In this review, we will be comparing Stage 280F and C 97 II, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from JBL and Jamo.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL Stage 280F and Jamo C 97 II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | JBL Stage 280F | Jamo C 97 II |
|---|
| Brand | JBL
United States · founded 1946 | Jamo
Denmark · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" Polycellulose | 3 x 6" Composite |
|---|
| Frequency response | 39-25k Hz | 32-24k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-225 watts | 50-180 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 25.09kg / 55.2lbs | 24.55kg / 54lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 43-13/16" x 14-1/8" x 16-1/2"
1113.0 x 359.0 x 420.0mm | 42-1/8" x 9-3/4" x 15-13/16"
1070.0 x 248.0 x 402.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the JBL Stage 280F and Jamo C 97 II 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* |
JBL Stage 280F |
Jamo C 97 II |
| 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
Both Stage 280F and C 97 II are 3-way speakers.
JBL Stage 280FJamo C 97 II
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
JBL Stage 280F |
Jamo C 97 II |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
3 x 6-inch
|
Stage 280F features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 8" Polycellulose Woofer. On the other hand, the C 97 II features a 1" Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 3 x 6" Composite Woofer.
Frequency Response
Stage 280F has a frequency range of 39-25k Hz whereas C 97 II has a frequency range of 32-24k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the C 97 II can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Stage 280F's min frequency of 39Hz.
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
Stage 280F and C 97 II have the same Impedance of 6 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Stage 280F sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the C 97 II's is at 89 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the JBL Stage 280F a more sensitive speaker compared to Jamo C 97 II, 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.
Stage 280F can handle a max power of 225 watts RMS, whereas C 97 II has a max power handling value of 180 watts RMS, 45 watts less than the Stage 280F.
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
C 97 II features Posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Stage 280F has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Jamo C 97 II's Posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Stage 280F and C 97 II have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 JBL Stage 280F's and Jamo C 97 II's external dimensions. JBL Stage 280F has external dimensions of 1113.0 x 359.0 x 420.0mm (43-13/16inch x 14-1/8inch x 16-1/2inch) whereas Jamo C 97 II has external dimensions of 1070.0 x 248.0 x 402.0mm (42-1/8 x 9-3/4 x 15-13/16inch).
JBL Stage 280F is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 111mm wider, 43mm taller and 18mm deeper than Jamo C 97 II.
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 JBL Stage 280F is approximately 1507.8cm2 / 233.7inch2 and base area of the Jamo C 97 II is approximately 997.0cm2 / 154.5inch2. The Stage 280F requires 51% more surface area than the C 97 II 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 JBL Stage 280F weighs 25.09kg / 55.2lbs and the Jamo C 97 II weighs 24.55kg / 54lbs. This makes the Stage 280F 2% heavier than the C 97 II.
Here is a comparison of how Stage 280F and C 97 II'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 JBL Stage 280F?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Stage 280F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker Grille Plinth 4 Spikes 4 Screws Hex-key Quick Start Guide Important Safety Instructions
What's in the Box of Jamo C 97 II?
Here are the items that come with the C 97 II:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Outrigger feet
- 4 Spikes (pre-installed on outrigger feet)
- 4 Rubber feet
- 8 Machine screws
- 2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
- Hex-key
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
 Max Input Power |
225 watts
vs
180 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
24k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Price per pair* |
1199USD
vs
1378USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
39 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1070mm
vs
1113mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
997cm2
vs
1507cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
JBL Stage 280F |
Jamo Concert 9 Series C 97 II |
| Brand |
JBL |
Jamo |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-225 watts |
50-180 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
39-25k Hz |
32-24k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polycellulose |
Composite |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
6" |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1113.0mm (43.8") |
1070.0mm (42.1") |
| Width |
359.0mm (14.1") |
248.0mm (9.8") |
| Depth |
420.0mm (16.5") |
402.0mm (15.8") |
| Weight |
25.09kg (55.2lbs) |
24.55kg (54lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Espresso,Latte |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: JBL Stage 280F is the newer design, against a 2016 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Jamo C 97 II digs deeper - 32Hz against 39Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | JBL Stage 280F is more sensitive (91dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | A | JBL Stage 280F takes more power (225W vs 180W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Jamo C 97 II is easier to place; JBL Stage 280F is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | JBL Stage 280F: Atmos drivers; Jamo C 97 II: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | JBL Stage 280F is cheaper - $1,199 against $1,378, about 13% less. |
A JBL Stage 280F B Jamo C 97 II
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?
JBL Stage 280F has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 39Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper JBL Stage 280F much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate JBL Stage 280F the better fit for a very large room, and Jamo C 97 II for a mid-size room.
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.