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Jamo S 83 CEN vs Jamo C 9 CEN II Comparison

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Jamo S 83 CEN

Passive Center Channel | 65-26k Hz

Jamo S 83 CEN
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Jamo C 9 CEN II

Passive Center Channel | 55-24k Hz

Jamo Concert 9 Series C 9 CEN II
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Jamo S 83 CEN Jamo S 83 CEN
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Jamo C 9 CEN II Jamo C 9 CEN II
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Jamo S 83 CEN
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Jamo C 9 CEN II
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Jamo S 83 CEN vs Jamo C 9 CEN II Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing S 83 CEN and C 9 CEN II, two Passive Center Channel speakers by Jamo

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Jamo S 83 CEN and Jamo C 9 CEN II first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Jamo S 83 CEN Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" soft dome with an integrated waveguide Tweeter
  • 2 x 5" polyfiber Woofer
  • 65-26k Hz Frequency Response
  • 87 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:up to 80watts
  • Weight:6.80kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 216.0" x 19-5/8" x 9-11/16"( 216.0 x 499.0 x 247.0mm )

Jamo C 9 CEN II Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" soft dome with an integrated waveguide Tweeter
  • 2 x 4" HCCC (Hybrid Composition Conical Cone) Woofer
  • 55-24k Hz Frequency Response
  • 88 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 6ohms
  • Power Range:50-140watts
  • Weight:3.09kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 183.0" x 18-5/16" x 9-1/16"( 183.0 x 466.0 x 231.0mm )

What size room are the Jamo S 83 CEN and Jamo C 9 CEN 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* Jamo S 83 CEN Jamo C 9 CEN II
Near-field Average Poor
Small Room Good Average
Mid-size Room Average Good
Large Room Poor Average
Very Large Room Bad 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 S 83 CEN and Jamo C 9 CEN II compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.


**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


Drivers

Both S 83 CEN and C 9 CEN II are 2-way speakers.

Driver Jamo S 83 CEN Jamo C 9 CEN II
Driver Setup 2-way 2-way
Tweeter 1-inch 1-inch
Midrange - -
Woofer 2 x 5-inch 2 x 4-inch

S 83 CEN features a 1" soft dome with an integrated waveguide Tweeter and 2 x 5" polyfiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2000Hz. On the other hand, the C 9 CEN II features a 1" soft dome with an integrated waveguide Tweeter and 2 x 4" HCCC (Hybrid Composition Conical Cone) Woofer .

Frequency Response

S 83 CEN has a frequency range of 65-26k Hz whereas C 9 CEN II has a frequency range of 55-24k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 55Hz, the C 9 CEN II can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the S 83 CEN's min frequency of 65Hz.

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 Center Channel class in our database.

Low Frequency

Center Channel Speakers

S 83 CEN
C 9 CEN II
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Center Channel Speakers

Jamo S 83 CEN
Jamo C 9 CEN II
Min
Average
Max

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

S 83 CEN is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the C 9 CEN II which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.

These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. S 83 CEN sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the C 9 CEN II's is rated at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Jamo C 9 CEN II a more sensitive speaker compared to Jamo S 83 CEN, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Center Channel Speakers

S 83 CEN
C 9 CEN II
Min
Average
Max

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.

S 83 CEN can handle a max power of 140 watts RMS from the amp the whereas S 83 CEN has a max power handling value of 80 watts RMS , 60 watts less than the C 9 CEN 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

S 83 CEN features 5-Way post type posts and C 9 CEN II has a 5-Way post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

Jamo S 83 CEN Terminals
Jamo S 83 CEN's Binding post terminals

Jamo C 9 CEN II5-Way post Terminals
Jamo C 9 CEN II's 5-Way post terminals

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both S 83 CEN and C 9 CEN 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

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 S 83 CEN's and Jamo C 9 CEN II's external dimensions. Jamo S 83 CEN has external dimensions of 216.0 x 499.0 x 247.0mm ( 8-1/2 x 19-5/8 x 9-11/16inch) whereas Jamo C 9 CEN II has external dimensions of 183.0 x 466.0 x 231.0mm ( 7-3/16 x 18-5/16 x 9-1/16inch) .

Jamo S 83 CEN is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 33mm wider, 33mm taller and 16mm deeper than Jamo C 9 CEN 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 Jamo S 83 CEN is approximately 1232.5cm2 / 191.0inch2 and base area of the Jamo C 9 CEN II is approximately 1076.5cm2 / 166.9inch2. The S 83 CEN requires 14% more surface area than the C 9 CEN 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 Jamo S 83 CEN weighs 6.80kg / 15lbs and the Jamo C 9 CEN II weighs 3.09kg / 6.8lbs. This makes the S 83 CEN 120% heavier than the C 9 CEN II.

Here is a comparison of how S 83 CEN and C 9 CEN II's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.

Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
Jamo S 83 CEN
Jamo C 9 CEN II
Min
Average
Max

What's in the Box of Jamo S 83 CEN?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of S 83 CEN:
  • Center-channel loudspeaker
  • Grille
  • User Manual
  • Important Safety Instructions
  • Warranty Information
  • What's in the Box of Jamo C 9 CEN II?

    Here are the items that come with the C 9 CEN II:
  • Center-channel loudspeaker
  • Grille
  • 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
  • 2 Self-adhesive rubber bumpers
  • User Manual
  • Important Safety Instructions
  • Warranty Information

  • Reasons to choose Jamo S 83 CEN over Jamo Concert 9 Series C 9 CEN II
    Nominal Impedance 8 ohms vs 6 ohms Less selective with amplifiers
    Woofer Size 5 inches vs 4 inches Larger woofer
    High Frequency Response 26k Hz vs 24k Hz Generates higher frequency
    Price per pair* 229USD vs 344USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

    Reasons to choose Jamo Concert 9 Series C 9 CEN II over Jamo S 83 CEN

    Max Input Power 140 watts vs 80 watts Handle more power from your amplifier
    Sensitivity 88 dB vs 87 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Low Frequency Response 55 Hz vs 65 Hz Generates deeper bass
    Height 183mm vs 216mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Base Surface Area 1076cm2 vs 1232cm2 Takes less floor space
    Jamo S 83 CEN vs Jamo C 9 CEN II Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General Jamo S 83 CEN Jamo Concert 9 Series C 9 CEN II
    Brand Jamo Jamo
    Speaker Type Center channel speaker Center channel speaker (Black Ash)
    Power Range up to 80 watts 50-140 watts
    Sensitivity 87 dB 88 dB
    Impedance 8 ohms 6 ohms
    Frequency Response 65-26k Hz 55-24k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 2 2
    Woofer Size 5" 4"
    Woofer Composition polyfiber HCCC (Hybrid Composition Conical Cone)
    Tweeter Size 1" 1"
    Tweeter Type soft dome with an integrated waveguide soft dome with an integrated waveguide
    Aimable Tweeter No No
    Midrange Driver N/A" N/A"
    Crossover Frequency 2000Hz n/a
    Firing Direction rear rear
    Physical Specs
    Height 216.0mm (8.5") 183.0mm (7.2")
    Width 499.0mm (19.6") 466.0mm (18.3")
    Depth 247.0mm (9.7") 231.0mm (9.1")
    Weight 6.80kg (15lbs) 3.09kg (6.8lbs)
    Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
    Available Colors Black, White, Walnut Black Ash, White Oak,Dark Apple
    Grille Yes Yes
    Moisture Resistancy No No
    Connections
    Other
    Parts Warranty 5 Years 5 Years
    Labor Warranty 5 Years 5 Years

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