Wharfedale Diamond 225 Can Sound Better Than You Think!
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- čas přidán 29. 06. 2024
- Spacers: amzn.to/46Eevjs (Slightly Different From What I Used)
Sound Demo At 9:11
Original Rating From 2016
Wharfedale Diamond 225 Bookshelf Speakers ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Original Price: $449 (Current Price $299, Nov,2019)
(I would love to add another star after these modification).
Pros: Everything.
Cons: None @ This Price.
Highs:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Mid-Range: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Bass: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sound Stage:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Price: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Associated Equipments & Affiliated Links, If you use these links to purchase any items from Amazon or eBay(No Extra Cost To You), I get a small percentage which help support my work xxx
Wharfedale Diamond 225: amzn.to/2ZNs5xr ,
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#tharbamar #goodsoundtoyou
This modification really works. I played around with different thickness spacers from 3mm to 15mm. I think the 10mm is the sweet spot. It has better clarity and dynamic.
Dezember last year I was looking for new speakers and listened to every Speaker sample of your videos. without recognizing your review stars i choosed them. after that i read all the comments and your raiting. i bougth them 6 times in white for surround and I'm very happy with the sound and quality. thanks for your comparsion videos!
Tharbamar, I’m so glad I did the bass mod, for a different reason. When I went to unscrew the bolts at the bottom, I found they were all loose. Now I understand why the midrange sounded so dirty, especially at higher volumes. I guess it’s because the board at the bottom was loose and rattling, creating its own sound. Since I’ve tightened the bolts, it’s so much cleaner sounding.
What an excellent, inexpensive mod for the masses. Great content.
I just bought some Wharfedale Diamond 11.2's a couple of weeks ago, and after watching this video I tried modification using some Scotch-pad furniture sliders. There are about the same diameter and a little less than the width of the speaker's spacers. I drilled holes through them and added them to the spacers. I really do like the sound improvement this experiment made and I thank you for this video.
in my opinion these speakers sound VERY good as stock ones, but thanks for showing your creative side, and keep doing the good work man! love your channel!
Thank you.
i got these 225s and nice to see them get some love and diy to improve them. i liked them so much i was inspired to get into more expensive hifi :)
i also was aware of the bass issue so i have sealed box speakers now.
you could possible get better results with the wharfedale if you remove the bottom plate and use hollow or open stands, like my isoacoustic stands.
Thank you for this tip! I've bought 8 nuts of 10mm high from the local hardware store for my Diamond 220's. Since I could not find any plastic rings.
The results: in my view the bass is deeper and louder. And it seems that there is a better and wider spread in the high, mid and low frequencies.
A lot of folks mod these speakers (225/220). There's nothing wrong with changing the jumper although it's very subtle how it would change the sound. The jumper you get with the speakers is gold plated tin probably. Copper is better, but surface area covered by the supplied jumpers kind of negates any benefit you'd get using copper/silver, etc. It's real dicey changing the distance of the plinth from the bottom of the speaker. They've been tested to give the best balance the way they are, but if you only change it very little it may suit your tastes better, or worse, and it really depends on taste and environment you play the speakers in, and whether you use a sub, or even the music you play mostly. If you make the gap a millimeter greater, or up to 5 I'd say, the bass actually drops a little with a change in the speaker's timbre/resonance. It does seem to increase resolution a bit. The change won't suit everyone. I have the 220's, and I raised them a little less than 2mm. I'm not even sure if the tuning isn't corrupted, but I listened to one speaker done, and the other not. The modded speaker seemed clearer, and the resonance was still mostly intact. It's been that way a couple weeks doing both, and I may revert. Room sound mods and the equipment/music you use is way more important. (Remember that the speakers as they come use the plinth (bottom screwed in plate) as an extension of the port. If you really want to change the gap you should be changing the port length and/or the hole diameter as well to get the proper tuning. That would take some experimentation or calculations to get right).
Wow!!!
Great modification job 👍
These are my 1st real speakers because of your channel. After parting with them 2 speaker upgrades ago, I still think they are the best in that price point. Build quality was better than my kef q350 which are at a higher price point and almost the same as my new dali speakers which are almost 3x the cost.
Have added the spacers and wow! It does make a difference. The bass has way more punch!
I did replace the spacers ,got them at Lowes. They only had white so I took a black marker and colored them. They did make a big difference. Thank you!
I absolutely love these speakers. These matched with proper external DAC and amplifier are way better than active speakers many times the price.
Nice job! I need to clean the base plate on mine as well so I might as well tweak the sound.
At first I was sceptical about the sound improvement with the spacers. Then I realized there was that large port on the bottom. I'm surprised that the wharfdale engineers didn't consider the height of the gap!
Thank you so much for this video! I just purchased these speakers for $229. As far as the spacers, I remembered that I kept the strip of spacers that come with TV wall mounts. I actually had 8 of the exact size you used but they are a shiny black, which will work well with the black piano finish!
Let us know how you get on. I'm thinking about these as the speakers for a jazz-piano-trio-only rig in a smallish room, with an SMSL AO300 all-in-one. Would welcome any reactions.
@@CinemaDemocratica I was actually really impressed with the more spatial effect it had on the overall sound. The instrument separation is much more apparent! I can hear very subtle details in the music that were not noticeable before. Vocals and drums are way more impactful! Personally, I didn’t notice a huge difference when switching out the spacers, but I may try to test that a different way in the future. Now, I am running these on a Music Hall a15.3 integrated amplifier with CESS-106-6f Bi-Wire speaker cable, analog connected sources using Preffair pure copper RCA cables: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo turntable and streamed music through an SMSL DO 200 MKii. The previous setup was Q Acoustic Concept 20’s connected to an SMSL AO 200 hooked up to the SMSL DO 200 mkii through balanced cables. I am running a 10” Jamo sub with both setups, which is turned down a lot so that it is just noticeable.
I installed half inch (12.4 mm) spacers for $3 which produced significantly more bass and a bigger soundstage! I used Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man on a Telarc cd for a test cd and I was blown away by the improvement! Very gratifying. Thanks for your ingenuity!
Where did you locate / purchase the spacers?
Thatnks for this info. I did this mod to my 220's and although the bass port in the base of the speaker is smaller than the 225's and doesn't even have a proper port (it's just a hole in the wood!) it definately made a worthwhile improvement. I'm going to add a proper plastic port as well.
Great to hear, enjoy!
Just doing mine now bit early in uk to play them yet can't wait to hear them my spacers are a bit bigger than the ones you used
great review, I was thinking to do the same to my WD225 to improve their bass
Another tip on D 225: I have been testning some gears back and fourth. Mostly using bare wire for the speakers. Tightening the bindning posts hard every time as one should. One day I actually turned one bindning post when tightening the nob. Opened the bindning post and checked the nuts on the inside. Not tight at all (any more). Most nuts could be turned several revulotions!
Used a 8 mm long socket.
Now they are back to former glory. Time to buy bananplugs.
Thanks for the tip! I put some 20 mm plastic washers (leftovers from a TV wall hanger) and the bass is now better, while the mids and highs are the same. Sometime there is still something strange like an "ummmm" that is not really low subbass, but I can live with that. Maybe I should play with speaker room positioning. The beauty is that tracks (pop '80, '90) that do not have bass are are not presenting added bass.
*WATCHING A lot of your vids* thanks for the tip.. The 225's look much better also.
Can I do both mods on the Diamond 220s? And do you have any mods you can recommend for Denton 80th to increase soundstage?
Never modded a speaker before. This is my first time.
Always a pleasure to watch your videos.
I have just done this little mod and there is a noticeably 'cleaner' low end.
I chose to use chunky 29mm wide spacers however, as when raised up like this I found that the 16mm ones looked a little puny. Purely an aesthetic choice, but I think they look much better than the skinny ones.
I did the spacers today. Tried with one speaker first and the improvement was so evident to my ear! A lot more open sound and Fuller. Really really good!
Nice sounding
Thank you , I baed week ago one pair of warfedale diamond 14.4 .!
Thanks for sharing. These are MONITOR speakers. They are supposed to sound neutral. You have changed the characteristics and made them play louder by strengthening the bass. But they are not neutral now - my impression this improvement was done at the cost of clarity and separation of the instruments on the soundstage, so it could be either improvement or worsening, depending on the music you listen to. But this is a cheap modification and you can always return to the original state, so it's worth trying.
I feel I had a different experience from yours. Mine became more neutral, and the clarity and soundstage significantly improved. Bass is not louder, but just cleaner.
