In this review, we will be comparing Prime Tower and C 97 II, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from SVS and Jamo. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of SVS Prime Tower and Jamo C 97 II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the SVS Prime Tower 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the SVS Prime Tower and Jamo C 97 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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Drivers
Both Prime Tower and C 97 II are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
SVS Prime Tower |
Jamo C 97 II |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 4.5-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
3 x 6-inch
|
Prime Tower features a 1" aluminum dome Tweeter , a 4.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350Hz and 2100Hz. On the other hand, the C 97 II features a 1" Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 3 x 6" Composite Woofer .
Frequency Response
Prime Tower has a frequency range of 30-25k Hz whereas C 97 II has a frequency range of 32-24k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the Prime Tower can go slightly deeper then the C 97 II's min frequency of 32Hz.
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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing 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
Prime Tower 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. Prime Tower 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 SVS Prime Tower, 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. 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.
Prime Tower can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas C 97 II has a max power handling value of 180 watts RMS, 70 watts less than the Prime Tower.
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
C 97 II features Posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Prime Tower has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
SVS Prime Tower's 5-Way post terminals
Jamo C 97 II's Posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Prime Tower and C 97 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 SVS Prime Tower's and Jamo C 97 II's external dimensions. SVS Prime Tower has external dimensions of 931.0 x 204.0 x 297.0mm ( 36-5/8 x 8 x 11-11/16inch) 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) .
Jamo C 97 II is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 44mm wider, 139mm taller and 105mm deeper than SVS Prime Tower.
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 SVS Prime Tower is approximately 605.9cm2 / 93.9inch2 and base area of the Jamo C 97 II is approximately 997.0cm2 / 154.5inch2. The Prime Tower requires 39% 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 SVS Prime Tower weighs 18.23kg / 40.1lbs and the Jamo C 97 II weighs 24.55kg / 54lbs. This makes the C 97 II 35% heavier than the Prime Tower.
Here is a comparison of how Prime Tower 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 SVS Prime Tower?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Prime Tower:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille (pre-installed)4 Elastomer isolation feet (pre-installed)4 Spike feet4 Nuts4 Protective discsOwners ManualSVS brochureOnline Product Registration Card
What's in the Box of Jamo C 97 II?
Here are the items that come with the C 97 II:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille4 Outrigger feet4 Spikes (pre-installed on outrigger feet)4 Rubber feet8 Machine screws2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)Hex-keyUser ManualImportant Safety InstructionsWarranty Information
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
180 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
6 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
24k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
931mm
vs
1070mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
605cm2 (204x297mm)
vs
997cm2 (248x402mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
| Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
 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 |
SVS Prime Tower |
Jamo Concert 9 Series C 97 II |
| Brand |
SVS |
Jamo |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-250 watts |
50-180 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
30-25k Hz |
32-24k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Composite |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
4.5" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
350Hz and 2100Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
931.0mm (36.7") |
1070.0mm (42.1") |
| Width |
204.0mm (8") |
248.0mm (9.8") |
| Depth |
297.0mm (11.7") |
402.0mm (15.8") |
| Weight |
18.23kg (40.1lbs) |
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 |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |