoying great discounts thanks to Black Friday right now, but which one is the best for you? The deals span from £99 to £179, some with only a tenner or so between them – but is buying a 22-year-old model a savvy decision over a five-year-old model? I asked our long-serving technical editor, Ketan Bharadia, who was present for all of these reviews, and he said you really can't go wrong with whichever Diamond model you choose here – it just depends on the price you're happy to pay, and if it suits your system and space.

Yes, the newer 12.1 model will deliver better details, dynamics and low-end precision across the board, but the ones of an older vintage are still enjoyable and entertaining – for small budget speakers, they retain their likeable sonic characteristic and well-judged balance.

So if you can only spend £99 on your new speakers, don't be afraid to pick up an older model; if you can spend a little more, look at fresher models and you'll find even more to love.

The 4 best Wharfedale Diamond speaker deals

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Kashfia is the Hi-Fi and Audio Editor of What Hi-Fi? and first joined the brand 13 years ago. During her time in the consumer tech industry, she has reviewed hundreds of products (including speakers, amplifiers, turntables and headphones), been to countless trade shows across the world and fallen in love with hi-fi kit much bigger than her. In her spare time, Kash can be found tending to an ever-growing houseplant collection and shooing her cat Jolene away from spinning records.

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The 4 best Wharfedale Diamond speaker deals

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