I just made the same modification with an 1 inch spacer between the base board and the speaker itself. The base is more clear and less muddy. The change also bring out the mid more. The high is about the same, easy on the top for the ear. Sound stage also opens up more. So it’s well worth the modification… over all, it can match the towers I have, Pioneers SP-FS52. Not as airy as the Heresy but then we are talking a magnitude of differences in terms of price and performance. note: The spacer I used is 1” high. You will have to replace the stock screw if you use anything longer. Very satisfied with the price and performance ratio on this purchase and modification
I did this modification to the spacers, and the difference to me was obvious. I think it cleaned up some muddiness / sloppiness in the lower end.
I also replaced the bridge plates, and my speaker wire (which was Amazon Basics, copper coated aluminum wire; 16ga) with Monoprice pure copper; 14ga. Between the new spacers, and the bridge plate / wire upgrade, I got a nice overall improvement to the sound for a handful of dollars. Thank you, Tharbamar!
P.S. I found the spacers on eBay, they seem to be a common bicycle part, and not hard to get.
Awesome, thank you for sharing.
Hi Kensboro,
Can you please share the name/link of a bicycle part on eBay?
I re-watched the video again using my headphone to hear the difference , after the modification the bass became deeper and more refined
I have the same issue with my WD225 and was thinking to do the same modification , your video make me sure that this is the best modification .
By the way I bought recently and old WD 9.2 speakers , their sound signature is very close to 225 except "in my opinion" the high frequency response is better than 225 , if you have the chance to test them ... don't hesitate :)
I have WD9.2 also it's sound better than 225.Yeah I really hope that he has opportunity listens and review 9.2
Never tried to replace the spacers, worth a shot. In the sound demo, the “boomyness” seemed to lower. Not a bad idea for a small cost.
You need to try the Evo models, especially 4.4. Surprising sound at this price.
11.3 tomorrow coming my way 🥳
This mod adds clarity throughout the frequency range. It changes the sound character slightly, but I love what I am getting in return. Anybody who is curious should give it a try.
Before the mod these speakers had strong but slightly muddy bass before. After the mod, the bass become strong but clean.
Thanks for the feedback, enjoy!
Hey buddy thanks for this video, which av re river. And music amplifier do you use with these??? Sound is simply awesome
The position (height) of the loudspeaker has also changed , this can affect the lower frequency response due to the room. By adjusting the speaker position, the distance from the floor, walls and ceiling will alter the room modes ( those frequencies that are re-enforced by reflections that are in phase with the original frequency ).
Few centimeters makes zero difference here.
@@OhFishyFish I know!!! I was like 🤦🏻♂️
It seems slightly better to me too, I found on ebay some 'Aluminum Spacer Bushing 3/4" OD x 5/16" ID' and 3/8 length, 10 pcs. I could not find any black spacers and aluminum looks good, also it is a little wider.
Just tried this on my 220,s and noticable difference straight away, more tighter extended bass, with more attack.
Brilliant Thanks
Great, simple project. What stands are those? Thanks.
I listened to diamond 225 combined with denon pma520ae, pma720ae, marantz pm6004 and harman kardon hk980. And the sound is good. Two days ago I bought a yamaha as 701 and got even better sound.
I have them with a Adcom GFA-535(first version) and they sound really good, very amazing and high end.
I also bought 2 years ago wf 225s with yamaha a-s701.Perfect combination with very very deep lows, crystal highs and sweet mids!
I have a lathe. I can make glass reinforced nylon ( acetal ) as spacers then.
I'm a big fan and I bought a pair of Diamond 225 after I watched your review. I also followed exactly how you changed higher washers. The difference is amazing. They were good before but they sound great now! All highs, mid and bass are better with more details. Ever the sound stage is wider. I guess is because more air is coming out at the bottom. How did you figure this out while even the manufacturer didn't know? Anyway great job and please keep going.
It was just a little experiment, it does take this speaker to whole new level. Thanks
@@Tharbamar I just changed to pure copper jumpers and the 225 gets even better. The sound stage is deeper and wider. More details too! Thanks a lot for the advice!
I avoid using jumpers, I just trim a bit of the speaker cable off in the middle of the cable wrap it around bottom post then trim the end and wrap around top post, then tighten on the knobs, so just the two posts connected to my speaker cable and no jumpers required...
Hi! Nice mod gonna do this for my 225's. My 220c had the reflex pipe plugged with foam from factory so i removed it and im gonna try this mod for it also. Have you tried the 225's biamped? ive had them biamped from new with my Pioneer vsx-933, so not sure if theres a diffrence.
