In this review, we will be comparing C 97 II and S 809, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by Jamo
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Jamo C 97 II and Jamo S 809 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Jamo C 97 II Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Tweeter
- 6" Midrange
- 3 x 6" Composite Woofer
- 32-24k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:50-180watts
- Weight:24.55kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1070.0" x 9-3/4" x 15-13/16"( 1070.0 x 248.0 x 402.0mm )
Jamo S 809 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Tweeter
- 3 x 5" Aluminized Polyfiber Woofer
- 37-26k Hz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:120watts
- Weight:13.60kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1042.0" x 7.5" x 9.9"( 1042.0 x 191.0 x 252.0mm )
What size room are the Jamo C 97 II 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* |
Jamo C 97 II |
Jamo S 809 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Jamo C 97 II and Jamo S 809 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that C 97 II 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.
| Driver |
Jamo C 97 II |
Jamo S 809 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 6-inch
|
3 x 5-inch
|
C 97 II features a 1" Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 3 x 6" Composite Woofer . 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
C 97 II has a frequency range of 32-24k Hz whereas S 809 has a frequency range of 37-26k 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 S 809's min frequency of 37Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
C 97 II is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the S 809 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. C 97 II sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the S 809's is rated at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Jamo S 809 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. While using
an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the
max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
C 97 II can handle a max power of 180 watts RMS from the amp the whereas S 809 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 60 watts less than the C 97 II.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
C 97 II features Posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. S 809 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Jamo C 97 II's Posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Jamo S 809's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
C 97 II 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 Jamo C 97 II with its rear-firing port.
Jamo S 809 Port
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Jamo C 97 II's and Jamo S 809's external dimensions. 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) whereas Jamo S 809 has external dimensions of 1042.0 x 191.0 x 252.0mm ( 41.0 x 7.5 x 9.9inch) .
Jamo C 97 II is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 57mm wider, 28mm taller and 150mm deeper than Jamo S 809.
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 Jamo C 97 II is approximately 997.0cm2 / 154.5inch2 and base area of the Jamo S 809 is approximately 481.3cm2 / 74.6inch2. The C 97 II requires 107% more surface area than the S 809 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.