In this review, we will be comparing R400 and C 9 CEN II, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Polk Audio and Jamo.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk R400 and Jamo C 9 CEN II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
Polk R400 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter
- 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer
- 48-39K Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:20-200watts
- Weight:14.91kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 199.0" x 24-5/16" x 14-5/8"( 199.0 x 618.0 x 372.0mm )
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 Polk R400 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* |
Polk R400 |
Jamo C 9 CEN II |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| 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 Polk R400 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.
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through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both R400 and C 9 CEN II are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
Polk R400 |
Jamo C 9 CEN II |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 4-inch
|
R400 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Turbine Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz. 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
R400 has a frequency range of 48-39K Hz whereas C 9 CEN II has a frequency range of 55-24k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 48Hz, the R400 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the C 9 CEN II's min frequency of 55Hz.
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
High Frequency
Center Channel 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
R400 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. R400 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the C 9 CEN II's is rated at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk R400 a more sensitive speaker compared to Jamo C 9 CEN II, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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.
R400 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas C 9 CEN II has a max power handling value of 140 watts RMS, 60 watts less than the R400.
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
R400 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.
Polk R400's Binding post terminals
Jamo C 9 CEN II's 5-Way post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both R400 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.
Polk R400 dual 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 Polk R400's and Jamo C 9 CEN II's external dimensions. Polk R400 has external dimensions of 199.0 x 618.0 x 372.0mm ( 7-13/16 x 24-5/16 x 14-5/8inch) 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) .
Polk R400 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 152mm wider, 16mm taller and 141mm 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 Polk R400 is approximately 2299.0cm2 / 356.3inch2 and base area of the Jamo C 9 CEN II is approximately 1076.5cm2 / 166.9inch2. The R400 requires 114% more surface area than the C 9 CEN II which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.