ME ENCANTA COMO SUENAN.....DINAMISMO Y REALISMO.....
Just heard them it is well worth doing they sound better good idea
Do you recommend to do this with the bigger 230's?
I will try this on my 220s
Hi, how would you rate your 220s now after the modification?
I can confirm this mod works with 220 as well
At first i was enthusiastic, the base gets a bit more kick and depth.
This is good for the speakers on their own and would keep it this way if i only had the 2 speakers.
But i use the speakers with a subwoofer. It is too much for this combination. So i reverted back. The woofer fills in the lack of bass !
thanks mate. I might try it with my 220s
😍Wharfedale😍
Works great. Any hard plastic will work as spacers. No need to buy originals.
I think the Mogami links is the big factor. Clearer sound.
Does anyone know about the Diamond 3's of the mid 80's?? They were the best satellites of the day...had a pair.
Those 225s must pair well with your warm powerful sounding Denon IVR 2000 , Have you tried them with any other integrated amps or 2 channel recievers or recievers ? Dame good job on the modification ,lettting the woofer to breath better espically at louder volumes ! Liking the your channel alot !
Yes I did with Parasound Halo Combo and Sansui AU907MR. thanks
@@Tharbamar HI, M curious how these speakers sound with Sansui.
Could you pls share your thoughts about the combination?
JRRL Llegado They sound well controlled and dynamic while retaining original sound signature with tight bass, thanks
@@rodplanet5901 Sansui has that amazing Vintage Neutrality sound signature thats very balanced in the Low mids and highs not one of them over coming the other so basically you can get a very good idea of the true sound signature of just the speaker . Sansui was an amamzing Company in their Audio gear One of my favorites right beside Nakamichi And Luxman
@@Tharbamar thanks Tharbamar!
@Tharmabar Which software or app are you using for wave comparison
hopefully you can get your hands on the new EVO large bookshelf with the AMT tweeter.. those look interesting and affordable.
May be I will request one for review, thanks
Seems they are at a reasonable asking prices . I think What Hi-fi gave one of their new floor standers a positive review.. Wharfedale must have new leadership ?. Their direction has been very positive in resurrecting their name.
In my experience a speaker’s sound never improves by any peripheral mods. The sound either muddles up, or worse, loses some part of the music (which can give a false sense of clarity).
Have to admit, the pre-modded speakers sound better to me
The upgrade of those longer spacers did sound noticably better, very much so in the lower bass.
Hello Tharbamar! is this upgrade good for the 220's? Thank you. I think I'm gonna buy some Diamonds!
It will work great on all Diamond 200 series.
You should try diamond 11.2
Is there a graph showing before minus after waveform? The net effect of the mods?
Best speakers for compressed or Spotify, even 80s Vinyl Sounds more fun then with my other higher prived speakers.
Do you have a Link for the spacers??
I’m surprised about the spacers.. is this because of placement compensation? It seem that wharfedale wouldn’t have missed using a 1/4 inch of spacing difference.. it seems unlikely they decided this as that was not a cost cut.. so my guess is this mod is a personal ear thing called improvement.
not the same speaker, but with the same 'mechanism'. i'm experimenting with the 11.3, that i find lacking punch in the middle-low by default, and i found that removing the plate and putting the spikes in its place (they fit in the same holes) gives back the punch in the lows. basically all it matters is the distance of the mouth of the reflex port from the floor. in your case you increased it, in mine i decreased it, with opposite results
This is correct I found the taller the spacing the less punch and tightness but with more spread sounding low end extension.I went just a bit over stock by 1/16" to keep the punch and add just a little.
Hi! Cool video. Looking at buying a pair of wharfedale. Either 10.1 or 225. Quick question: what's the foam on the wall used for exactly please? Why a piece at the center also? Thank you
It was in old house.
@@Tharbamar hi. Sure. But why use them and why behind the speakers and 1 piece at the center/between the speakers please? I am wondering if I would benefit from doing the same. Thanks!
Could only find M8 15 or 20 mm. Is 20mm going to be too much
What if you would have gone higher and add some soundproofing self adhesive foam? I think it would further reduce some unwanted resonance.
Gabriel Yes I tried to go higher but bass response was reduced and less depth than I would like.
