[Blind Test- Most Famous Speakers -You will get the RESULT at the End]12.2. EVO 4.2, LS50 Meta, R200

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This video is a sound comparison among Wharfedale Diamond 12.2, EVO 4.2, Polk Audio Reserve R200 and KEF LS50 Meta with Cambridge Audio AXR85.
Four mighty speakers are at the same place to be compared the sound of characteristics. I want you to have fun while watching it and try your best shot. I know you got that right because you have been with me enough time. Good Luck!
Please share your thoughts with me.
thanks
Other sound comparison videos
Amps - • Amplifier Sound Demo
Speakers - • Hi Fi Speakers Sound Demo
Bluetooth Speakers - • Bluetooth Speaker
Timecodes
0:00 - intro
1:11 - All the way up / Electronic / by Hadar Sopher
1:51 - Bedroom / Soul & RnB, Pop / by Raquel Castro, The Wildcardz
2:34 - Boost Your Power / Rock / by CustomMelody
3:32 - Chemtrails / Cinematic / by Semo
4:23 - Get Ready / Cinematic, Rock, Pop / by Midnight Noise
5:13 - Higher Love / Electronic, Pop / by Ben Fox
6:29 - Is Leroy On It / Jazz, Acoustic, Retro / by Southside Aces
7:27 - Pull Me Closer / Electronic, Pop, Hip Hop / by WEARETHEGOOD,
8:40 - Punkd / Cinematic, Electronic / by Out of Flux
9:41 - Seasons / Cinematic, Classical / by ANBR
10:51 - Star Night / Acoustic, Rock, Pop / Wonderland
11:41 - Time Traveling / Soul & RnB / Sarah Kang feat. Anthony Lazaro
13:15 - Crash and burn / Death Metal / Kissing Candice
14:40 - Magic Show / Death Metal / Kissing Candice
15:37 - Fields / Acoustic Guitar / Livio Bartolo
18:22 - Outro

[@clarencehoover6748]

This has been incredibly more helpful than watching hours of reviews of guys talking about how speakers under review sound. Thank you!!

[@quananginh9446]

This is an interesting experience. When I'm not looking at speakers, I can actually focus more on the sound. My choice is B (I'm writing this half way of the video).

[@rehakmate]

Yeah I like B too, such a versatile speaker it does everything well

[@mayssebmasenya9132]

I initially like B, but on o her songs the bass sounded a bit exaggerated for my liking, and I switched to C and remained there. I didn’t like the forwardness of D. A sounded less detailed than B and C. So C is my choice.

[@donaldspaulding6973]

Excellent! Thank you for putting this together.

[@mgaming7]

if i had to pick one of these to purchase based solely off this blind test: I would have picked B. I thought B was going to be the Evo. can't believe I picked Polk

[@williammiebach1798]

Comment #2 Yeah, that was fun! Wish I could say I got it 100% right, but have to admit I wasn't sure about A and D even at the end. Was leaning toward A being the Meta..so Wow, once again I'm kind of impressed by the 12.2. The R200 has the most bass, with that subtle thump still present, and a slight dry spot in the mids, so that was easy. Yet, I have to say it still may be my favorite on most tracks. The 4.2 sounded more open than I usually percieve it, but still that midrange fowardness I always hear gave it away. Great fun! Thank you for that, E Project! 🙂👍

[@agustin-1808]

El mejor video!! Por mucho👍👏👏👏👏👏

[@user-vk5ul9lt4l]

Отличное сравнение, как сложно выбрать когда они скрыты, я выбрал - C. Дома слушаю Wharfedale diamond 12.2😂 Тест показывает что все динамики отличные.

[@zx7gp]

That was great! I ended up B and C.

[@Rockin_Kat]

1. A 2. B 3. D 4. C

[@Ivan-ks1ix]

Very interesting, overall these all seem solid but I slowly honed in on B and C for their clarity and consistency. D was sometimes good but the tweeter was glaring occasionally, the timbre was slightly off on A consistently. Seems I’ll be keeping my eye out for sales on the Reserve line!

[@34332]

LOL, I love you E Project. ♥️🙏💪 I classed everything per track in plus or minus. Total score adds up to B. My score in order of importance to me. B, A, D, C. I choose B for best bass in general and balanced sound overall. I own(ed) both A and B speakers, where I kept B. 💥🥧🤪

[@DougMen1]

B, A, D, C seems to be the general consensus here. I'm quite surprised that so many of us are in agreement

[@UTILITARIANTVUK]

Actually a little surprised by this test. I placed D in last place and they turned out to be the most expensive speaker! Also, shocked how well the 12.2 sounded against it's more expensive competition.

[@oldassgamer9138]

C sounds the best by far.

[@williammiebach1798]

Comment # 1' - Haven,t finished listening to whole demo yet. Don't know for sure wich is wich yet. I swear...but I am having a ball trying to figure it out 🙂😛😃 Gonna guess. I'm pretty sure B) Polk R200 C) Evo 4.2 Still stumped if A) is Meta or 12.2. Great demo. Lots of fun. Hope I'm right🤗

[@jukingeo]

I was surprised when my choice, B were the Polks! I am also not surprised that the worst sounding pair 'D' were the Kef's. More surprising is that the Kef's are the most expensive ones. I also like the look of them the least. However, there are many that don't like the Kef's While they make good speakers in general, lately they are just becoming far overpriced for what they are. This demo is proof that you can get a nice set of speakers for half the price of the Kef's. Also a disappointment was the Diamond 12.2's I expected better, but the highs were a bit shrill and the bass less than the others. There is also a noticeable hole in the midrange. Still I like the Diamond 12.2's more than the Kef's. BTW, if you like the Kef style, they have the Q150, which outperforms the LS50 (meta) and costs far less. Your are just going to waste your money on the LS-50s. I think it is Kef's "troll" product. I call a troll product or manufacturer is one that is clearly overpricing and taking advantage of the buyer. Do your homework and research people and don't feed the trolls! You shouldn't have to spend more than $650 on a set of decent bookshelf speakers. These are all out of my price range, but I do like the Polks!

[@kukorikou]

My score is B, A, D, C.

[@RylesJMalone]

Me too

[@shaunroberts9285]

Mine too 👍

[@attilasomody6863]

My rating is: A B C,and D which is horrible

[@fierrary9362]

Wow, that was one of the most helpful videos on YT for me in a while. I'm going to buy passve speakers for the first time, so I was torn between 3 of those speakers, excluding LS50, leaning towards R200 based on reviews, but now it's clear for me. I was lestening in headphones with a neutral tuning and A was an instant no, too bright and unpleasant. I was afraid that it was R200, lol. B was great with best bass, i need no sub, C was great with best mids but sub is required, D was instant no, too muddy. Now I'm confident and will get R200. Thank you for this amazing content

[@ip677]

Not watching the reveal: A and B are very-very close with B having a little bit more “weight” (low mids and upper base are a little bit more refined), C sounds the worst out of the four, with thin upper mids, like if it’s having a dip in the 6-8 KHz range, and D is somewhere in between with just a bit of a dip in around 2-3 KHz I think). It’s also pity that C is recorded unbalanced with a shift to the right. And… that’s a great video. Any plans on doing floorstanding speakers like this?

[@donaldspaulding6973]

Same here. A and B most of time were the same. C being my least favorite. D seemed to keep the soundstage and detail in the highs with better defined mids.

[@jari121]

I got easily C and D right. A and B were much more difficult 🙂.

[@leonardblush2557]

I managed to get A and B right and they were my top two choices, with B having a slight edge. I thought they were a touch fuller. A might work better in my 12x 13 room with limits on space behind the speaker. (My Diamond 225s are probably still better for my particular room situation) Went back and forth guessing on C and D and which I liked better. I'd have to listen again, but thinking D was liked least a bit more than C, but sometimes that was reversed.

[@daves.6778]

Here's my .02 A - Thin B - Great and very resolving, C - Great and quite musical, D - Yeah, something is just off for me. Thanks for the awesome and very useful vids!

[@zoomyorke]

Dear friend, please, could you recommend an amplifier that makes excellent synergy with the KEF Q150, I currently have the Cambridge AXA35, but surely there is one that suits you better ... Which one do you recommend? First of all, Thanks. Excellent channel.

[@TheBRBvideos]

Given the caveat that we are all listening to this test as mediated by our own streamer/amp/speakers that was very useful. I'm currently considering a pair of C, Evo 4.2's, and that was the pair that sounded best overall 'on my system'. So good that maybe I should just keep my current 20 years old MS Mezzo 2's LOL. One suggestion, include some examples of straight male and female vocals in your comparisons.

