In this review, we will be comparing Q550 and C 97 II, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KEF and Jamo.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF Q550 and Jamo C 97 II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF Q550 | Jamo C 97 II |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | Jamo
Denmark · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 11th Generation Uni-Q | — |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | — | 6" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" Aluminum | 3 x 6" Composite |
|---|
| Frequency response | 58-28k Hz | 32-24k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 15-130 watts | 50-180 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 14.55kg / 32lbs | 24.55kg / 54lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 35-3/16" x 11-5/8" x 12-5/16"
894.0 x 296.0 x 313.0mm | 42-1/8" x 9-3/4" x 15-13/16"
1070.0 x 248.0 x 402.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the KEF Q550 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* |
KEF Q550 |
Jamo C 97 II |
| 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.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Q550 is a 2-way design whereas the C 97 II is a 3-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.
KEF Q550Jamo 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 |
KEF Q550 |
Jamo C 97 II |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
3 x 6-inch
|
Q550 features a 1" vented aluminum Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Aluminum Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz. On the other hand, the C 97 II features a 1" Tweeter, a 6" Midrange and 3 x 6" Composite Woofer.
Frequency Response
Q550 has a frequency range of 58-28k 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 Q550's min frequency of 58Hz.
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
Q550 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the C 97 II which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Q550 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the C 97 II's is rated at 89 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Jamo C 97 II a more sensitive speaker compared to KEF Q550, 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 Q550 has a max power handling value of 130 watts RMS, 50 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. Q550 has a Binding 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
Q550 has a front firing port whereas C 97 II has a rear firing ports. KEF Q550'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.
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 KEF Q550's and Jamo C 97 II's external dimensions. KEF Q550 has external dimensions of 894.0 x 296.0 x 313.0mm (35-3/16 x 11-5/8 x 12-5/16inch) 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).
KEF Q550 is 176mm shorter and 89mm less deeper than Jamo C 97 II but it is also 48mm wider.
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 KEF Q550 is approximately 926.5cm2 / 143.6inch2 and base area of the Jamo C 97 II is approximately 997.0cm2 / 154.5inch2. The Q550 requires 7% less surface area than the C 97 II 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 KEF Q550 weighs 14.55kg / 32lbs and the Jamo C 97 II weighs 24.55kg / 54lbs. This makes the C 97 II 69% heavier than the Q550.
Here is a comparison of how Q550 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 KEF Q550?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Q550:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- 2 Outrigger feet
- 4 Spikes
- 6 Screws
- 6 Washers
- 4 Rubber inserts
- Hex-key
- Owners Manual
- Warranty Information
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
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
24k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Passive Radiator |
2 x 5.25-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Height |
894mm
vs
1070mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
926cm2
vs
997cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
180 watts
vs
130 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
58 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Price per pair* |
1378USD
vs
1400USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KEF Q550 |
Jamo Concert 9 Series C 97 II |
| Brand |
KEF |
Jamo |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
15-130 watts |
50-180 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.5 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
58-28k Hz |
32-24k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Composite |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2500Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
front |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
894.0mm (35.2") |
1070.0mm (42.1") |
| Width |
296.0mm (11.7") |
248.0mm (9.8") |
| Depth |
313.0mm (12.3") |
402.0mm (15.8") |
| Weight |
14.55kg (32lbs) |
24.55kg (54lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Walnut |
Black |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
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 | B | Jamo C 97 II digs deeper - 32Hz against 58Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Jamo C 97 II is more sensitive (89dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | KEF Q550 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | B | Jamo C 97 II takes more power (180W vs 130W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | KEF Q550 is easier to place; Jamo C 97 II is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Passive Radiator vs Ported. |
| Expandability | depends | KEF Q550: Atmos drivers; Jamo C 97 II: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($1,400 vs $1,378 a pair). |
A KEF Q550 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?
Jamo C 97 II 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 58Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Jamo C 97 II 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.