Can I please ask your opinion between Diamond 225 vs Diamond 11.2
Is this a three-way speaker like the Elac ubrv The driver on the top looks like a coaxial…
Hi Tharbamar, could you pls review some Q acoustics speskers in your channel please? Concept 20, 3030i etc thank you, have been checking your reviews and enjoy them, cheers
Maybe one day, thanks
@@Tharbamar thanks
Hey. Thank you for the video. Which budget amplifier is better to take to Wharfedale Diamond 225? I choose between Yamaha A-S201 and Denon 520AE. Thank you
My vote goes for 520ae. I had this amplifier. I used with 225 and 720ae and marantz pm6004. I am currently listening to them with hk980.
@@aleksandartosic2663 Thanks for the answer. And if you choose between Denon 520AE and S.M.S.L AD18, which one is better?
Buy denon pma520ae or pma720ae.A later get dac.
Have you tried with 15 mm nylon spacers? I ordered both 10 and 15 mm
Hello Tharbamar, which speakers do you recommend Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs JBL Stage a120? I see you love your 225, but also said only good things about the JBL.
Thanks
Sound is subjective but D220 have better build quality than A120, those JBL sound great but I can’t listen them for too long due to some brightness in upper frequencies.
@@Tharbamar thanks
Better still get the JBL Stage A 170s. I have them and they are amazing.
Sounds like you lost the attack and dynamics on the drums as a trade off of better airflow to the port. I am borrowing my son's 225's and the biggest difference in sound I have found is the grille for the tweeter changes the sound.
Danny Richie of GR Research did a frequency graph of these and found with measurements the grille changes the measured response. Personally I prefer the sound with the tweeter grilles on, with them off they sounded too sibilant and horn like. The grilles seemed to make the sound more natural to my ears.
@Tharbamar In stock there is too much bass to me - it is a bit slow and overwhelming. Will this mod (taller spacers) reduce bass and make it more responsive, or should I try something else? Please advice.
Yes it will help, also you might want to try with adjusting the placement, thanks
@@Tharbamar
Do you think it's a good idea to raise a pair of 220's with washers taller than 10mm, say 12mm or 14mm. Thanks in advance for your input.
Or if your budget allows, you can get 11.2s. They have insane bass. I don't know if it makes sense but the bass sounds full bodied and deep
It’s not my main speaker, thanks
I wonder if this mod could be done to the Reva line speakers?
i have wharfedale diamond 220, its so great bookshelf, rich sound quality, detail on high. but in my opinion there's only one minus: "a little bit to warm characteristic". if you play some of jazz or classic music, its so nice to hear. but if you play like pop or rock, the sound is a little bit strange, it like the singer got flu/ cold sound.
Yeah it's a slightly boxy, nasal sound (220). I've always wanted to hear the 225s.
yes ! I agree re rock music
I feel the same way. The speaker does well with modern, refined music. Put old rock on, and it sounds "off". It may be the stiffness of the woofer, but even a sub only helps a little.
Tempted to do it on my 220s... but I would need to see some objective measurements that show it improves the frequency response first. Anyone done any testing?
It also would mean removing all the rubber feet to get to the screw holes, which is a pain.
I took the sticky rubber feet off. Easy enough. It actually sounds better without the feet. The mod took me 15 mins and certainly made a difference with more bass punch. I even had to turn the bass dial down a little on the amp!
Design acoustic did this on their speakers.
Where did you get the spacers from?
What do you think of the latest wharfedale diamond 12.2 compare to 225 because I can't make any decisions which one buy? Pls advise. Thanks.
looking for the same answer.
Both are awesome, but sound signature is totally different, to my ears. The older 225 is warmer, darker, more mellow/smooth sounding, with a full bottom end and the top end is very rolled off. The 12.2 is more dynamic sounding with a brighter top end, faster bass and the vocals are a bit more recessed. So if you like a more analytical, detailed sound, go for the 12.2. However, if you prefer a more laid back, mellow, warmer, non-fatiguing speaker, go for the 225.
i did the jumpers a while ago instant improvement. i try the spacers soon. dont use banana plugs neither , the less contacts you have in your circuit the better
Ignorant question: the jumper also improves single wiring??
If you dont use banana plugs that just means your speaker wires will be sharing the same hole as the jumpers? What difference did you notice after the jumper mod?
Where do you buy the spacers online ?
Why didn't real engineers with university degrees, who designed this thing , think about this extra space before putting it on the market? They should have taken some careful measurements or something. You should be designing speakers on top of just reviewing them.
How about the bass response
Hello, anyone has some thoughts on the Wharfedale D320? Are they supposed to be cheaper than these here?
Do you have a link for the spacers? I would love to try this on my diamond 220's!
probably you can also buy a car fuel hose and cut it. it is solid 8 mm rubber tube that should fit on the screws aswell
tried this hack and switched it back right away, lost punchiness of bass and sounded muddy. well to each his own
And there lies the problem, what sounds good to one person, may not sound good to others....
its just good the way it is, i dont understand this modding stuff at all. Buy other speakers
This reviewer isn't sure about what is it that he's hearing. Everything is a "very musical" sound that "you can enjoy".
Of course wharfedale designers had a reason to do it that way but I think you did that modification great. In an audiophile way..
It’s just their house sound when they design it, sometimes it is done for purpose because they don’t want the sound quality of lower end models closer to upper end lineup.
Haha, I don't think so.. Wharfedale did the same way to upper priced Reva and Evo range.. But the modi results in better sound to you, then it's good for you!
Yes that’s why I said house sound, I did review Reva 2 a few years back and I preferred 225.
Yes, 225s are great speakers! Anyway I would like you to review the new EVO 4.2 bookshelf speakers. They are 3-way speakers with AMT tweeter and dome midrange.. So tempting!
Hi Tharbarmer! If I do this mod for my 225, do I also need to do the same to my 220c centre channel speaker which is a part of my home theatre system? If so, do I have to do it in the same way? Will the centre channel sound better?
Yes you will get same benefits as the 225, thanks
Thanks.
οι αποστάτες κάνουν στα ηχεία Wharfedale Diamond 240;
Hi! Is there much difference in sound in Diamond 220 and 225? Both models have lower price right now, thanks!
just the bass
Have owned and enjoyed 225s for 6 mos but wonder if I can improve on sound I'm getting. Can anyone give suggestions on ideal placement, angling, distance from wall and such? Also I'm powering these with a fairly basic AVR the Denon AVR-S750H, would they benefit greatly from better amp? Thanks
They will DEFINITELY sound better with an upgraded amplifier. MUCH better!!!
So instead of just "guessing" at spacer height, why not just remove the bottom plate and do some experimenting/listening/frequency graphs as to how the sound changes when the height is raised? Or has that been done already and this is the best result?
playing by ear works best
I tried that. removed the bottom plate and placed the speakers on stands with some space between them. they sound quiet hollow and week(relatively). I don’t really believe I have sensitive ears and the difference was quite obvious.
Hi Tharbamar,
I currently have diamond 220 and 220c for my home theater. Now, I am planning to upgrade my setup. Do you think it is better to upgrade to 225 and put the 220 as surround? Or is it better to get a Klipsch 600m and replace the existing setup for future upgrade?
More power to your channel sir.
In my opinion it’s not major upgrade in sound quality, just different in sound reproduction. Personally I would just get a pair of D225 to save money, may be for future amplifier upgrade or processor. thanks
I wonder why the original designers at Wharfedale didn’t do it this way , but it might be the look of the speakers would be a lil Awkward and would affect people from buying it as the average buyers care about looks. But still they could’ve included these solutions in the package as an option for the buyer to change it later if it really does affect the sound as claimed here in this video. Just wondering.
It’s just their house sound when they design it, sometimes it is done for purpose because they don’t want the sound quality of lower end models closer to upper end lineup.
They want the speaker to sound good. There's not a conspiracy to make it sound bad compared to others in their line. They've been at this a while, and tuned the speaker to give the sound they thinks represents their brand. You can't increase the gap without it changing the intended tuning. The plinth is that distance in relation to at least a half dozen other parameters like port diameter, length, box volume, speaker size etc. Can you change it a little, and not entirely throw the speaker out of tune? Sure. Will it sound better over the long haul after you settle in with it? Probably not. It's cheap to do so why not try it. If you want to change the gap, maybe use a different port insert or change the diameter of the port itself. Trial and error might get you somewhere no matter what you try.
I've got a pair of 220's on the way, do you figure that this small mod would work just as well for them?
Yes, I think it can benefit from this mode.
Made a big difference...where did you get spacers from?
A little bit different but similar spacer here
amzn.to/3O5Rkri
You can use anything to space these. I used a thick ss washer added to stock spacer on my D220`s and used a ss nut slightly wider than stock spacer for my D225`s. I bought the spacers he recommended but didn`t use them anyway.