In this review, we will be comparing C 97 II and R-820F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Jamo and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Jamo C 97 II and Klipsch R-820F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Jamo C 97 II | Klipsch R-820F |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 6" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 6" Composite | 2 x 8" Copper-spun IMG |
|---|
| Frequency response | 32-24k Hz | 35-21k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 97 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-180 watts | up to 150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 24.55kg / 54lbs | 24.55kg / 54lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 42-1/8" x 9-3/4" x 15-13/16"
1070.0 x 248.0 x 402.0mm | 43-1/8" x 10-7/8" x 16-3/4"
1096.0 x 277.0 x 426.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Jamo C 97 II and Klipsch R-820F 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 |
Klipsch R-820F |
| 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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
**This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that C 97 II is a 3-way design whereas the R-820F 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.
Jamo C 97 IIKlipsch R-820F
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Jamo C 97 II |
Klipsch R-820F |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 6-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
C 97 II features a 1" Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 3 x 6" Composite Woofer. On the other hand, the R-820F features a 1" Tweeter and 2 x 8" Copper-spun IMG Woofer.
Frequency Response
C 97 II has a frequency range of 32-24k Hz whereas R-820F has a frequency range of 35-21k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the C 97 II can go slightly deeper then the R-820F's min frequency of 35Hz.
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
C 97 II is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the R-820F 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 R-820F's is rated at 97 dB. This 8 dB difference makes the Klipsch R-820F 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.
C 97 II can handle a max power of 180 watts RMS, whereas R-820F has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the C 97 II.
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. R-820F has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Jamo C 97 II's Posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
New
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 Jamo C 97 II's and Klipsch R-820F'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 Klipsch R-820F has external dimensions of 1096.0 x 277.0 x 426.0mm (43-1/8 x 10-7/8 x 16-3/4inch).
Klipsch R-820F is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 29mm wider, 26mm taller and 24mm deeper than Jamo C 97 II.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Jamo C 97 II and Klipsch R-820F in scale.
Comparison image of Jamo C 97 II and Klipsch R-820F Size and External Dimensions
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 Klipsch R-820F is approximately 1180.0cm2 / 182.9inch2. The C 97 II requires 16% less surface area than the R-820F which gives it a small advantage 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 Jamo C 97 II weighs 24.55kg / 54lbs and the Klipsch R-820F weighs 24.55kg / 54lbs.
Here is a comparison of how C 97 II and R-820F'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 C 97 II?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of 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
What's in the Box of Klipsch R-820F?
Here are the items that come with the R-820F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille (installed)
- 2 Feet
- 4 Screws
- Quick Setup Guide
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
- Loudspeaker Feet note
 Max Input Power |
180 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
35 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
24k Hz
vs
21k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1070mm
vs
1096mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
997cm2
vs
1180cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
97 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Price per pair* |
1198USD
vs
1378USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Jamo Concert 9 Series C 97 II |
Klipsch Reference R-820F |
| Brand |
Jamo |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-180 watts |
up to 150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
97 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
32-24k Hz |
35-21k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Composite |
Copper-spun IMG |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6" |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1070.0mm (42.1") |
1096.0mm (43.1") |
| Width |
248.0mm (9.8") |
277.0mm (10.9") |
| Depth |
402.0mm (15.8") |
426.0mm (16.8") |
| Weight |
24.55kg (54lbs) |
24.55kg (54lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
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 |
A |
Jamo C 97 II digs deeper - 32Hz against 35Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs |
B |
Klipsch R-820F is more sensitive (97dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match |
B |
Klipsch R-820F is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom |
evenly matched |
Similar power handling (180W vs 150W). |
| Size |
depends |
Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability |
A |
Jamo C 97 II: bi-amping. |
| Price |
B |
Klipsch R-820F is cheaper - $1,198 against $1,378, about 13% less. |
A Jamo C 97 II
B Klipsch R-820F
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Klipsch R-820F is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.