[@bearclaw5115]

I liked B the best and I got lucky because I own them. the 12.2's were also very good.

[@RockCity1111]

A metas B Polks C wharfedale D Evo 4.2. Wow that was tuff 😳 I almost went with the Evos !! But very happy with my R 200s

[@smallm7943]

Proof of every song needs it's own speaker to sound best 😂

[@tofudeliverygt86]

Thanks for this, I picked C for it's natural sound. Didn't mind A or B that much, but they sounded a tad high focused on some tracks. C sounded natural, relaxed, and maybe a bit less exciting on some tracks, but I knew I could live with this sound easily. Definitely didn't like D since it causes a lot of room echo IMO, which breaks the immerson.

[@snakeobias]

Well, I think I have a new fave from this bunch - the Polks. I thought A and B were quite similar, a comment I made on a recent upload, but I was suprised when they were revealed at the end. To be honest, I didn't like D so much. I felt the high end was a little subdued, and it sounded a little muffled on some tracks. Will need to list again because some on here think they were quite detailed. But still, the Polk R200 - such great sound for the money. Too bad that tweeter is hideous, as good as it is.

[@snakeobias]

@@DougMen1 do you mean the tops on the Metas are supposed to sound rolled-off, like they do here, which is because of the AXR100?

[@DougMen1]

@@snakeobias No, I was confused. I thought the amp here was the NAD 316, but that was on the last video with the Polk S20. I've watched so many of his videos here that I'm starting to get them mixed up! I think maybe we should go back and listen to some past videos with the Meta with other amps and see if it sounds less rolled off, or if it's just that the R200 has such better treble extension

[@hclandscapes]

I preferred c and d much less bright and harsh sounding. I guessed that the Meta's were either c or d. Great video 👍

[@boss123400]

Definitely liked c and d the best. C turned out to be what I have.

[@Captain_Sosuke_Aizen]

A seemed safe allrounder, B was best, C was veiled and dark, D was artificially bright. I thought LS 50 was A, Evo B, R200 C and diamonds D, and I was so wrong lol. Funny thing is I have decided on R200 before hearing this, but while hearing this I was thinking I made a mistake, but after seeing the results I am more determined than ever on R200.

[@apmihai82]

i thought exactly the same in terms of guesses funny.

[@zeppzepp1234]

Great! I got the B and C right. B has the best tight bass. And C has almost no punch, pale snare sound. Surprise is D-LS50META sounding quite balanced which is really improved from the original LS50.

[@-MarkWinston-]

If you got B and C correct, that means you thought the Metas were A and the 12.2s were D then?

[@DougMen1]

@@-MarkWinston- That was me! I got B and C right, but I mixed up A and D, which shows how good the 12.2 is, but we already knew that, didn't we? What confused me was that the 12.2 sounded brighter than the Meta on some songs, which I didn't expect

[@zeppzepp1234]

@@-MarkWinston- I just got confused with A and D like @DM. Meta's tonal balance is better than my expectation since I actually don't like the forward sounding of original LS50.

[@m.moreira3969]

And I also mixed up A and D! I was totally convinced A were the Metas, I’m getting more and more impressed with the 12.2 !

[@williammiebach1798]

@@m.moreira3969 That's exactly what I thought. B and C were fairly easy to idrntify. I stayed stumped till the end about A & D. Even though I thought I knew the differences between the 12.2 and Meta from their comparison demo and all the others. Seems like a lot of us were.

[@higobatman]

1º Polk R200 2º Wharfedale 12.2

[@BillyKueekSG]

I am deciding if I want to spend USD$3,800 on a used pair (6-months old) Hifiman Susvara headphone or get a pair of Polk R200. In this test, for the music that I’d listen to, I chose B. As I mostly used headphones, I have DAC, headphone amps that can be pre amps, what amp would you recommend? What equipments are used to hook these speakers with? My room is 14 feet by 10’4” with study table and bookshelves with books. Thank you to you who’s helping me with my questions.

[@williammiebach1798]

Comment #3 I see I'm not the only one to be compelled to make comments before knowing the results. Cool

[@karlschultz8995]

Great sound test, unloke most others. Without comparsions there is no way judging anything oit of a KZbin video. I had C on top for most times because of the natural and a bit laidback sound. Others where either too thin/harsh or too up front for me. B was second so Polk might still be interesting since the Wharfedale's is supposed to have a really tight vertical sweetspot.

[@SwagatRath]

A sounds full bodied

[@-MarkWinston-]

Notes while listening : A and B sound like expensive speakers, I dont like how C sounds, D has a bit of everything, which is great. B sounds a little more open than A, C is just sharp and thin sounding on most tracks, D is very balanced. C is starting to get on my nerves, it has no punch at all. A and B still sound pretty similiar, D has the best overall attributes of A and B. I hope my beloved 12.2 is not C, I HOPE! Im now at Time Travelling, A sounds the smoothest in the vocals, so buttery, B now sounds a bit harsher on the vocals compared to A, C very thin vocals, D has the most pronounced vocal. Im now at the metal tracks, A and B are handling complex tracks wonderfully, C is ok at this point, D is clean yet balanced. Damn I dont know which is which, but my guess is A B and D is not the Evo. Evo is C I think. A B and D Im not sure but they sound freaking great. Ha! Results out! I got C right, thin ass sounding Evos. Too smooth for some genres. And the 12.2 and r200 sound really similiar. The Metas are freaking great!!!!! E-Project, next time when you do blind test, please reveal the answers after 3 days in another vid. This will be interesting in seeing what others say in the comment section, biasness will be eliminated that way. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this, Im having a lot of fun with blind tests!

[@belotan4218]

I like B. Haven’t seen the results yet.

[@DougMen1]

The giveaway is the jazz tune, where the trumpet has just the right brassy tonality on the R200, being neither too bright and thin (the EVO), or a bit rolled off on top (the Meta), with the 12.2 running a close second to the R200. I hear the same thing on the strings on the classical piece, with the R200 being the best balanced, followed by the 12.2, with the EVO too bright, and the Meta not bright enough. The acoustic guitar piece also yields similar results, although the EVO does a bit better here. The EVO also fares somewhat better on the more heavily compressed and produced pop tunes. I guess I like bright speakers, 'cause I don't dislike the EVO as much as others here do. I'd like to hear them on a warmer amp like the Audiolab or a Denon

[@34332]

I didn't feel the EVO was too bright, just sounding a bit thin at some tracks, sometimes missing 'body' (compared to the others). A warmer amp may do the trick, but the Audiolab is, imo, a very neutral amp for the most part. However, it has better than usual bass extension and drive, which may favor the EVO. Also, trebble extension isn't tilted, but softer and/or refined. This can greatly reduce a hot or bright top-end and overall balance. Either way, it would be interesting to pair the Evo's with the Audiolab.

[@williammiebach1798]

I have too agree with Mike, and double up on it. I never think the Evo is bright. It always sounds too forward in the center mids to me, actually in a kind of dark or warm way. He and Winston describe it as thin. I wouldn't call it that either. Maybe we're hearing the same thing and just describing it in different ways.

[@DougMen1]

@@williammiebach1798 Actually, everyone's ears are different. We may hear things differently. I go through this all the time with other guitar players. I can hear a big difference between a rosewood board Strat and a maple one, but some players don't hear it. No one is right or wrong, because we're BOTH right. Some of us hear it and some don't. It's the same with audio. Everyone's ears are different, and we all hear different things. The only thing that matters is to get the gear that you like to listen to

[@williammiebach1798]

@@DougMen1 i agree totaly. So we're all hearing different things and then all describing it in a different way. 😁🤣 Absolutely, it's ultimately about enjoying the music in a way we each enjoy best, but the point is the MUSIC 🎶🎼 Still it's fun to share individual impressions of how the playback gear does that for us well or badly. I had a feeling you might be a musician, as you often comment about how you experience a specific musical passage or instrument solo, etc.

[@DougMen1]

@@34332 He actually did do a comparison of the EVO and Meta using the Audiolab

[@user-mv5rr8rj6y]

evo 4.2 for me!

[@Beathoven007]

I dont know what the recording distance is but I own the evo 4.2 and altough described often as a bookshelf, it is too large for that category. It is a large 3 way standmount, almost half a floorstanders with some quirks especially with the AMT tweeter and the domed midrange. It doesn't need a world but needs a little distance to sound at its best because the AMT has some beam effect (walk past it and treble disappears for example) . There are some demo tests between the Evo 4.2 and Kef ls50 meta here on youtube and the Evo might be too warm for some or not fast enough, but "thin" sounding like mentioned in a comment here is definitely not one of the qualifications ever given in any review. It would also not have won prizes if it would sound thin. The Evo adds a sense of realism / weight to instruments that is difficult to get within the same price range. When I compare the Evo 4.2. to my diamond 11.2 with an upright bass solo or a piano, the difference is in the midrange and top end, the Evo clearly gives more weight and structure to it. The Evo 4.2 is in some sense the Elysian 2 made for the average living whereas the Elysians are huge and require even more space and distance.

[@Greg.Siucrazyforaudio2016]

I owned the evo 4.2 it's a little lacking in separation compared to q acoustics concept range.

[@t0nyxgq]

Loved the A/B/C/D testing method. I guessed totally wrong based on what I thought had better highs/lows/etc. It turns out that I liked A and B (best) because the treble was more forward. C as more "air" but sounded thin with certain cymbals. Didn't have the weight of A/B. D was my least fav so I thought would be the cheapest speakers but I was happy to be proven wrong. Even with a nice Aune X8 w/Sparkos mod -> Burson Funk w/v6 Vivid -> HE6SE v2, the differences weren't very major until I listened through lots of genres.

[@user-wp1ir3et2u]

Although i do not own expensive earphones imho the A speaker is ''safe'' sounding, the B is a bit more open ,the C a bit ''light'' and the D balanced enough [i did not expect it actually]Considering their prices, the A and the B get my vote .

[@weaselpopper]

I picked C as EVO knew instantly and LS50 as A or D. I didn`t like D as much as A. B was my favorite followed by A.

[@stevenconnectingtogether6703]

I like A and B, A is very musical, easy listening, kind for soft music, pop or ballad... B is also great like A but bass is more pronounced, nice 👍 one. C is a bit bright and dynamic but fatigue for long listening session… position setup might help. For D .. hmm mid range is extended, not well balance but great for kind of music like Rock, Metal and EDM . For Jazz and Blue .. I’m not quite sure until have a real listening session

[@hoangngo1927]

A has a balanced sound but lacks some details and finesse B is more detailed than A, has more bass but still is balanced C is generally balanced but has some focus on upper mid/lower treble D is really mid & upper mid focused and is bass anemic B > C > A > D

[@Airavida]

I like C the most as it’s the warmest . I like warm sounding speakers like Hivi Swans.

[@earquakemusic]

I like D> C> B > A

[@cremersalex]

Went for Polk, then Evo, then Diamond, then LS50

[@zeppzepp1234]

The best of overall including the price point will be R200. We don't often get the great bass performance in that price range and size. Meta's good too, maybe boosting a broad low end EQ like its active wireless version will make it a champion. I also like the 12.2 if I just want an easy sounding but capable loudspeaker. I'll pass the EVO, that having its own characters but lacking the timbre accuracy.

[@donjaun540]

I found myself really liking the diamond the most.

[@ec6843]

I was right--sort of. I knew A and B were the 12.2 and the R200, but couldn't tell which was which. Therefore I knew C and D were the Evo 4.2 and the LS50, but couldn't tell which was which. It came down to listening and identifying which ones were mid-forward (Evo 4.2 and LS50).

[@Ivan-ks1ix]

KEF… Warfdale,,, so much clout but surprisingly they’re getting bested by Polk!

[@stanleymok3690]

C > B > A > D

[@rehakmate]

Kinda funny I'm listening with the AXR100 and some vintage Orion HS282 speakers

[@typedeaf]

To my ears and 3 sets of heaphones. A & B are almost identical. C had less trebble. D had less trebble but a bootested mid. That being said, the difference are almost impercievable to my ears. I think A&B might be more fatiguing but definitely more linear. I have the LS50 Meta and I considered all of these speakers. I am so relieved that they really dont sound very different. It does make one strong point: Buy the cheapest one, or the one that you like the name or looks or size of better, because sonically they arent different enough to have an regrets over.

[@Peter-ii4xq]

I wonder are my laptop and headphone good enough to judge? I wonder are your source, amp and cables good enough to judge? But number D sounded the most natural and relaxed. That's because of the sound is coming exactly from the same place. I am a pro musician and would never buy speakers based on video.

[@luismarquez8847]

You just saved many businesses many free 2 day ships from being returned

[@raulitocataquiz5165]

Basswise I like A and C. Treblewise its B and D.

[@mcm934ify]

The D is not just after the B so I'm not sure between this two! But they are better.

[@jonathanmarmol327]

EL mejor es el C, y luego el B. El C es más plano y el B más en forma de U. Me quedaría con alguno de esos dos.

[@starfuker]

I think we all agree that B is the best !

[@eddiebaby22]

Polk best for me

[@ralphe.thompson5010]

polk tweeter is great...mids arent messy or to present and is airy. Wharfedale is close.

[@japo3713]

B,A,C,D in my opinion

[@Deke1]

By my untrained ear, the best all around was B, followed by C, then A and then D

[@valleyguy633]

Polk 200 on the acoustic tracks.

[@bearded_wolverine3503]

I picked diamond 12.2 and absolutely hated the kef

[@roninnovastar1321]

I listened 1/4 way thru, kept liking B, thought it was Polk, To my surprise I was rite..

[@davidcarr2216]

I liked A,B,D, too with C as the oddball. Very hard to differentiate A,B,D. I thought A or B could be the R200 and that was about it after one listen.Tough.

[@davidcarr2216]

It makes the 12.2 the bargain to me.

[@-MarkWinston-]

@@davidcarr2216 my R200 just came in. Ran continuous frequency sweeps for 10hz - 22000khz sweeps, 100 seconds per sweep at 90db @ 1khz @ 1 meter for 2 hours. Sweeps already sound different, the 12.2 starts rumbling at lower frequencies indicating it rolls off later than the R200. From around 750hz - 4500hz the R200 sounds louder the 12.2, indicating it has a db or 2 on the 12.2 at those frequencies. At around 5k - 8k in the presence region the 12.2 now sounds louder than the R200. Not by much, just another db or 2 then from there on both evens out, with the R200 being ahead by a tiny wee bit. I cant hear anything above 16200hz (right ear, my left only does 14800hz), so I cant tell much above that. Now on to real listening, the R200 definitely has more overall definition, it is more revealing than the 12.2 especially in songs like Motherless Child by Etta Cameron. Instrument separation is better on the R200, but soundstage width and depth sound larger on the 12.2. Very apparent on Mombasa by 2Cellos. The 12.2 has more warmth in the foundation of vocals at the 200hz - 500hz range but vocals seem to be coming a step behind the speakers, the R200's vocal is more forward like its coming from inline with the speakers. The R200 is not as smooth and velvety as the 12.2 in the vocals, male and female, its very different in that area. Cymbal hits lasts longer on the R200, giving it a sense of realism. Overall the R200's upper frequency decay seem to last longer, echoey next go the 12.2. That trait seems to work really well on some songs, but can sound a wee bit cluttered on complex tracks like Beethoven's Canon In D Major. Speaking of Canon In D Major, the R200 has better dynamics, apparent when the cannons start shooting. The 12.2 digs deeper there though. The R200 definitely has more sparkle, not only because it has a more lifted mid and upper treble but because it separates instrument so well. The 12.2 gives an impression that it is more 3 dimensional all round though. I like how the R200 sounds, its one of the best sounding speakers Ive owned to date. It just lacks the warmth, the soul, the musicality and the smoothness of the 12.2, something which Wharfedale is known for and have in bucketloads in nearly every speaker they made. The brits are great at that. Side note, the R200 and 12.2 sounds nothing like what I hear in vids. There are some vital things that the best vids just cant convey and those vital things make up a big part in our listening experience. Oh and I paired them up with the DA-9, Sony DH190, and the Rotel RC-1572 MKII pre/RB 1552 MKII power amp combo which I recently bought for my OG LS50. Needless to say the Rotels knocked it out of the park but the DA-9 did well for its price, better than the Sony. Im now goin to sell of my left nut for a pair of Metas, you want them? A pair of LS50s and my left nut for the Metas in white.

[@davidcarr2216]

@@-MarkWinston- I really appreciate your detailed analysis. Yeah, video sound demos are ultimately a bit lame but fun.I have the Denton 80ths which I love on acoustic recordings but I think are rather warm and laid back for rock/pop so looking for something more neutral and lively with more forward vocals. I 've been thinking about the Metas for ages (even though advised that OG LS50 is the better buy and easier to drive.) Then the R100/200 came along. Still undecided and in no rush.

[@-MarkWinston-]

@@davidcarr2216 the denton 80th is a very laidback speaker, way more laid back than the 12.2, r200 and meta. I put the dentons in the same category as the diamond 225, laid back as hell with 0 sparkle up top and very warm sounding. Very. Ive heard the 80th and own the 225. As time went by Wharfedale became more and moe bright, the brightest being the Diamond 11s but still not as bright as most speakers. The diamond 12 team brought it back down to neutral while retaining that warmth with a very gradual BBC Dip. Its one of the most gradual BBC Dips Ive seen on any speaker, so its subtle but it works. My advice is not to get OG LS50, it doesnt sound right without the need to eq the hell out of it. Depending on your budget, the R200s or even floorstanding versions are perfect for what you are looking for. My next speaker is the Metas as they sound crazy good, and despite some reviewers saying they dont sound all that different to the LS50s, in reality the differences are huge. Ill be keeping the 12.2 and R200 but selling the damn LS50 off. Maybe sell off the diamond 225s too, but I deep down inside I want to keep a piece of wharfedale history. Have you seen the new baby Elysian 1 that just got recently launched? Lol!

[@davidcarr2216]

@@-MarkWinston- After he Dentons, I think the R200s might be a shock so think I'll try the 12.2s. Many thanks

[@johndaddabbo9383]

So sorry, however all speakers being placed on the same height stands completely negates the comparison.

[@canergullu4817]

C>b>d>a

[@mykhailoskachkov5946]

i find A and B too harsh with too sharp high frequencies, so C and D are better to my ears. between them i would probably vote for C but i must admit the difference between C and D is small

[@MissingInPerson]

i mixed evo and 12.2, rest guessed all correctly.

[@syavagor]

У меня есть сравнения Polk S60e Polk R700 но на телефон.

[@BusterBronco1987]

B, A,C,D

[@vicg5323]

They are all similar.

[@mydogskips2]

Yes, but subtly different, and those differences make all the difference. Personally, I liked B the best, and I haven't even heard of Polk R200s. I heard a pair of Polk LSiM speakers and hated them, generally don't like Polk products at all, but I am very impressed with these R200s, for the price they are great. (I did a quick bit of research after I saw the reveal of B being Polk R200).

[@user-eg8qe3kw2g]

варвидел с эво 4.2 больше всего понравились

[@user-it8ki6hr6d]

"C" the Best

[@jooneitaly]

My preferences D-C-A-B

[@juhajarvinen9924]

C,D,A,B 👌

[@wr7629]

D is the worst sounding , cheap sounding and fatiguing. B is punchy A has very good top end, similar to C C has deeper bass, but abit forward on the mid

[@gosmask]

B!!!!

[@techeteri]

Best review ever! R200 are much better in balance, clarity and midrange. Ls50 are a compromise. The rest is... garbage designed to trick you.

[@belbegortrnka430]

B..D

[@andrewwebb4635]

They all sounded very similar in my first run through my Philips Fidelio X2HR headphones with an inline DAC. So I cheated and found out the prices: Diamond 12.2 £300, R200 and EVO 4.2 about £600 and LS50 Meta about £1000. Armed with this and knowing which speaker was which I reckon that, for me, I’d rule out the slightly weak sounding Diamond 12.2 but I could live with any of the others though my preference is slightly towards the warmer sounding EVO 4.2. I reckoned the R200 gave the KEFs a real run for the money. Though I can detect that the KEFs are slightly more detailed at the topIt can sometimes seem over-detailed to my old ears which prefer acoustic and choral music.

[@shimmeringreflection]

Is this a joke? How can I hear the difference between these speakers when I'm not even listening to them? (I'm playing the recording back through my computer speakers.)

[@erwinramos7754]

hahah! you must be stupid listening to your crappy computer speakers. haha!

[@Trollberg]

First pick was D second pick was C..first two are too bright and hurt my ears.

[@outolempinimi5165]

I have tried the 12.2s and they were my least favourite speakers compared to many others at their price point. Veiled highs with horrible sounding cymbals to name one, and muffled mids, like listening someone singing trough a phone call. Only good thing about them was the bass reproduction which was incredible for their size. In other words, they sounded nothing like the speakers represented here, and therefore hard to believe the results here are correct, or they are selling two different speakers with different parts all together (just look at the price difference in US and Europe alone!). By the way, I have the R500s at the moment and they sound nothing like the 12.2s, unlike the R200s here.