In this review, we will be comparing XL8F and S 809, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Fluance and Jamo.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Fluance XL8F and Jamo S 809 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Fluance XL8F | Jamo S 809 |
|---|
| Brand | Fluance
Canada · founded 1999 | Jamo
Denmark · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 2 x 6.5" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 8" Polymer treated | 3 x 5" Aluminized Polyfiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 35-25k Hz | 37-26k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 80-160 watts | 120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 21.64kg / 47.6lbs | 13.60kg / 29.9lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 45-7/8" x 9-1/4" x 13"
1165.0 x 235.0 x 330.0mm | 41.0" x 7.5" x 9.9"
1042.0 x 191.0 x 252.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Fluance XL8F and Jamo S 809 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Fluance XL8F |
Jamo S 809 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that XL8F is a 3-way design whereas the S 809 is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Fluance XL8FJamo S 809
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Fluance XL8F |
Jamo S 809 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
2 x 6.5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 8-inch
|
3 x 5-inch
|
XL8F features a 1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 1 x 8" Polymer treated Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 100Hz and 3000Hz. On the other hand, the S 809 features a 1" Tweeter and 3 x 5" Aluminized Polyfiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2000Hz.
Frequency Response
XL8F has a frequency range of 35-25k Hz whereas S 809 has a frequency range of 37-26k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the XL8F can go slightly deeper then the S 809's min frequency of 37Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
XL8F and S 809 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. XL8F sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the S 809's is at 90 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Jamo S 809 a more sensitive speaker compared to Fluance XL8F, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
XL8F can handle a max power of 160 watts RMS, whereas S 809 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 40 watts less than the XL8F.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
XL8F features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. S 809 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Jamo S 809's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
XL8F has a rear firing port whereas S 809 has a front firing ports. Jamo S 809's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to Fluance XL8F with its rear-firing port.
Jamo S 809 Port
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Fluance XL8F's and Jamo S 809's external dimensions. Fluance XL8F has external dimensions of 1165.0 x 235.0 x 330.0mm (45-7/8 x 9-1/4 x 13inch) whereas Jamo S 809 has external dimensions of 1042.0 x 191.0 x 252.0mm (41.0 x 7.5 x 9.9inch).
Fluance XL8F is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 44mm wider, 123mm taller and 78mm deeper than Jamo S 809.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Fluance XL8F needs about 61% more floor or shelf area. Fluance XL8F is 78mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Fluance XL8F is 123mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Fluance XL8F is approximately 775.5cm2 / 120.2inch2 and base area of the Jamo S 809 is approximately 481.3cm2 / 74.6inch2. The XL8F requires 61% more surface area than the S 809 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Fluance XL8F weighs 21.64kg / 47.6lbs and the Jamo S 809 weighs 13.60kg / 29.9lbs. This makes the XL8F 59% heavier than the S 809.
Here is a comparison of how XL8F and S 809's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Jamo S 809?
Here are the items that come with the S 809:
- 2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 8 Mounting feet
- 16 Screws
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
 Max Input Power |
160 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
37 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Price per pair* |
600USD
vs
634USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 High Frequency Response |
26k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional Jamo S 8 ATM Dolby Atmos upward-firing speakers
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Height |
1042mm
vs
1165mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
481cm2
vs
775cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Fluance XL8F |
Jamo Studio S 809 |
| Brand |
Fluance |
Jamo |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
80-160 watts |
120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
35-25k Hz |
37-26k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polymer treated |
Aluminized Polyfiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
100Hz and 3000Hz |
2000Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1165.0mm (45.9") |
1042.0mm (41") |
| Width |
235.0mm (9.3") |
191.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
330.0mm (13") |
252.0mm (9.9") |
| Weight |
21.64kg (47.6lbs) |
13.60kg (29.9lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Walnut |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
Lifetime |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
Lifetime |
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (35Hz vs 37Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | B | Jamo S 809 is more sensitive (90dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | Fluance XL8F takes more power (160W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Jamo S 809 is easier to place; Fluance XL8F is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Fluance XL8F: bi-amping; Jamo S 809: Atmos drivers. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($600 vs $634 a pair). |
A Fluance XL8F B Jamo S 809
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. Match it to your room: we rate Fluance XL8F the better fit for a very large room, and Jamo S 809 for a mid-size room. In a large or open-plan room, Fluance XL8F has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Jamo S 809 is the easier speaker to get right.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.