SpeakerDecision
  • SPEAKERS by TYPE
    • Passive Bookshelf Speakers
    • Passive Floor-standing Speakers
    • Passive Center Channel Speakers
    • Passive In-wall Speakers
    • All Passive Speakers
    • Powered Subwoofers
    • Powered Stereo Speakers
  • AMPLIFIERS
  • SMART FIND

Jamo S 83 CEN vs Jamo S 801 Comparison

x
Speaker to replace
Change

Jamo S 83 CEN

Passive Center Channel | 65-26k Hz

Jamo S 83 CEN
CHECK PRICE
Change
    
Jamo S 801

Passive Bookshelf | 76-26k Hz

Jamo S 801
CHECK PRICE
Jamo S 83 CEN Jamo S 83 CEN
See at AMAZON
Jamo S 801 Jamo S 801
See at AMAZON
Jamo S 83 CEN
See at AMAZON
Jamo S 801
See at AMAZON
Jamo S 83 CEN vs Jamo S 801 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Jamo. Jamo S 83 CEN is a Center Channel speaker whereas the S 801 is a Bookshelf speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Jamo S 83 CEN and Jamo S 801 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 S 801 Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
  • 4" Aluminized Polyfiber Woofer
  • 76-26k Hz Frequency Response
  • 85 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:up to 60watts
  • Weight:2.70kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 285.0" x 6.1" x 6.4"( 285.0 x 156.0 x 163.0mm )

S 83 CEN and S 801 are members of Jamo's Studio 8 series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

Jamo Studio 8 Series History
Model Body Frequency SensitivityImpedance Woofer
Jamo S 801
Bookshelf 76-26k Hz 85 dB8Ω 1 x 4"
Jamo S 803
  
Bookshelf 57-26k Hz 87 dB8Ω 1 x 5"
Jamo S 83 CEN
Center Channel 65-26k Hz 87 dB8Ω 2 x 5"
Jamo S 81 CEN
  
Center Channel 71-26k Hz 86 dB8Ω 2 x 4"

What size room are the Jamo S 83 CEN and Jamo S 801 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 S 801
Near-field Average Good
Small Room Good Good
Mid-size Room Average Average
Large Room Poor Poor
Very Large Room Bad No way

(* 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 S 801 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 S 801 are 2-way speakers.

Driver Jamo S 83 CEN Jamo S 801
Driver Setup 2-way 2-way
Tweeter 1-inch 1-inch
Midrange - -
Woofer 2 x 5-inch 1 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 S 801 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4" Aluminized Polyfiber Woofer .

Frequency Response

S 83 CEN has a frequency range of 65-26k Hz whereas S 801 has a frequency range of 76-26k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 65Hz, the S 83 CEN can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the S 801's min frequency of 76Hz.

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
S 801
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Center Channel Speakers

Jamo S 83 CEN
Jamo S 801
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 and S 801 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. S 83 CEN sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the S 801's is at 85 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Jamo S 83 CEN a more sensitive speaker compared to Jamo S 801, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Center Channel Speakers

S 83 CEN
S 801
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 80 watts RMS from the amp the whereas S 801 has a max power handling value of 60 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the S 83 CEN.

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 Post type posts and S 801 has a 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 S 801Post Terminals
Jamo S 801's Post terminals

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both S 83 CEN and S 801 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 S 801'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 S 801 has external dimensions of 285.0 x 156.0 x 163.0mm ( 11.2 x 6.1 x 6.4inch) .

Jamo S 801 is 343mm narrower and 84mm less deeper than Jamo S 83 CEN but it is also 69mm 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 Jamo S 83 CEN is approximately 1232.5cm2 / 191.0inch2 and base area of the Jamo S 801 is approximately 254.3cm2 / 39.4inch2. The S 83 CEN requires 385% more surface area than the S 801 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.

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 S 801?

    Here are the items that come with the S 801:
  • 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
  • 2 Grilles
  • User Manual
  • Important Safety Instructions
  • Warranty Information

  • Reasons to choose Jamo S 83 CEN over Jamo S 801
    Max Input Power 80 watts vs 60 watts Handle more power from your amplifier
    Sensitivity 87 dB vs 85 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    Woofer Size 5 inches vs 4 inches Larger woofer
    Number of Woofers 2 vs 1 More woofers
    Low Frequency Response 65 Hz vs 76 Hz Generates deeper bass
    Height 216mm vs 285mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces

    Reasons to choose Jamo S 801 over Jamo S 83 CEN

    Base Surface Area 254cm2 vs 1232cm2 Takes less floor space
    Price per pair* 174USD vs 229USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
    Jamo S 83 CEN vs Jamo S 801 Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General Jamo S 83 CEN Jamo S 801
    Brand Jamo Jamo
    Speaker Type Center channel speaker Bookshelf speakers
    Power Range up to 80 watts up to 60 watts
    Sensitivity 87 dB 85 dB
    Impedance 8 ohms 8 ohms
    Frequency Response 65-26k Hz 76-26k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 2 1
    Woofer Size 5" 4"
    Woofer Composition polyfiber Aluminized Polyfiber
    Woofer Surround Material n/a Rubber
    Tweeter Size 1" 1"
    Tweeter Type soft dome with an integrated waveguide Soft-Dome
    Aimable Tweeter No No
    Midrange Driver N/A" No
    Crossover Frequency 2000Hz n/a
    Firing Direction rear rear
    Physical Specs
    Height 216.0mm (8.5") 285.0mm (11.2")
    Width 499.0mm (19.6") 156.0mm (6.1")
    Depth 247.0mm (9.7") 163.0mm (6.4")
    Weight 6.80kg (15lbs) 2.70kg (5.9lbs)
    Enclosure Bass Reflex Bass Reflex
    Finish n/a MDF/Vinyl
    Available Colors Black, White, Walnut Walnut, Black, White
    Mounting Bracket No No
    Recommended Stand Height n/a 28-31"
    Grille Yes Yes
    Moisture Resistancy No No
    Connections
    Biamp Inputs n/a No
    Other
    Parts Warranty 5 Years 5 Years
    Labor Warranty 5 Years 5 Years

    Most Popular Speakers
    Klipsch Reference R-51M
    Klipsch R-51M
    2-way | 93 dB | 8 ohms
    Wharfedale Elysian 2
    Wharfedale Elysian 2
    3-way | 89 dB | 4 ohms
    ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
    ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
    2-way | 87 dB | 6 ohms
    Bowers & Wilkins 606 S2 Anniversary Edition
    B&W 606 S2
    2-way | 88 dB | 8 ohms
    KEF Q150
    KEF Q150
    2-way | 86 dB | 8 ohms
    Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-500M
    Klipsch RP-500M
    2-way | 93 dB | 8 ohms
    Wharfedale EVO4.1
    Wharfedale EVO4.1
    2-way | 87 dB | 8 ohms
    Bowers & Wilkins 606
    B&W 606
    2-way | 88 dB | 8 ohms
    Copyright © 2025 by SpeakerDecision
    About Privacy Contact US Camera Decision

    Report a Correction